Thailand Appoints General Samran Nuanma as New National Police Chief

Thailand has selected General Samran Nuanma as the next Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police. He is expected to officially assume the position on October 1, 2026, following the retirement of the current police chief upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.

General Nuanma is already familiar to many in Phuket. On June 20, he personally visited the island to launch the nationwide campaign against illegal nominee business structures involving foreign investors. He also led major police operations in Pattaya and Chiang Mai in July.

The appointment was approved unanimously by the Royal Thai Police Commission, which backed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s nomination with all 12 members voting in favor. Once all administrative procedures are completed, General Nuanma will become the 16th Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police.

Although four senior officers competed for the role, General Nuanma was only the third-most senior candidate, making his appointment far from automatic. According to the commission, the decision was based not only on seniority but also on his professional background, investigative experience, proactive crime prevention efforts, and leadership in major law enforcement operations.

Before becoming Deputy Commissioner-General in 2025, General Nuanma served as the chief of Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police Bureau. With approximately seven years remaining before mandatory retirement, he could lead Thailand’s national police longer than many of his predecessors.

One of his highest-profile responsibilities has been overseeing the government’s campaign against illegal foreign-owned businesses operating through Thai nominee shareholders. During his June visit to Phuket, authorities revealed that among 29,600 registered companies on the island, around 11,600 had foreign shareholders—nearly 40% of all registered businesses.

Officials also identified more than 600 companies considered high-risk for potentially concealing full foreign ownership through nominee arrangements. The businesses under scrutiny include hotels, restaurants, vehicle rental companies, and tour operators. Investigators believe some of these firms were created to acquire land, villas, and other real estate while bypassing legal ownership restrictions.

The investigation entered its second phase in July. Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwannachawi reported that authorities had already completed inspections of approximately 160 companies during the first two weeks before moving on to another 200 firms with foreign ownership.

General Nuanma has also supervised similar enforcement operations outside Phuket. On July 17, police, immigration officers, and the Department of Business Development launched coordinated raids at 41 locations linked to 33 companies in Chon Buri, including operations in Pattaya’s so-called "Russian village."

Initial estimates placed the financial damage from the alleged illegal activities at 235 million baht. However, subsequent investigations significantly increased that figure. According to General Nuanma, authorities later determined that around 775 houses across six housing developments, worth more than 5 billion baht, had been registered through 495 companies, 435 of which included foreign shareholders.