▁commun ist ▁in fil tr ation . ▁He ▁dissol ved ▁parliament ▁and ▁appointed ▁himself ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Executive ▁Council , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁care t aker ▁government ▁for ▁one ▁year . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁he ▁appointed ▁himself ▁prime ▁minister ▁for ▁a ▁fourth ▁time , ▁also ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁defence ▁and ▁foreign ▁minister s . ▁Th an om , ▁his ▁son ▁Colonel ▁Nar ong , ▁and ▁Nar ong ' s ▁father - in - law ▁General ▁P raph as ▁Char us ath ien ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" three ▁t yr ants ". ▁ ▁Public ▁dis content ▁grew , ▁along ▁with ▁dem ands ▁for ▁a ▁general ▁election ▁to ▁choose ▁a ▁new ▁parliament . ▁Student - led ▁dem ands ▁for ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁constitution al ▁government , ▁the ▁so - called ▁" 1 4 ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁u pr ising ", ▁led ▁to ▁three ▁days ▁of ▁violence ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁sudden ▁down fall ▁of ▁his ▁government . ▁Th an om ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁" ty r ants " ▁fle w ▁to ▁ex ile ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Singapore . ▁Th an om ' s ▁departure ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁rest oration ▁of ▁a ▁dem ocr atic ▁rule ▁in ▁Th ailand . ▁ ▁After ▁Th amm as at ▁University ▁mass acre ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁Th an om ▁returned ▁to ▁Th ailand ▁in ▁the ▁ro bes ▁of ▁a ▁nov ice ▁mon k , ▁to ▁stay ▁at ▁Bang k ok