What the noted sociologist and political analyst had to say about Surayud and his style of leadership on Sunday best sums up the feeling of frustration being shared by ever-larger circles of people.

While "Old Ginger" and his team of retired technocrats deserve sympathy for the problems inherited from the Thaksin era, there is no excuse for not setting the right priorities in getting the country back on track.

Of course, one doesn't expect miracles from an administration that has only a year in office.

But given his depth of experience and knowledge, General Surayud should know what the expectations of the people are and what the task before him is.

Thailand is not yet out of the crisis. Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra may be out of power but he is showing every intention of not disappearing quietly. Remnants of his once-powerful Thai Rak Thai Party are regrouping and testing the patience of the Council for National Security. Their pending launch of a cable TV channel is an informal declaration of a public relations war that, if mishandled, might plunge the country into a new round of political confrontation.

The economy is showing no signs of picking up. Worse still, investors' confidence in the government has been dampened by its lack of policy direction and the prospect of a prolonged political mess. While the prime minister seems to be embracing a more accommodating attitude toward the violence in the three southern-most provinces, it offers no prospect of an end to all the killings and bombings in the region.

In practically all media interviews General Surayud has given over the past few weeks, he has stressed honesty as a prerequisite for his Cabinet members. Being honest is fine, but given the detestation the Thai people had toward the Thaksin government's no-holds-barred attitude and the damage it caused to the country, honest Cabinet members need to deliver - or risk becoming irrelevant in this time of crisis.

While General Surayudh claims he is open to criticism, he is showing no sign that he is willing to act. Even as poll after poll shows his approval rating sliding because of his government's lacklustre performance, the prime minister still insists that his Cabinet members are doing their job well enough - an indication that he has no intention of replacing any of them.

When General Surayud was hand-picked by the coup-makers as prime minister, there were expectations that a professional soldier known for his honesty would make a difference at a time when people were weary of corruption and politicians. But after more than four months in office, it looks like General Surayud is still living off his old credentials.

Surayud's ill-fated choice of former deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak to head a committee to publicise the philosophy of the sufficiency economy speaks volumes about his political judgement and his sense of priority. And it definitely didn't help that he dismantled the committee the minute Somkid resigned amid pressure from the media and anti-Thaksin groups. The whole episode has inevitably raised questions about General Surayud's leadership.

Some may argue that four months is too short a time to pass judgement on an administration that was catapulted to power in a crisis.

But it's not the interim government's performance to date that has many people crying in frustration and disappointment. It's the fear that the government will continue to run the country the same way in its remaining months in office that leaves most people worried.

General Surayud's strongest asset is that he has no conflicts of interest and harbours no political ambition. The hope is that he will come to realise he is not accomplishing anything meaningful and that he will need to assert stronger leadership in order to move the country forward.

In this critical moment, Thailand badly needs a leader who can mobilise all key institutions to rally behind a common cause that will take the country out of the current crisis. That means the government, the Council for National Security and the National Legislative Assembly need to sit down and discuss ways in which they can work together to deal with the problems at hand and chart a future course.

There is no doubt that General Surayud has both the power and clout to play that critical role. But first he has to acknowledge that the country is still faced with an extraordinary situation that will require an extraordinary solution.

Somebody needs to wake him up to the harsh reality the country is facing.

Thepchai Yong