state energy company EGAT. Early career Saprang started his military career in 1969 as rifle platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 4th Regimental Combat Team. He claims to have fought 200 battles during the course of his military career. He was appointed commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 4th Infantry Regiment in 1982, stationed in Nakhon Sawan Province (near the northwestern border with Burma). In 1985, he became commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion in the 19th Infantry Regiment, stationed at Surasee Fort, Kanchanaburi (on the western border with Burma). He was then promoted to be Regimental Commanding Officer of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School in 1990. In 1991, he began a six-year stint as Regimental Commanding Officer of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. In April 1997, Saprang was shortly transferred to the Ministry of Defense as a staff officer, before being promoted in October 1997 to Commanding General of the 15th Infantry Division, at the time stationed in Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. In 2003, he was promoted to 3rd Corps Commander. In 2004, it was strongly rumored that Saprang might be promoted to command the 4th Army, replacing General Pongsak Ekbannasingh. General Pongsak had been criticized for ineffectually fighting the South Thailand insurgency, after 39 successful arson attacks occurred in just one night. Pongsak ended up being replaced in April 2004 by Pisarn Wattanawongkhiri. 2006 Coup In a surprise to many observers, Saprang was promoted to 3rd Army Area Commander in October 2005, headquartered in Phitsanulok and responsible most of northern and northeastern Thailand. Analysts had expected Prime Minister Thaksin to promote his own classmates from AFAPS Class 10 to the powerful position instead. At the same time, also in a surprise move, Deputy Army Commander Sonthi Boonyaratkalin was promoted to Army Commander. Saprang and Sonthi started planning for the coup 7 to 8 months in advance, in approximately February 2006. Coup planning occurred prior to the April 2006 elections, during Thaksin's controversial sale of Shin Corporation to Temasek Holdings and the peak of the People's Alliance for Democracy's campaign to oust the government. In July 2006, Saprang gave an interview where he stated that Thai politics was below standard and that the Kingdom's leadership was weak. He also claimed that Thailand had a false democracy. He denied that such criticism constituted military interference in politics. At the same time, the Thai media