It has become tradition that the government gives New Year's gifts to the public during the festive season.
Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha in the hope of brightening up the public mood has instructed all ministries to come up with presents. Some are tangible items, from state stimulus schemes, like 500 baht cash handouts for holders of welfare cards, for 14 million people, or an extension of co-pay, also known as the 50-50 scheme that was timed to run from year's end to March.
Several agencies have merely brushed up their routines, adding extras or offering fee exemptions for some services. For instance, the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Consular Department has provided translation for several kinds of documents free of charge for 10 days, while an exemption of toll fees during the long holidays has been put in place by the Transport Ministry.
But it's debatable if those gifts are necessary. Many would prefer standard services -- with efficiency and less red tape -- all year round, rather than what is wrapped up as "gifts" for New Year.
To begin with, the government must ensure that state agencies listen to the people more and embrace people's participation in their work. There is no place for the top-down approach in development projects.
Gen Prayut should know that a clean environment is a great gift for all, while natural resources must be managed by local people. In order to achieve this, state agencies should improve their mindset.
It would be of great service to the country, should the government do more to narrow the equality gap. If this requires legal restructuring, do it right away. A pledge towards the sufficiency economy must be pursued, as well as a change to all the structures that allow most of the country's resources to unfairly remain in the hands of just a few rich families.
Any contentious projects that will destroy local people's livelihood and self-reliance, like the Chana industrial complex in Songkhla, must be reviewed. Any plans under the project should be stalled and a forum must be set up so the people can have a say.
Everyone wants the government to tackle corruption, and not just pay lip service. No double standards in law enforcement. Some notorious pending cases, like the hit-and-run saga involving a member of Thailand's wealthy clan should be brought to an end, bringing back justice, and making the judicial institution trustworthy.
Given the fact the country has been gripped by deep polarisation, and that 2021 looks set to be a hard year politically, most people would wish for the government's determination to work out solutions to the conflict, and do what it can so reconciliation is reached.
This means Gen Prayut and his government must stay committed to the constitutional amendment process and must avoid any dirty tricks it has used in the past that intensified conflicts.
Prime Minister Prayut, when taking power in 2014, promised he and the military regime would "bring back happiness".
Now is the time for him to look back at what he has done and see if that really made people happy. Many people still remember his promise and wait for him to honour his words. This requires sincerity and political will.