There are still many disagreements in politics but a consensus may be reached that the future, as far as we can see it, belongs to the military and its conservative backers.
What can anti-coup activists, democracy lovers or libertarians in general do to survive the next 10 years? Here are a few suggestions.
Pity PM Prayut Chan-o-cha
It may sound like mission impossible to claim the higher ground over the man standing at the helm of the country, who is likely to remain in charge for many more years, with or without an election.
But three years down the road back to right-wing conservatism and Gen Prayut has shown signs of fatigue, both as a person and as a brand.
The PM may still rank as the most popular choice for youngsters to send a love note to on Valentine's Day, according to a recent poll, but stress has obviously taken its toll, as seen through his frequent outbursts and overall crankiness.
It appears things are not going as planned. His "roadmap to democracy" hits one snag after another and is delayed. As the country moves toward an election, reform and reconciliation Gen Prayut will inevitably have to grapple with increasingly diverse interests and ever more pressing demands.
What can be more pitiable than a leader who isn't his own man? It's true the anti-establishment camp is no match for the right-wing regime. What may emerge as an irony, however, is that as Gen Prayut tries to usher in a new political order, forces within his own conservative side will turn against one another.
It's the elite infighting, which the PM won't be able to settle easily, that will rock the boat.
Gen Prayut may return as an outsider premier after the election to oversee the unity drive and reform. With the economy in the doldrums, a track record of broken promises and some powerful players emerging on the political landscape, it will not be easy next time round.
In fact, the top job looks more nerve-racking each day so the premier deserves a measure of sympathy for the tension he must be under.
Revel in desperate logic
Military rule may have been a setback to democracy and freedom but it is teeming with failed logic and backward ideologies.
Those who believed the PM's remarks urging people to grow hardly-heard-of beans instead of rice, or to sell rubber on Mars -- which exemplified marvellous arts of reasoning -- will find more glittering gems of thought.
As advanced countries move away from coal, the PM has not only embraced the fossil fuel but also defended it with the crudest rationale of no coal-fired power plants equals no electricity.
He must have missed all those reports about renewables and hydrogen being fuels of the future. Has he heard about Elon Musk? Probably not.
If that is not failing enough, where else can we find a case in which the national police chief filed a defamation lawsuit against speakers at a seminar entitled: "What do we have Thai police for?"?
Keep in mind the lawsuit is occurring at a time when an allegedly wrongfully jailed former teacher successfully requested a retrial for a fatal hit-and-run she claimed she did not commit, when a police superintendent was charged with murder and when up to one-third of people who sat a police entrance examination reportedly cheated.
And of course, the Metropolitan Police chief, the one embroiled in a scandal after his asset declaration sheet showed he received payment as an adviser to an alcohol company, insisted that up to 99.99% of police officers are good and dutiful ones.
It only goes to make people wonder why we actually need reform if it's only to improve the 0.01% of imperfection?
Never-ending temple raid
As life goes on in this stable-but-dull military-run country, an occasional show of force by authorities, be they police, the Department of Special Investigation, the military or all the above as they gather at Wat Phra Dhammakaya to try to arrest a fugitive former abbot charged with money laundering can be a form of entertainment.
This news item is from May last year: "Police have sent in a drone to inspect Wat Phra Dhammakaya and map out a plan to raid the premises." And this latest report on Thursday: "Police and DSI planned a fresh raid on Wat Phra Dhammakaya at the break of dawn."
By the way, the temple's public relations monk said he has not seen the former abbot for eight months. Aren't the shows a worthy diversion?