A year ago today then army chief Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha assembled key people engaged in ongoing political conflicts into the same room and told them to forge an agreement.
They failed to do that. Gen Prayut promptly staged a coup and seized power.
The time-off from democracy has been marked by both betterment and setbacks to varying degrees.
What has been most remarkable about the military intervention is a return to stability.
After several years of violence and what seemed like unending wrangles, the military regime has delivered what it promised to the Thai people.
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has successfully kept armed elements at bay. Peace was restored and daily life returned to relative normalcy with no streets being blocked and no protesters roaming around the capital.
The coup makers have so far been true to their word to put the country back on a democratic course according to their "roadmap".
However, the stability has come at a price.
The price that Thai people have paid for the restoration of peace and order is restrictions on civil rights and freedoms.
The NCPO has been strict in its barring people from gathering, even if they are peaceful in nature. The regime does not permit political expression. It does not allow political parties to engage in activities.
As NCPO chief, Gen Prayut also enjoys sweeping power under Section 44, which allows him to pass an order superseding the executive, legislative as well as judicial branches.
Even though the premier pledged to use the power constructively, there is no denying that this is authoritarian rule.
As the military regime marks its first anniversary today, it has to bear this shortcoming in mind.
In fact, if it is honest in its pledge to put the country back on a democratic path with a firm footing, it should spend the rest of its time in power steering people towards peaceful, constructive engagement.
The NCPO literally has no choice but to start softening its suppression. The peace dividend will not last for too long, especially with the economy's present downturn and people feeling the pinch. Tolerance will likely start to run low if people's freedoms continue to be restrained.
It is true that political conflicts still exist, and there are fears they may come to a head again if the military leaders start lifting their iron rule.
But that is where the challenge lies. How to get back to democracy without making a mess out of it like last time? That is exactly the test that the NCPO will have to master for the next leg of its existence.
The fact that the NCPO and government are preparing for a referendum on the draft charter is an opportunity for them to start this next phase of constructive political engagement.
There is no point in holding a public vote on the draft charter if people cannot debate, even criticise, its content freely.
Carefully steered, the debates and referendum can go a long way in opening up a new dimension of political engagement.
The process will show people they will have space to air their opinions and a means to settle their conflicts peacefully and democratically.
The NCPO faces a more challenging and delicate task as it marches towards its second year. The regime must find the best way to meet it.
