Gen Prawit Wongsuwon suffered a landslide defeat as his bid to take over the reins of the Thailand Aquatics Association (TAA) came a cropper Saturday.
Gen Prawit, who heads the Thai national Olympics committee (NOCT), was beaten 231-22 by Lt Gen Boonchai Kasettrakarn at the annual general meeting of the TAA, with the election of a new president also being on the agenda.
Of a total 277 member clubs of the association, 271 were declared eligible to vote Saturday. Eighteen members did not cast ballots.
Gen Prawit's second four-year term as the president of the TAA had ended on Thursday.
The names of Lt Gen Boonchai and Gen Prawit were proposed by member clubs at the AGM. However, the candidates did not attend Saturday's meeting.
The defeat is being seen as a big blow to Gen Prawit's aspirations to continue as the chief of the Thai national Olympic body.
The elections to select a new panel of officials for the NOCT are due to take place in March next year.
By losing his position in the TAA, Gen Prawit is no longer eligible to seek re-election.
Reports have suggested that Gen Decha Hemkrasi, president of the Thai Cycling Association (TCA), and Taekwondo Association of Thailand chief Pimol Srivikorn are likely to be the two candidates for the office of the TNOC chairman.
According to the TNOC constitution, Gen Prawit can still contest for the top office of the Olympic body if he can claim an elected post in any other national sports governing body before March next year.
Gen Prawit Wongsuwon