Srisaket MP Denies Anutin's Involvement in Local Exam Scam

Speaking at parliament on August 7, 2025, Asupath Sannatiraphop, Srisaket MP for Bhumjaithai and chair of the anti-corruption committee, responded to accusations by Rangsiman Rome, chair of the House law and justice committee, that former Deputy PM and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was involved in local civil service exam fraud. The allegation centered on Anutin's alleged role in switching the exam contractor from Burapha University to Srinakharinwirot University in 2024.

Asupath said that as Srisaket's representative, he received numerous complaints in 2023 from locals about brokers demanding 500,000 to 800,000 baht in exchange for local government jobs in subdistrict and municipal administrations. He brought these complaints to the Interior Ministry on January 5, 2024, and a memorandum of understanding was signed on January 26, 2024, between the Interior Ministry, the Department of Local Administration (DLA), the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

Asupath clarified that local exam fraud occurred during 2019 and 2021 exams when Burapha University and Kasetsart University were the contractors—both institutions that generated complaints. When Burapha was set to conduct exams again, Srisaket residents filed complaints. Asupath recounted receiving a threatening call from someone claiming to be a DLA official warning that he could face false testimony charges, but he stood firm on the truth of his allegations.

He described a pattern where some candidates who paid bribes failed the written and oral sections but were later adjusted to pass, while others in Srisaket paid but failed and filed 19 police reports. Two of these cases have already been forwarded to prosecutors, and central authorities are preparing to take additional statements from victims. Once the accused learned of the incoming investigation, they began returning money to victims.

Asupath emphasized that local exam fraud is longstanding but was difficult to detect because only five senior DLA positions—director-general, related deputy directors, department heads, group heads, and specialists—had the power to manipulate results. In 2019 and 2021, fraud went undetected because benefits were distributed smoothly, but the 2024 exams were caught because multiple DLA directors changed, disrupting the quota system's profit-sharing.

"What I'm saying confirms that local exam fraud has existed since the past but was undetectable because those involved were few and benefits aligned perfectly," Asupath said. "In 2024, we caught it because the change in leadership meant quotas had misaligned interests. But this was a good opportunity to prove this network truly exists." He further noted that DLA should be scrutinized thoroughly.