Authorities Expand Investigation Into Local Civil Service Exam Cheating Scandal

The Central Committee for Local Government Employee Examinations (GSTS) under the Department of Local Administration has declared its integrity in the major fraud case involving local civil service recruitment. The committee will submit 5,814 exam candidates whose scores were abnormal to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for verification against the original answer sheets. The committee also decided to send all 5,814 names to the Central Civil Service and Local Government Employee Committee to consider whether their appointments should be revoked. A joint meeting is scheduled for July 23, 2026, with representatives from provincial administrative organizations, municipalities, and subdistrict councils to review and decide the matter.

On the criminal investigation side, Prime Minister Anution Chanyaweerkulkul and the Interior Minister attended a case review meeting with the Central Investigation Police, NACC representatives, and the Office of the Ombudsman. Police have found evidence and arrested three initial suspects, but all three have maintained their denials. Investigators are now pursuing leads to identify the masterminds and other members of the conspiracy. Additionally, investigators are preparing to summon 11 more local government officials. The NACC has also accepted the case for fact-finding investigation and elevated it to special case status due to the involvement of senior-level officials.

This marks significant progress in the civil service exam fraud case. The Prime Minister and Interior Minister have previously stated that anyone involved, regardless of their status, will face consequences, and that no one connected to Bhumjaithai Party members will be spared—all will be prosecuted under the law. The exam fraud case is considered major and notorious because it involved a large-scale conspiracy affecting approximately 6,000 people with preliminary damages estimated at over 4.5 billion baht. Significantly, the case has implicated senior officials including directors-general, deputy directors-general, deputy governors, and provincial administrative organization secretaries. The scale of the conspiracy has raised suspicions about whether politicians or ministerial-level figures are orchestrating the scheme from behind the scenes.

Public expectations are high that the investigation will be expanded to expose those behind the operation completely and thoroughly, not merely at the lower operational levels.