Military Reshuffle: New Defense Sec & Navy Chief
Gen Saran slated for Defense Permanent Secretary and Adm Nares for Navy Chief, alongside updates on the frigate project and border scam hubs.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Gen Saran and Adm Nares expected to take top Defense and Navy posts
- Royal Thai Navy to brief on frigate procurement results on September 18
- ACM Prapas leads AOT and media inspection at Chong Chom border checkpoint
- Massive scam empire covering over 500 rai uncovered near the border
The Thai military is facing a major leadership transition as key positions open up due to upcoming retirements. Defense Permanent Secretary Gen Tharapong Malakam and Navy Commander-in-Chief Adm Pairoj Feungchan are both set to retire on September 30, prompting a royal command announcement expected around September 11.
Barring any last-minute changes, Deputy Defense Secretary Gen Saran Phetcharanont from Class 26 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School is slated to become the new Permanent Secretary of Defense. Meanwhile, Assistant Navy Chief Adm Nares Wongtragool, also from AFAPS Class 26, is positioned to take over as the new Navy Chief, highlighting the strong influence of Class 26 in the armed forces.
Annual military reshuffles serve as critical barometers for power dynamics and long-term security policy execution in Thailand. The consolidation of leadership roles among members of the same military academy graduating class profoundly impacts inter-service coordination and state budget allocation.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Within the Royal Thai Navy, the frigate procurement project has moved swiftly with Gen Tharapong signing off on the approval on September 7. The naval command has scheduled an official press briefing to announce the evaluation results on September 18, following the expiration of the legal appeal period.
The upcoming September 18 briefing will detail the criteria, rationale, and benefits for both the Navy and the country. Public attention remains fixed on whether Hanwha will be officially declared the winner, alongside monitoring potential appeals from five competing corporate bidders.
In border developments, ACM Prapas Sonjai-dee, Assistant Air Force Chief and Director of the Thailand-Cambodia Situation Information Center (JIC), led ASEAN Observers (AOT) and local and international media to inspect the Chong Chom permanent border checkpoint in Surin province on September 7, reviewing Thai military-controlled zones following past clashes.
The inspected area is situated near O Smach in Cambodia and houses a massive cyber scam compound spanning over 500 rai with 157 buildings, including 29 structures dedicated specifically to scam operations.
A critical highlight of the site is the Zhong nan hospital within the compound, used to treat Chinese nationals. According to information from the Royal Thai Police, the operating room inside this facility is suspected of being used to harvest organs, such as kidneys or hearts, from trafficking victims who failed to meet performance quotas and were tortured near death before organ resale.
Source: Matichon Politics
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