Reports suggest that internal squabbling among investigators as well as bureaucratic red tape have slowed the progress of these investigations, however in the weeks ahead more needs to be accomplished, and in a timelier manner. Although the government and the CNS have given themselves the thumbs up for their performance, the public wants faster results.

If this trend continues unabated, the public will soon lose faith in the new government and the CNS. Indeed, the honeymoon is long over.

It is startling to note that a public opinion poll released by Bangkok University yesterday shows that Thaksin ranks third on a list of the country's most admirable people, behind General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont.

There is no guarantee that Thaksin will not bounce back - whether he is able to or not depends on the performance of the government and the CNS. As such, they must not rest on their laurels and risk losing the support of the public. Failure to do so could give Thaksin another opportunity to exploit and divide the Thai people, especially in the provinces.

When General Surayud was chosen as prime minister, he received the strong support of the Thai public because of his reputation for decency and his unblemished record. His loyalty to the monarchy is also unquestioned, which was a concern when Thaksin was prime minister.

Surayud proved his integrity when he served as Army chief and as a member of the Privy Council and when questions were asked about the nature of his wealth and his vast land holdings, he answered them with clarity.

It is becoming apparent however that Surayud could be out of the loop when it comes to matters that are not political or related to security. He chose not to comment when the country was in crisis last week due to the Bank of Thailand's strong capital control measures.

Obviously he is not an economic man like Thaksin, however the public is now asking whether Surayud is in synch with the overall situation. He has thus far paid more attention to the ongoing violence in the deep South, an important issue, no doubt, but not the only one confronting the nation.

Surayud's Cabinet members are also not running on full steam. Most of them view themselves as caretakers and have adopted a lackadaisical attitude towards their day-to-day duties. Problems in the areas of defence, foreign policy and education that could be dealt with now and aid in the building of a strong foundation for the government in the future have been left to stagnate.

Surayud showed his leadership skills as Army chief and during his stint in the special forces, as well as during the Cambodian conflict. He was also decisive in expelling Burmese troops when they crossed over into Thailand.

That decisiveness and ability to act effectively has not carried over into his work as prime minister. Surayud seems to care too much for his image, fearing to make any mistakes. He made blunders in his first few meetings with world leaders, such as when he came out calling for the UN Security Council to stay away from the situation in Burma. That position has changed, but it was indicative of the fact that he has yet to come to grips with a fast-changing environment.

Next year will be a crucial one for the government. The reception it has received both domestically and internationally might not be as favourable unless a stronger leadership emerges to provide clarity and unity of purpose.