Bangkok: The Committee on Political Development has accepted a formal complaint concerning alleged corruption in the 2024 local government examinations, urging the Ministry of Interior to provide clarification on the inclusion of 3,000 suspected names in the examination list.
According to Thai News Agency, at the Parliament building, Ms. Pakamon Nunanan, Chair of the Committee on Political Development, Mass Media, and Public Participation, received a letter from Mr. Patarapong Supakorn, a lawyer and concerned citizen, calling for an investigation into the alleged corruption in the competitive examination for recruitment into local government positions. The letter requested the committee to summon witnesses and evidence, including a list of 3,000 suspected individuals. This follows reports of alleged corruption in the 2024 competitive examination for local government officials. Officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Suppression Division (ACMSD) seized answer sheets and lists of over 3,000 suspected candidates from a residence in Nonthaburi province, providing substantial evidence of systemic corruption. However, the Central Committee for Local Government Officials later reversed its decision to suspend appointments, citi ng "appointments should proceed first," followed by potential dismissal or punishment.
It has been observed that operations within the Department of Local Administration (DLA) and the Central Government reveal significant irregularities and loopholes in administrative law, potentially damaging public funds and facilitating corrupt practices such as "retroactive score manipulation" or "personnel substitution." The list of 3,000 suspected individuals remains undisclosed to the public. The Committee on Political Development, empowered by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, has a duty to promote good governance and transparency in state organizations. Consequently, the committee is urged to conduct an urgent investigation into the following areas:
1. Utilize authority to request documents and computer data, summoning a list of 3,000 suspected individuals, along with copies of seized answer sheets and raw score data for examination. This aims to secure the database and prevent substitution of individuals involved in the process.
2. Summon senior executives and relevant parties to provide explanations about appointing individuals with tainted records to civil service positions and their accountability for any resulting damages from public funds paid to those who cheated on the exams.
3. Investigate the impact on the local political system by identifying masterminds and political influencers behind the multi-billion baht bribery scheme. This is crucial to prevent the local government system from falling under the control of capital groups and policy-level corruption, which could undermine the merit system and create injustice for numerous innocent candidates nationwide.
Ms. Pakamon Nunanan stated that this complaint is not the first of its kind submitted to the committee. Information and evidence have been continuously submitted from those directly affected, observers, and individuals monitoring the issue over time. The information indicates longstanding damage, potentially linked within the same corrupt process. The committee will consider all public complaints and summon relevant agencies for further information. Currently, evidence reported in the news is scattered, and investigations by the Ministry of Interior and NACC are conducted separately. Furthermore, the damages incurred fall under the Ministry of Interior's supervision, possibly causing public suspicion and a lack of confidence in the independence and impartiality of the investigations by both agencies.
Therefore, the committee will act as a neutral party, maintaining impartiality in investigating the facts to reveal them to the public, allowing society to determine accountability for the incident. Despite extensive evidence and the number of victims, it is time to identify those responsible for the enormous damage caused. Complainants estimate the damage value at 4.5 billion baht, marking one of the largest public sector corruption cases in history. It is a crucial matter that all Thais must collectively investigate and push for clarity as soon as possible.