The Attorney General Committee has unanimously resolved to appoint Kowit Sripairoj Deputy Attorney General to serve as the 21st Attorney General. This will take effect from 1 October 2026 onward.
On 20 May 2026, Wutipong Viboonwong, Chair of the Attorney General Committee (DAA Chair), presided over the 6/2026 meeting of the DAA, where a key agenda was to select the new Attorney General.
At the meeting, the DAA unanimously decided to promote and appoint Mr. Kowit Sripairoj, Deputy Attorney General, (who will be the most senior as of 1 October 2026) to the position of Attorney General. This appointment will be effective from 1 October 2026 onward.
This follows the current Attorney General, Mr. Itthiporn Kaewthip, reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 during the 2026 fiscal year, requiring him by law to leave the Attorney General position and serve as a senior attorney as stipulated in Section 39 of the Attorney Civil Service Act B.E. 2553, amended by the 2017 Act (B.E. 2560).
Next, the Office of the Attorney General will proceed according to Section 10 of the Attorney Organization and Attorney Civil Service Act B.E. 2553, submitting a formal letter to the Senate President to present the appointment for Senate approval. Once approved, the matter will be submitted for royal endorsement.
Reporters noted that originally, Deputy Attorney General Chokchai Thitikajatham, the most senior deputy, was next in line to become Attorney General. However, Mr. Chokchai requested to become a senior attorney instead. The DAA accepted this request effective 1 October 2026, leading the committee to unanimously nominate Mr. Kowit Sripairoj, the next most senior, as the 21st Attorney General.
It was also reported that Mr. Chokchai and Mr. Kowit were classmates at Suankularb Wittayalai School, Class 98, sharing the same classroom. Mr. Chokchai is known for a quiet, reserved personality preferring tranquility. Mr. Kowit was originally scheduled to become Attorney General after one year of seniority. Even if Mr. Chokchai had not requested to become a senior attorney first, Mr. Kowit was slated to become Attorney General. As a result, Mr. Kowit will serve as Attorney General for two years.
Mr. Kowit holds a Master's degree in Public Administration (NIDA), is a Thai Barrister-at-Law certified by the Institute of Legal Education of the Thai Bar Association, and earned a Bachelor of Laws from Ramkhamhaeng University. He completed executive leadership courses in 1983, school management in 1988 (Ministry of Education), National Security Management in 2012 (National Intelligence Agency), and also graduated from the 61st National Defence College, the 26th Judicial Training Course, the 29th Policy and Strategy Course, and the 14th Legal Policy Course.
His notable legal work includes handling high-profile cases such as the ransom case involving the 'Egg Thief Gang' (Seng Iad) and the kidnapping and murder case of Mr. Al-Ruwaili (a case involving Thai-Saudi relations).
In social and volunteer activities, he has assisted with tsunami victim funeral arrangements, led restorative justice projects as a district attorney, served as a member of the National Reform Council, and held positions on the Legal Committee of the Thai Pencak Silat Association, the Lawyers Council, and the Thai Bar Association.