Lawmaker Exposes 5,900 Local Exam Cheating Cases Tied to Politician Connections
A People's Party MP has exposed approximately 5,900 cases of local government exam fraud involving politically connected candidates whose answers were altered to secure passing grades, with some suspects now facing promotion despite the cor
Phakamon Sunthornrat, a list-system MP for the People's Party, has revealed roughly 5,900 cases of local government workers whose exam results were nullified due to fraud. She raised the matter with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in his role as Interior Minister, detailing how many of those cases involve what she terms 'boss's kid quota'—connected individuals linked to major-party constituency MPs who placed them in the exam.
Phakamon explained that the 'boss's kid quota' differs from typical bribery, which costs 300,000 to 700,000 baht. Instead, these individuals have their answer sheets altered to pass through the connections of powerful figures—department-level officials, high-ranking ministry staff, provincial governors, district officers, or local influencers. Some achieve higher scores than those who pay bribes outright.
She cited an example from Nakhon Si Thammarat province, where two candidates with the same surname as the provincial governor had their exam scores dramatically inflated—one section rising from about 30 points to 70–80 points, another from roughly 50 to 90 points—before both were later disqualified by the Department of Local Administration in the second round.
Phakamon raised alarm that the provincial governor in question is set to be promoted to director of the Department of Land in October. She warned that promoting officials tied to corruption systems undermines public trust in the Interior Ministry, especially given the Department of Land's vast and complex interests.
Beyond the local exam fraud—estimated to involve tens of billions of baht—Phakamon said there is also unverified information about lack of transparency in the Department of Local Administration. She called on the government to tackle the root cause rather than simply annulling individual exam results while letting those behind the system advance.
Phakamon accused the Palang Pracharath-led government of prioritizing power placement over genuine anti-corruption efforts. She challenged the Prime Minister: 'If you are sincere when you say anyone involved must face consequences, prove it by refusing top posts to those connected to this corruption scheme. I will monitor and disclose more information about MPs involved in placing their children in these exams.'
