He also previously served as the deputy chairman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), a military junta which ruled Thailand from 2014 to 2019.

The Constitutional Court of Thailand later ruled on 30 September 2022 that Prayut had not exceeded his term limit and may continue to serve as prime minister.

Prawit attended Saint Gabriel's College and Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (class 6, graduated 1965).

[5][failed verification] In December 2008 Prawit was appointed minister of defence in Abhisit Vejjajiva's cabinet, serving until August 2011.

[7] Prawit is known as the mentor (or "big brother") of a military clique called the "Burapha Payak (tigers of the east)", who typically start their careers in the 2nd Infantry Division based in Prachinburi in eastern Thailand.

[8] Kasit Piromya, a former Democrat Party MP who served as foreign minister from 2008 to 2011, said that throughout his career, Prawit has mentored Prayut, helping him climb up the ranks.

[13][14] On 16 September he was also appointed deputy chairman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

[16] In December 2017 the National Anti-corruption Commission (NACC) opened an investigation into Prawit's asset disclosures.

[18] Since 6 January an additional nine watches have been identified by the Facebook site, CSI_LA,[28] bringing Prawit's total to 25 timepieces, altogether worth almost 40 million baht.

[31] On 9 January 2018, NACC president, Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, announced he had taken personal charge of the Prawit watch investigation.

The organisation also accused Prawit of being unusually wealthy under Section 66 of the National Anti-Corruption Act.

"Gen Prawit served in the army for about 40 years and was a political office holder for two terms, without any businesses.