Profile of “Big Yom” Pol. Lt. Gen. Chanthep Sesavej, candidate for Governor of Bangkok representing the Economic Party.
On 17 May 2026, reporters noted that as soon as the name of Pol. Lt. Gen. Chanthep Sesavej, former Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, was announced as a candidate for Governor of Bangkok under the Economic Party, immediate attention focused on his background and the circumstances that led to this decision. “Ah Yom” —a nickname used by media circles—has boldly decided to enter the Bangkok gubernatorial election race this time.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Chanthep, or “Big Yom,” was born at Ban Khaek Intersection, Thonburi side, on 6 October 1958. He is 68 years old this year and is the son of a former police tank unit officer assigned to the Paruskawan Palace during the era of Pol. Gen. Phao Sriyanon, then Police Department Director-General.
He began his education at Assumption Thonburi School before transferring to the boarding school at Phraparajawiwat College in Nakhon Pathom Province, where he played rugby in the fly-half position for the school team.
Close friend of Big Pae
He graduated from the Royal Police Cadet Academy, class 36 (RPC 36), where he was a classmate of Pol. Gen. Chakthip Chaijinda, former Royal Thai Police Commissioner. Big Yom and Big Pae have been close friends since they both played rugby together at the Police Cadet Academy for four years.
Career in the police force
Pol. Lt. Gen. Chanthep has extensive experience in investigation and suppression operations. He is skilled in both operational and administrative roles, rising from Deputy Investigation Inspector at Muang Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police Station to Deputy Inspector of Division 3, Metropolitan Police Bureau, North Bangkok. He investigated major cases including communist insurgent leader Winai Saengchan and the fatal shooting of the subordinate of a local gang leader. He held important posts in various areas such as:
• Deputy Commander of the Security Police
• Deputy Commander of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (Deputy Commander, NSB)
• Deputy Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (Deputy Commander, MPB)
• Commander of Provincial Police Region 7 (Commander, PPR 7)
• Commander of Provincial Police Region 1 (Commander, PPR 1)
• Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (Commander, MPB), a key position before retirement
After retirement
• He was appointed as a special royal guard police officer
• He served as head of the task force investigating corruption at Thai Airways Public Company Limited
• He entered politics as a member of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) during the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) era on 13 October 2016
- Later, he became the first secretary-general of the Thai Pakdee Party in 2022
- After resigning from the secretary-general position to return to farming, when a close friend—Big Pae—declined to run for Bangkok governor in this election, "Big Yom" was immediately nominated by the Economic Party and is preparing for an official launch soon. “Big Yom” has thus been put forward as a candidate for the Bangkok governor race under the Economic Party and is expected to make his official announcement soon.
