Ex-Local Government Official Faces Fraud Charges in Civil Service Exam
Former local government director Theerawut Suphawibulphol faces fraud charges for allegedly manipulating civil service exam answer sheets in Nonthaburi Province, with 12 other suspects including university officials also under investigation
On August 6, 2025, Pol. Lt. Col. Netiwit Thanasitthinitikhul, deputy commander of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), disclosed progress in the corruption case involving the local government civil service recruitment examination. Theerawut Suphawibulphol, former director-general of the Department of Local Administration, is currently under interrogation at the ACB and will be formally notified of charges. A total of 13 suspects have been summoned to hear the charges.
The suspects are divided into two groups: 11 local government officials accused of altering answer sheets at a private company in Nonthaburi Province, and 2 others—Theerawut and Assoc. Prof. Ruengdej Sirikij, director of the Educational and Psychological Testing Center at Srinakharinwirot University (SWU).
Theerawut and Ruengdej have been charged with six offenses, including dereliction of duty, forging official documents, falsifying government records, destroying others' documents, and unlawfully accessing sealed documents. The 11 officials face charges of fraud, violations of the Criminal Code Section 188, and computer crime laws.
Six suspects, including Theerawut, Ruengdej, and four officials involved in exam tampering, have already met with investigators. The remaining seven local government officials are scheduled to meet with investigators by August 10. Once interrogation is complete and charges are formally filed, the case is expected to be forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission by August 12 for further investigation.
The ACB has also coordinated with the Anti-Money Laundering Office to trace the financial activities of all suspects, as they are civil servants accused of criminal conduct. If any suspicious wealth is discovered, additional charges can be filed immediately.
In a related development, the Department of Local Administration filed a separate complaint against Srinakharinwirot University and Assoc. Prof. Ruengdej on July 24 for falsifying official documents, but investigators have determined this case is connected to the main investigation and will be processed together.
