Thailand Delays Local Exam Recruitment Over Score Irregularities
Thailand has postponed local government recruitment exams after discovering score irregularities in a random inspection, with authorities now checking approximately 15,000 candidates for potential fraud or errors before proceeding.
At 6:20 p.m. on July 3, 2025 at Government House, Deputy Interior Minister Worasisd Liangprasert revealed that the fact-finding committee has reported irregularities in exam scores detected during a random inspection. The Prime Minister has ordered preliminary checks on approximately 15,000 candidates from the recruitment list to determine whether score anomalies occurred.
If irregularities are confirmed, further action will be taken, including referral to relevant agencies for investigation. Should actual errors or fraud be found, cancellations may follow, consistent with previous central committee resolutions calling for a new verification process.
The first batch of recruitment scheduled for July 1, 2025 will be postponed pending investigation results. Upon completion, the government emphasized that candidates who passed through legitimate means without involvement in fraud will proceed normally through the recruitment process.
Regarding candidates who have submitted appeals for fairness, requesting that the postponement be lifted because they passed honestly, Deputy Interior Minister stated that even in the three-day round on July 1, the central committee reaffirmed the postponement decision to await facts, while ensuring no unfair impact on genuinely qualified candidates.
Currently there is a waiting period for the recruitment list. Once exam results are released, the list can be immediately activated, but only after establishing the facts about who may be involved in any irregularities.
When asked about the National Institute of Development Administration's statement to open a flash drive containing exam questions from both NIDA and the Civil Service Commission, Deputy Interior Minister stated this was NIDA's matter alone, and that the priority was to establish the facts, expressing confidence that the National Anti-Corruption Commission already has the information.
When asked if salary suspension has been ordered for NIDA officials, Deputy Civil Service Commission Acting Secretary-General Siriphan Srikongplee stated the matter remains pending.