Thailand's prime minister has indicated he is prepared to stay in power for two more years after an upcoming general election. It was the former army commander's first remark on his political future since a legal challenge to his term limit was thrown out in September.

Prayut Chan-o-cha was speaking to reporters on Tuesday. He said he's willing to remain in office until 2025, which is the end of his eight-year term allowed by the constitution drafted under military rule. He says he will then hand off power to a successor.

The opposition has argued Prayut assumed the post after the coup he led in 2014. But the Constitutional Court ruled his tenure started in 2017, when the constitution came into effect. He stayed in office following a general election in 2019.

Prayut's pro-democracy opponents have been demanding that he step down. The administration's approval rating is low, and some members of the ruling parties are showing signs of a split.

The next general election is scheduled to be held by May next year. Observers say Prayut has a strong chance of holding onto power.