Massive Local Government Exam Fraud Uncovered Across 32 Steps
Investigators uncovered systematic fraud across 32 stages of local government recruitment exams, with organized networks charging applicants up to 1 million baht to use substitute test-takers. The anti-corruption committee has urged crimina
On August 20, Asawin Sannatritiyapho, a Phumi Thai Party member of parliament from Sisaket and chair of the House Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Committee, announced findings from an investigation into fraud in local government official recruitment examinations. Representatives from the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission, and the Department of Local Administration presented evidence of systematic corruption occurring across three phases: before, during, and after the examination process, totaling 32 stages of irregularities.
The committee has forwarded six proposals to the Prime Minister. First, the Interior Ministry and Department of Local Administration should pursue criminal, civil, and administrative cases against all individuals involved in the fraud, with additional fact-checking required to fully cover all offenses by related officials. Second, the examination board should be reconvened with corrected data and the department should seek damages from Srinakharinwirot University. Third, a database of exam fraudsters should be created by the Civil Service Commission to bar them from government service for life. Fourth, the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission should expand investigations, as multiple organized networks were detected. Fifth, the Comptroller General's Department should establish standardized procedures for all future competitive examinations. Sixth, the Civil Service Commission and development office should establish additional safeguards.
The investigation revealed that fraudsters organized applicants into approximately 100 groups of 100 to 200 people each, with substitute applicants paying examination fees collected by network organizers. Primary money flows ranged from 100,000 baht to 1 million baht per transaction. Financial investigators traced these networks across dozens of groups, with cash payments flowing from 100 groups down to 80, then further dispersed to 40 to 60 additional groups in an interconnected scheme.
