PM Anuchin Dismisses Romp's Corruption Claims as Baseless Speculation
Prime Minister Anuchin Chanhweerakul dismissed corruption allegations by Pheu Thai MP Rungsiman Romp regarding local government exam fraud as baseless speculation without evidence. The NACC, police, and anti-money laundering office are inve
Prime Minister Anuchin Chanhweerakul addressed accusations by Rungsiman Romp, a Pheu Thai list MP and chair of the parliamentary committee on law, justice, and human rights, who alleged the PM was involved in local government exam fraud by selecting the test oversight committee and influencing Burapha University to withdraw from administering the exam. Anuchin questioned how many times Romp has made such claims and whether they were accurate, remarking that Romp speaks based on speculation without factual evidence and dismisses the allegations entirely.
The PM confirmed that the matter is now under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), police, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), and that he has no involvement in the controversy. He stressed that his only role is to ensure no corruption occurs and that he bears no responsibility for overseeing the test administration process—that is not the PM's or Interior Minister's duty. Anuchin stated that the government's policy requires all actions by agencies under government supervision to comply with law, be transparent, and be verifiable.
On August 6, Deputy Interior Minister Apisit Sampatharatana attended a meeting of the central civil service committee and reviewed results from the local government civil service exam committee. The committee ultimately voted to annul the appointments of over 5,000 officials found to have engaged in fraudulent conduct during the exam. The decision will be forwarded to local authorities and provincial governors for implementation, and no further hiring will occur for these positions due to procedural irregularities.
Anuchin rejected calls for him to take greater personal responsibility, stating that he already fulfills his duties with integrity and that responsibility means identifying and punishing wrongdoers. He criticized Romp for repeatedly making unsubstantiated claims and said that none of Romp's previous allegations have proven accurate, adding that the MP merely speculates based on his own assumptions without solid evidence.