Twelve years of waiting is over for the Thai national football team and the Thai people. Thanks to head coach Kiatisak Senamuang, his staff and the players for bringing us joy, happiness and pride at a time when we need something to cheer about and lift our spirits.
The team did a great job, even if they were down three goals to nil against Malaysia in the 58th minute of the match.
I was watching the game at a get-together of friends from my high school days in Hat Yai. We had gathered at a restaurant in the Rama III area.
We cheered the Thai team until a penalty kick was awarded to the Tigers six minutes into the match for a foul. Many of us raised doubts about the referee.
A clip of the foul was later circulated on social media to show that it shouldn't have been a foul at all.
Then another goal followed and one more goal by the Tigers. My heart sank. I thought we were doomed. The Thai people's hopes for some happiness before New Year were shattered.
But no! Kiatisak and his boys did not lose their fighting spirit.
They fought on with their heads high like the War Elephants they are, cutting the lead to 3-1 in the 82nd minute with a chip from a rebound following a free kick.
Shortly after, Chanathip Songkrasin scored the second goal which was enough for the team to lift the AFF Suzuki Cup.
My friends and I cheered loudly as if we were teenagers. The team's outstanding performance made us feel good.
Honestly, it is a much better New Year's gift than any of the gifts being showered upon us by the government, be it the grand discount sale, the free expressway and motorway fees from Dec 26 to Jan 4, the waiving of ATM fees for cross-zoning money transfers, Line stickers of the 12 core values, a 4% salary increase for 1.9 million government officials or whatever have you.
Instead of wasting time dreaming up New Year's gifts for the people, the government should just do its job properly and serve the public efficiently. That would be the best gift for the people.
For example, why don't officials at the land offices or public works offices just do the jobs that are required of them without dragging their feet, wasting time reading the paper or chatting among themselves, oblivious to the long queues of people waiting to be served.
Anyone who has visited a land office to do something with land documents will know just how much of a torment it is to get things done if you don't know somebody in the office or if you don't have the cash to get the human machine "oiled" and ready to go.
The win by the War Elephants has brought us joy and happiness, even if only temporarily.
But there is one lesson delivered by the national football team which appears to have been overlooked — and that is their unwavering fighting spirit.
Perhaps it should serve as a New Year's gift of a different kind for all of us, especially those in economic and social trouble, that we should not be demoralised. We should try and carry on, regardless of the obstacles. There is always hope for those who are determined and who do not give up without a fight.
Personally, I am not excited about all of the "gifts" from the government, even the latest oil price cuts which do not reflect the real global oil slump. I don't expect much from the government either. Just that it do its job as promised, stick to its goals and return democracy to the people.
Veera Prateepchaikul is a former editor, Bangkok Post