Interior Ministry Confirms Removal of 5,925 Officials Over Exam Fraud

At 9:40 a.m. on August 20, 2025, the House of Representatives' Committee on Decentralization and Local Government held a meeting chaired by Kongkrit Chatmaleeratana, a Ranong MP from the Phum Jai Thai Party. The agenda addressed the removal of certain rights and positions from individuals who passed the 2025 local government examination fraudulently.

Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasit explained that innocent candidates may lose placement rights in provinces they did not originally select. He stated that the ministry aims to give opportunities to those whose names move up on the waiting list as fraudulent candidates are removed.

Worasit said the process involves sending data on candidates with abnormal scores to provincial committees nationwide, which will then coordinate with local government organizations to remove the fraudulent appointees. This removal will create vacancies for eligible candidates. When asked about delays, he assured the committee: "There will be no delays. I understand the concerns of local government leaders, but since the facts are proven, action is necessary. These individuals should not have been appointed in the first place."

He noted that several local governments have already begun the process after receiving central data. Lamphun Provincial Administrative Organization posted confirmation of receipt, and Krabi Provincial Administrative Organization has already removed all 112 fraudulent appointees in its jurisdiction. The Interior Ministry has set August 31, 2025, as the deadline for removing all 5,925 officials.

When asked about the opposition's demand to refer the case to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Worasit confirmed: "We have already submitted the case. We are handling it on two fronts—administrative and criminal. For the criminal side, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and police are responsible, but we can proceed in parallel. All evidence has been compiled and sent to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for further prosecution."

Regarding opposition MP Rangsiman Rom's claim that the scandal originated when the former government ended Burapha University's role as examination administrator, Worasit stated: "Everyone has evidence that the fraud was discovered before this. The local government examination fraud process shows the facts did not occur in 2024 or 2025. As for canceling the contract with Burapha University, I will ask the university to present its evidence."