After graduating from two years of cadet school in 1969, he had to choose in which service to complete his study. His father (now an MP) favored the army: "Like Field Marshal Praphat and Field Marshal Thanom. They are army from the military staff college (cho po ro)." Thaksin 1999, 57). But Thaksin explains that he "had little expectation of a future in government service," and did not want to follow his several Shinawatra cousins into the army. So he chose the police.