On 1 April 1981, military leaders of Class 7 led by San Jitpathima, deputy commander-in-chief of the army, staged a coup and calling themself 'Revolutional Council', to consolidate power the government of Prem Tinsulanonda.

[4] Prem went to army base outside of Bangkok with Thai Royal Family, included King Bhumibol Adulyadej and setup counter-coup with an assistance from Arthit Kamlang-ek.

The 21st Infantry Regiment, the Queen guards, secretly entered Bangkok on 3 April and arrested coup attempt leaders.

[6] Prem was reinstated as premier on 18 April 1983, after Kukrit Pramoj of Social Action Party won the 1983 Thai general election.

[9] Serm Na Nakhorn, a former supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and a former army chief, headed the Revolutionary Council broadcast on TV which announced that they had seized the government.

Later Kriangsak Chamanan, a former prime minister, and Yot Thephatsadin, a former deputy army chief, joined the group.

[9] The government prepared an anti-coup at 6:00 am, even though King Bhumibol Adulyadej was at a palace in southern Thailand, Prem was in Indonesia, and Arthit was in Sweden.