Several years after the death of Sarit, there was increasing popular demand for the tow leaders to enact a new constitution to end the absolute rule. They left the army in control but yielded to the demand for a new constitution and held a general election for the lower house sears. The semidemocracy did not last, despite the fact that the political party set up by the military won the most seats in the house of representatives. Friction arose between Prapas and the police chief, General Prasert Ruchirawong, and the latter was able to get a number of the government party's representatives to create trouble for the government especially in approving the government's annual budget. Eventually, Thamon and Prapas decided to stage a coup in 1971 to return the country to military rule. The 1971 coup was a political disaster for the two leaders because there was increasing public discontent with the continuation of their dictatorial rule. The public was also quite unhappy with the growing power of Thamon's eldest son, Colonel Narong, who was maneuvering to succees his father. Narong's abuse of power and corruption were eroding the legitimacy of Thamon's and Prapas's rule. In early October 1973 students led a mass uprising against the military rulers after the enactment of a new constitution. More than 500,000 protesters marched toward the military's headquarters, pressing Thamon and Prapas to step down. Despite agreeing to accelerate the process of drafting of the constitution, the government used force to suppress the protesters, which led to riots during which protesters burned down government buildings. Finally, King Bhumibol Adulyadej appeared on state-run television on October 14, 1973, informing the public that Thamon had resigned form the premiership and the sanya thamasak has been appointed prime minister because Prapas and Narong had left the country. The protests, known as the October 14 uprising, put an end to two decades of military rule and paved the way for establishment of a democratic government.