He has to withdrew of the decade after enormous pressure from various groups and political parties demanding that the leader be drawn from the ranks of MPs.
While this may appear as an unremarkable event, at the time many saw it as a victory on the path to democracy.
Prem embarked upon constructing his own patronage network based on his connections with civil servants, business groups, political parties, and powerful newspapers, presenting the military as a forceful instrument to protect the interests of his clients.