Deputy PM Faces Pressure Over Local Exam Fraud Scandal
A parliamentary committee chair has called for stricter investigation into a local exam fraud scandal involving thousands of unqualified hires, criticizing inadequate oversight and urging authorities to freeze related financial assets as De
At a parliamentary session on July 22, 2569, Rangsimanth Rom, a list-MP from the Pheu Thai Party and chair of the House committee on law, justice and human rights, addressed the recruitment exam controversy. He criticized the oversight terms of reference as inadequate, noting that data stored on flash drives lacked encryption, making it vulnerable to alteration and fraud. He pointed out that while Burapha University was initially set to oversee the exams, a sudden contract switch to Srinakharinwirot University occurred following intervention by the Civil Service Commission, with Prime Minister Anutin reportedly cited in the decision.
Rom stated that the list announcement by the civil service panel lacked proper verification, allowing thousands of unqualified candidates to be hired. He rejected claims of negligence, arguing the scale of the fraud—involving possible embezzlement worth hundreds of millions of baht—suggested deliberate misconduct. He called on the Anti-Money Laundering Office to freeze financial trails and asked whether additional charges such as malfeasance could be considered alongside corruption allegations.
Rom noted that Deputy PM Pakorn Nilprapad, the legal advisor, was invited to discuss the matter but cooperation remained uncertain. The committee has also engaged other agencies including the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The controversy centers on the removal of approximately 5,000 names from the hiring list, which remains contentious.
