Sri Don Chai Municipality Defends Hiring Test Results
Sri Don Chai Municipality defended its general laborer recruitment after seven of eleven passing candidates shared the surname Wongchai, explaining the concentration reflects the local Tai Lue population demographic rather than favoritism.
On July 3, 2569, at Sri Don Chai Municipality office in Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai Province, Mayor Sasisong Yafuen and municipal administrators issued a statement addressing social media criticism about the general laborer recruitment results. Seven of the eleven candidates who passed selection shared the surname "Wongchai" (or "Wongchai"), raising questions about procedural transparency.
The mayor clarified in Statement No. 1/2569 that the recruitment process followed good governance principles based on ethics, equality, and transparency, with standardized scoring criteria for both practical and interview components. Regarding the prevalence of the same surname among successful candidates, the mayor explained this reflects the demographic makeup of Sri Don Chai Subdistrict, which comprises 18 villages with 4,617 residents total. Four main villages—Sri Don Chai (Moo 7), Sri Chai Mongkhon (Moo 12), Sri Chai Mongkhon (Moo 14), and Sri Don Chai (Moo 15)—have 1,992 residents, approximately 90.36 percent of whom are Tai Lue ethnicity with the surname Wongchai (about 1,800 people).
The position offered was general laborer with 11,000 baht monthly salary for office maintenance and disaster management duties. Most applicants were from the surrounding villages for commuting convenience, so the concentration of the same surname among successful candidates reflects the actual population distribution rather than impropriety.
The municipality emphasized strict anti-corruption measures, prohibiting administrators, council members, or staff from assisting candidates in any way. Residents were warned against fraudulent claims of exam assistance and encouraged to report any misconduct to the mayor's office or municipal complaint center.
Historical research revealed that the Wongchai surname originates from ancestors who migrated from "Muang U" in the Sipsongpanna region (present-day Laos), led by "Phokamnan Sena" when he was only 5-6 years old. The group became a foundational community in the area.
