Police Commission votes 12-0 for Pol Gen Samran Nuanma as Thailand’s 16th police chief
The Police Commission has unanimously approved Pol Gen Samran Nuanma as Thailand’s 16th national police chief, succeeding Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, who retires on September 30.
The Police Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to appoint Pol Gen Samran Nuanma as Thailand’s 16th National Police Chief after a nearly three-hour meeting to consider the top police post.
On July 22, 2026, at Royal Thai Police headquarters, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in his capacity as chairman of the Police Commission, chaired the 7th Police Commission meeting of 2026.
The meeting considered the selection of the next National Police Chief to succeed Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, who is due to retire on September 30, 2026.
Under the Police Act B.E. 2565 (2022) and Police Commission regulations, the appointment of a new police chief must be completed by July 30 in a year when the serving chief retires.
The four candidates were:
- Pol Gen Niran Lueamsri, Deputy National Police Chief, first in seniority
- Pol Gen Thatchai Pitanilapabutr, Deputy National Police Chief, second in seniority
- Pol Gen Samran Nuanma, Deputy National Police Chief, third in seniority
- Pol Gen Itthipol Acharayapradit, National Police Inspector-General, fourth in seniority
The Police Commission voted unanimously, with 12 votes, to select Pol Gen Samran Nuanma, Deputy National Police Chief, as Thailand’s 16th National Police Chief.
Profile of Pol Gen Samran Nuanma
Pol Gen Samran is a police officer from the crime prevention and suppression line, with extensive experience in the Metropolitan Police.
He currently serves as Deputy National Police Chief and has remaining years in service until 2033. He ranks third in seniority within the Royal Thai Police.
He was born on June 14, 1973, in Cha-am district, Phetchaburi province, and is currently 53 years old.
Education
Pol Gen Samran graduated from Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School, Class 34, and the Royal Police Cadet Academy, Class 50.
Police career
In 2012, he served as superintendent of Don Mueang Police Station, where he managed the station during the aftermath of the flood crisis. The station was later selected as an outstanding police station.
In 2018, he was appointed commander of the Patrol and Special Operations Division.
He later became Metropolitan Police Commissioner in 2021 and was appointed Deputy National Police Chief in 2025.
His career path saw him rise from divisional commander to Metropolitan Police Commissioner, then Deputy National Police Chief, before receiving the Police Commission’s approval to become Thailand’s 16th National Police Chief in 2026.
Among his notable operations was leading the Arintharat 26 special operations unit to control the situation during the Terminal 21 shooting incident in Nakhon Ratchasima.
He was also involved in preventing bomb incidents in the South and at Phuket airport in 2025.
Pol Gen Samran has also played a role in operations against transnational crime, grey Chinese capital, nominee shareholder networks and drug-trafficking syndicates, with arrests and asset seizures carried out in several major cases.
