Government Vows Full Prosecution of Local Exam Fraud Conspirators
Government authorities are prosecuting 13 suspects and removing nearly 5,300 corrupt examiners involved in local government recruitment fraud, with the National Police Office pursuing charges including document forgery and exam cheating whi
Government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek outlined the government's approach to addressing examination fraud involving local government officials, emphasizing that the response extends beyond simply removing the 5,925 corrupt examiners from records. The investigation will identify all conspirators to uncover the truth and restore justice to those harmed, applying the principle of "ignoring names but evaluating actions"—anyone involved in fraud will face full legal proceedings.
The government is pursuing a three-part strategy: First, the Interior Ministry has removed 5,295 examiners involved in local government official examination fraud, a process concluded at a meeting of the central local government employee examination committee (CSAT). On August 6, the results were reported to the central civil service commission for referral to provincial committees, with vacant positions to be filled by promoting other qualified candidates or announcing new recruitment.
Second, the National Police Office has issued summons for 13 suspects divided into two groups. The first group faces charges including misconduct, forging official documents, falsifying official seals, jointly misappropriating or destroying others' documents, jointly forging government records, and jointly opening sealed documents—among them are a former director-general of the Local Administration Promotion Department and the director of the Educational and Psychological Testing Bureau at Chulalongkorn University. The second group of 11 individuals altered answer sheets and face charges of cheating and computer crime violations under the Criminal Code Section 188. The National Anti-Corruption Commission will receive case summaries by August 12 for further proceedings. The Anti-Money Laundering Office is investigating financial trails involving over 200 individuals but cannot publicly disclose names due to legal restrictions.
Third, Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilpraphand, chairing the fact-checking committee on 2568 recruitment exam fraud, will submit findings to the Prime Minister for orders and referral to relevant agencies for civil, criminal, disciplinary, and ethical action. These three-part proceedings not only punish fraudsters but also restore justice to honest examinees and rebuild public confidence in the civil service recruitment system, ensuring qualified individuals have fair opportunities and preventing similar fraud in the future.
