Ne Win commenced his sixteenth year in power, and his fourth as President, in a calmer mood than was apparent during the previous years. He spent ten days around the Burmese New Year, thingyan, in Maymyo in 1978 with some of his children, playing golf, rather than going abroad as often in the past. However, he had a mishap of some nature and had to be flown by helicopter to Mandalay on 24 April. Nonetheless, three days later he was receiving departing ambassadors as usual. One of the achievements of the socialist revolution, the People's Health Plan, had commenced on 1 April. For all the problems of the economy, some of the social reforms that were dreamt of at the time of the 1962 coup were at least being realized, if only on paper. However, the cost was significant in other terms and it was believed by the British ambassador that Myanmar was then holding 1,500 political prisoners, many having been arrested in the workers and students demonstrations in 1974. Others would have been insurgents and other rebels caught in military campaigns against the Communist and ethnically designated separatists. However, as the economy improved, the international situation evolved in ways posing no immediate threat to the country, Ne Win's confidence grew and, within two years, there would be a significant liberalization within the boundaries of the oneparty state.