That's why they want to see former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his cronies brought to justice at all costs. After all, wasn't that part of the rationale behind the September 19 coup?

But Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont apparently has a different idea. The once battle-hardened former Army commander-in-chief seems to be allowing his softer and more religious part to get the better of him. Even the worst of all thieves, he believes, can be won over and made to repent - just like the brutal murderer who was out to kill Lord Buddha but was eventually converted and became his faithful disciple.

In short, the PAD leaders believe that Thaksin's political sins are beyond redemption, while Surayud is convinced that he can somehow make the former prime minister see the light. The pro-democracy movement obviously wants the Surayud government to help finish what it started. It paved the way for Thaksin to be dragged out of power by the military, and now it wants him and his political machine wiped off the political map. But for once Surayud is taking a stand: he wants to handle Thaksin his own way.

Of course, the whole matter is more than a subject for philosophical debate. We are talking about a man who is accused of plundering his country and undermining its democratic systems to perpetuate his political control and buttress his family's business interests. Worse still, we are talking about a political leader who allegedly sowed the seeds of unprecedented political division and blasphemed the Monarchy to increase his own political leverage.

There is no doubt that Thaksin's political behaviour made him a threat to Thailand's democracy. While the September 19 power seizure did end Thaksin's popular but politically destructive rule, it was far from being a coup de grace. The all-powerful Council for National Security (CNS) and the government it appointed still have a long way to go in dismantling his political legacy.

The escalating pro-Thaksin demonstrations serve as an unmistakable reminder that he is still a political force to be reckoned with. The continuing political disturbances are obviously an extension of the former leader's political manoeuvring that started with his high-profile overseas media interviews and his hiring of high-profile American lobbyist firms.

The PAD leaders have every right to be concerned that both the Surayud government and the CNS are losing sense of direction and priority. And it's a sentiment that is shared by a large section of society, which has grown increasingly disillusioned and frustrated. As prime minister, Surayud probably carries the heaviest burden. But it doesn't help that he has been giving every impression that despite the current extraordinary circumstances, he doesn't feel the need to do anything out of the ordinary to manage things. With the country heading towards another round of political confrontation, it's this sense of complacency that is most alarming.

Many people were unsure whether to consider good news or bad news when, upon being discharged from hospital last week, Surayud announced that he was more determined than ever to stay in office despite earlier rumours that he was under pressure to quit.

The prime minister offered no clues as to how he would manage affairs of state differently than before, except to say that he would tighten the screws on his Cabinet members.

If the performance of his government to date has been a big disappointment, as many public opinion polls show, Surayud only has to look at himself. While we do have a prime minister, many people are unsure whether we have a leader. If Surayud has been listening carefully enough to all the criticism, he should already be familiar with the feeling of disillusionment among even those who once supported him.

Surayud declared that despite all the pressure, he wasn't "losing heart", making it sound as if that was a mark of his determination to hang on. But the question is not whether he is losing heart or not. The question is how he will he steer the country out of the current political and economic imbroglio within the next six months.

Strong political leadership is necessary if this government seriously wants to deal with the problems at hand and pave the way for the next phase of political reform. Surayud needs to mobilise all the resources available to push ahead with bold policies. That means he has to break out of his bureaucratic mindset and recruit the active participation of both the National Legislative Assembly and the CNS to implement his agenda.

Despite all his shortcomings, Surayud is still widely respected for his honesty and integrity. And many people believe that he deserves another chance. But time is running out for him to prove that he can hold the country together and put it back on track.

The past six months have proven that his reconciliatory approach towards the former political leadership doesn't work. Thaksin and his remaining supporters have shown that they are in no mood to let the country return to normalcy.

There are always thieves who cannot be reformed. And the only way to deal with them is to either banish them forever or put them behind bars. Prime Minister Surayud simply has no more time to waste.

Thepchai Yong