You read it here first: Major predictions for 2009

Yes, both of us regarded the protesters besieging Parliament and forcing the new government to declare policies at the Foreign Ministry as part of a peaceful time. No offence to the red-shirted demonstrators, but the last few days have felt like the temperature jumped from minus 5 degrees to zero. It feels incredibly warm.

So, as you and I are struggling to rediscover our lost sense of "normalcy", here are some political predictions for 2009, made by our editorial council, who all want to remain anonymous - and let me get the credit if the forecasts prove to be spot-on:

MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra will win this Sunday's Bangkok gubernatorial election. That's an easy one, you may argue, but I'm typing this with clenched jaws. My instinct, which has NEVER failed me where the city elections are concerned, went for "Khun Pluem", ML Natthakorn Devakula, who unfortunately was discounted by the council on the silly grounds that he was aloof and incomprehensible, and that the Democrats need more time to make fools of themselves as a government.

Army Chief-of-Staff Prayuth Chan-ocha will cement his place as Army Commander-in-Chief Anupong Paochinda's successor. The latter will retire next year, but this year's annual military reshuffle will unveil succession plans. A note of caution, though: the last Army chief-of-staff to become Army chief was one Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. That was when Liverpool still dominated British soccer's top flight, Tata Young was only six years old, and nobody knew Thaksin Shinawatra.

Abhisit Vejjajiva will dissolve the House. We have seen football teams play better with 10 men, and his mentor Chuan Leekpai lasted more than two years as prime minister with a thinner majority control of the House of Representatives (about a dozen MPs more than the opposition). Abhisit, however, will be up against so many pressing factors, the biggest one involving the next prediction.

Thaksin's assets will be seized. Everything will revolve around this grand finale. The hearing will begin in March and clues on the ruling can be taken from all the court verdicts concerning the ousted prime minister, his wife and former political party in 2008. Thailand's problems started with this huge amount of money, and therefore how this transpires must also have a lot to do with it.

There have been talks about a "compromise", about ending all this by giving Thaksin some of what he wants. But while unfreezing all or part of the Bt69 billion is a way to achieve "reconciliation", it carries unknown risks. What will the PAD say, to start with? More importantly, though, what will Thaksin himself do with the money?

Mark Hughes will be sacked as Manchester City manager, and the sky-blues will be poised to break into the English Premier League's top four in December. Not politically related? Check this out: Without the Thai crisis Robinho would still be playing in Spain and Hughes would still be at Blackburn Rovers. In fact, almost the entire squad would be playing elsewhere. If City win next year's Champions League, they should build statues of Sondhi Limthongkul and Saranyoo Wongkrachang in front of their stadium.

Chalerm Yoobamrung will be the next hero of democracy. On the surface, that is. Yongyuth Wichaidit is a mere ceremonial opposition leader and without Chalerm this could be the most toothless opposition in history. Behind the scenes, however, it will be the Shinawatra siblings and the "October" big names like Prommin Lertsuriyadej manoeuvring to keep the Pheu Thai Party ready to seize back political power. 

The UK will come clean on rumours that it froze US$4 billion of Thaksin's alleged offshore money. Sooner or later London will speak up so everyone can put this thorny issue behind them. Come on, Gordon Brown, just "Yes" or "No" and we all can go home. And, I promise, no "I told you so".

You and I will never regain the lost sense of "normalcy". You will simply shrug if, come December, the third prime minister of the year is named after the year's second general election. Fatal clashes between "yellow" and "red" protesters that leave 5 people dead may not make the headlines. Let's just keep holding on to our seats. After all, 2008 "roller-coastered" by when everyone still had a job.