The year 2015 will be a monumental year for Thailand with a flurry of national reform and charter drafting efforts picking up speed in the next 12 months, while a decision on the impeachment of Yingluck Shinawatra could shake the military regime right at the beginning of the year.
The movers and shakers in politics hope the outcomes of the reform process and new constitution will reshape the political landscape and usher in a "Thai-style" democracy that is suited to the country's circumstances.
But the reform in the 18 designated areas and the charter rewrite also is sure to draw both vocal support and strenuous opposition.
From the first week of the year, Thailand's political stability under the control of the military regime will be tested when the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Friday begins impeachment hearings against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra for alleged dereliction of duty in overseeing the controversial rice-pledging scheme.
The NLA is expected to make a decision on the case in early February.
Besides the Yingluck case, the NLA will also start impeachment proceedings on Thursday against former Senate speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich, ex-House speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon and a group of 38 former senators for their support of an attempt to amend the 2007 charter to make the Senate fully elected.
Putting it simply, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said how things go for the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and the government this year will depend on two things — economic problems and any recurrence of political strife.
"If the government can address the economic problems, it and the NCPO will find it easier to stay on to solve other problems. If the economic situation doesn't improve, pressure and tension will intensify," he said.
On the political front the impeachment hearings could spark a resurrection of old conflicts.
"Whichever way the decision goes, there will be people who won't like it. This is something the NCPO and the government should be aware of when doing their job," he said.
However, Anek Laothamatas, a member of the National Reform Council (NRC), was more upbeat. Impeachments aside, the rest of the year will be a busy period for national reform and charter drafting that will chart the country's future direction.
He said the NRC will be a driving force of the reform process, and it will work closely with the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to draw up the new constitution in efforts to achieve the type of democracy that can gain wide public acceptance and is suited to the country.
Mr Anek said the government led by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has settled into its job of running the country, and economic woes have begun to ease after oil prices have dropped.
This has allowed the government and the NCPO to maintain the political momentum for peace and cooperation and to restore public confidence following the May 22 coup.
As evidence of stability, he pointed to the large crowds of holiday-makers feeling comfortable travelling to celebrate New Year, despite martial law still being in effect.
He believed the government and the NCPO will lift martial law when the NLA passes an upcoming bill to control public gatherings.
He said he did not think members of the red shirt movement, who are "playing dead" by maintaining a low profile following the coup, will "return to life" and attempt to plot against the government.
"Currently, the red shirts say they want to reconcile with the government and the NCPO. It is unlikely they will make a comeback, mount anti-government protests or disrupt the process of drafting the new constitution," Mr Anek said.
He cited the example of red-shirt leader Veerakan Musikapong, who recently provided his input on the new charter to the CDC.
Other hardcore red-shirt leaders, such as Kwanchai Praipana, are also expected to present their ideas.
"Cooperation by the red shirts has indicated they now find it hard to resist the government, so they want to seek reconciliation instead," he said.
Mr Anek sees Gen Prayut as growing more comfortable in his role. Unlike some of his predecessors, such as Mr Abhisit or Anand Panyarachun, Gen Prayut may lack oratory skills, but he has shown signs of improvement, he added.
Somchai Sawaengkarn, an NLA member, said Gen Prayut has learned a lesson from the Sept 19, 2006 coup — which was considered useless after it failed to end political conflicts — and has tried to avoid repeating those mistakes.
He said Gen Prayut wants the new constitution to lay the foundation for a democracy that is suited to Thais.
Gen Prayut once told his military associates, who were educated abroad, that he wanted reforms to be rooted in Thai values, rather than adopting ideas and theories from the West, Mr Somchai said.
Gen Prayut is pushing the NLA to pass more than 300 key bills to solve the country's problems. He has said that of these bills, 163 are about reducing inequality, which the government wants promulgated within this year. They include a bill on tax reform, a bill on land and building tax, and a bill on inheritance tax.
However, Deputy Democrat Party leader Nipit Intarasombat voiced his concern that the NRC and the CDC may not be able to make any significant changes because the two bodies have given attention to "trivial issues", rather than the public's major concerns.
Mr Nipit has slammed the CDC's proposal for a prime minister who does not have to be an MP, saying that has never been on the public's agenda.
The CDC recently back-peddled saying that a proposal to allow the appointment of a non-MP prime minister would be used only to defuse "political crises", saying it will not be possible to have a non-MP prime minister if the political situation remains stable.
Mr Nipit also disagreed with the CDC's decision to adopt a German-style voting model — the mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) system — which is likely to blunt the power of big parties and encourage the formation of a coalition government.