Bangkok: The acting director-general of the National Statistical Office has ordered a ban on the buying and selling of positions and fraudulent claims for personal gain. The Acting Director-General of the Department of Local Administration (DLA) issued a policy statement emphasizing the restoration of public trust in the organization. He stressed the importance of transparent investigations into administrative positions and strictly prohibited any misuse of official positions to solicit bribes or benefits under any circumstances. He urged everyone to be vigilant and prevent anyone from using the DLA as a means of personal gain.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Nirat Pongsitthithavorn, Acting Director-General of the Department of Local Administration, chaired the 11th/2026 meeting of the Department of Local Administration for the fiscal year 2026, held in Room 5501, 5th Floor, Building 5, Department of Local Administration. He provided policy guidance to executives and personnel to determine strategies for organizational growth, building public trust, and restoring the department's image following the recent crisis of public confidence. The Acting Director-General stated that his goal in assuming this position is to collectively guide the organization through this difficult period, not to create distrust or change personnel, but to ensure all civil servants perform their duties and responsibilities to the best of their ability, while jointly restoring public trust in the department. He also announced a key policy on preventing and suppressing corruption, strictly prohibiting the misuse of official positions or the names of executiv es to solicit bribes or benefits under any circumstances. He emphasized that the personnel selection process, particularly the upcoming administrative recruitment examination on July 26, 2026, must be transparent, honest, and verifiable. The buying and selling of positions, lobbying, or interference with the examination process by submitting names is strictly prohibited.
Furthermore, instructions were given to thoroughly review anti-corruption measures in the examination process, in cooperation with Thammasat University, the examination administrator, to address any potential loopholes and build public confidence that the Department of Local Administration's examinations will be conducted to the highest standards. All officials were warned that any wrongdoing can be investigated and exposed at any time, and therefore, strict adherence to integrity is essential. Regarding budget management, the Acting Director-General instructed all units to expedite budget disbursement to meet targets, and to allocate surplus funds fairly, transparently, and to the maximum benefit of local administrative organizations, based on established criteria and local needs, without resorting to discretionary decisions based on personal relationships.
In terms of human resource management, emphasis was placed on ensuring all personnel respect each other, upholding due process regarding those under investigation, avoiding premature judgments, promoting strong teamwork, reducing internal conflicts, and fostering a corporate culture committed to ethics and good governance. Furthermore, the legal department was instructed to take decisive legal action against those who falsely impersonate executives, solicit bribes, or disseminate false information causing damage to the department, in order to protect the organization's reputation and credibility.
The Acting Director-General of the Department of Local Administration concluded by stating that the successful restoration of the organization depends on the cooperation of all personnel. He urged everyone to be vigilant and not allow anyone to use the department for personal gain. He affirmed that those who violate the law or engage in corruption will be dealt with decisively, in order to collectively build the Department of Local Administration into a transparent organization with good governance, and to regain the trust of the public, in accordance with the policies of the Ministry of Interior and the government.