Police Non-Commissioned Officer Examination (Thailand)นายสิบตำรวจ

Overview

The Royal Thai Police recruits outside candidates with a high school (Mor 6) or vocational (Por Wor Chor) certificate as police non-commissioned officer students (นักเรียนนายสิบตำรวจ, นสต.). The national police office assigns the work to units around the country, such as each Provincial Police Region, the Border Patrol Police and the Metropolitan Police. Each unit announces its own posts, but the units run the process at the same time and share the same system. A candidate may apply to only one unit.

This page uses one clearly labelled worked example: the Provincial Police Region 5 announcement for the 2025 round (2568 in the Thai Buddhist calendar, which the source uses), with 620 posts. The announcement was read from a copy hosted on a government public-relations site, because the police recruitment site was not serving pages when this page was reviewed, so it is marked as based on secondary reports. Check the current announcement on the police recruitment site before applying.

Who can apply

For the 2025 round, the announcement lists:

• male outside candidates only (serving police NCOs and constables cannot apply);

• aged 18 to under 28, counted on the last application day (born between 9 August 1998 and 9 August 2007);

• height of at least 160 cm and chest at least 77 cm;

• a Mor 6 or vocational certificate or equivalent, completed and approved by the last application day, 8 August 2025;

• Thai nationality by birth, not a political office holder, not bankrupt, no final prison sentence except for negligent or petty offences, no past dismissal or removal from service, and no cheating in a past civil-service exam;

• no outstanding military obligations: candidates who are deferred, drafted or due for the draft selection in April 2026 are not accepted. Men who have served as conscripts must be discharged before the appointment date of 1 July 2026;

• normal eyesight (6/6), no colour blindness, no large or unsightly scars, birthmarks or tattoos, and none of the medical conditions in the announcement's health annex.

Candidates who left the police service less than a year before the last application day cannot apply.

Exam pattern

The selection has three stages.

Stage 1: written exam. 150 multiple-choice questions with four options, 150 marks, 3 hours.

Stage 2: suitability for the post. Physical fitness tests in two groups:

• Group 1: a 25 m swim in 30 seconds or less, and a 1,000 m run in 4 minutes 55 seconds or less. Both must be passed.

• Group 2: a standing long jump of at least 180 cm, a 10 m shuttle pick-up of two items in 13 seconds or less, and a 50 m run in 10 seconds or less. At least two of the three must be passed.

Candidates then take an interview that judges suitability from personal and education history, conduct, knowledge, personality, attitude, ethics and adaptability.

Health and background checks. Candidates also take a medical examination and mental health test by police hospital doctors, and a criminal-record check using fingerprints.

Marking and results

• Written scores are ranked from highest. Ties are broken by higher marks in each subject in the order listed above, then by who paid the application fee first, then by a draw.

• The announcement does not state a minimum written score. It invited 1,116 people to the next stage, which is the number of posts plus 80 percent of that number.

• The final list of selected and reserve candidates is published after all stages, in order of score.

• The round gave no bonus points to any group.

Important dates

For the Region 5 round (2025 to 2026):

• Applications: 30 July to 8 August 2025, closing at 16:30 on the last day.

• Payment deadline: 8 August 2025 before 22:00.

• List of eligible candidates: 19 December 2025.

• Admission cards available from 19 December 2025.

• Written exam: Sunday 18 January 2026, 13:30 to 16:30.

• Written-exam pass list: 30 January 2026.

• Failed-medical list: 8 April 2026, with appeals from 9 to 28 April 2026.

• Final selected and reserve lists: 12 June 2026.

Fees

For the 2025 round, the exam fee was 550 baht plus a 25 baht internet and bank service charge, with no refund. Candidates who reach the later stages also pay for a fingerprint check (100 baht) and the medical and mental health exam (up to 1,700 baht).

How to apply

1. Apply online on the police recruitment site, in the application window.

2. Choose the unit you want to join, since a candidate can apply to one unit only. Applications cannot be changed once sent, apart from an unclear photo or ID card.

3. Upload a recent one-inch photo and your valid ID card.

4. Pay the fees by bank counter, ATM, or the Krungthai Next or Paotang apps. Applying is complete only after payment.

5. Print the exam admission card and bring it with your ID card to the exam.

After the exam

Those selected enter the police training centre as NCO students holding the rank of deputy squad leader, at a salary of 3,070 baht a month during training. After training, results are ranked and graduates choose posts within the Region 5 units. They are appointed to the rank of sub-lieutenant (สิบตำรวจตรี), as squad leader in crime prevention and suppression, at a salary of 13,070 baht a month. Reserve candidates take the place of those who drop out.

Selected candidates must also pass checks on criminal records and conduct, and any false statement or missing qualification leads to disqualification.

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