Bangkok: "Natthapong" has received a letter from representatives of local government exam candidates stating that those who cheated must be separated from those who passed honestly. Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives and head of the People's Party, received a letter from representatives of those who took the competitive examination for appointment to local government positions and were affected by the delay in appointments following complaints of exam fraud. Mr. Nattapong affirmed that he personally believes that many of the candidates took the exam honestly and were not involved in any fraudulent activities.
According to Thai News Agency, although the government's actions may have been well-intentioned in its fight against corruption, the results have negatively impacted a large number of honest candidates. The People's Party is therefore not remaining idle and is preparing to bring the matter before the House of Representatives for investigation, including questioning and consideration by relevant committees, to ensure justice for all parties.
The most appropriate approach is scrutiny through the House of Representatives, which involves representatives from all sectors. This differs from the executive branch's unilateral approach of forming an investigative committee. It was also stated that if the government is serious and sincere in resolving the issue, it should not avoid parliamentary scrutiny, as the parliamentary forum is believed to be the safest place for protecting the rights of those affected and ensuring that those who have acted honestly receive the greatest justice.
The representatives submitting the petition stated that they were there as representatives and voices of those who had passed the competitive examination honestly but have not yet been appointed due to a delay in appointments. They demanded that the government use the original candidate list and proceed with the appointments as normal, proposing that each case be considered separately. Those who committed fraud should be prosecuted decisively according to the law, while those who passed based on their own abilities should not suffer the consequences of others' actions.
They also stated that many candidates spent more than two years preparing by studying in the hope of entering civil service and securing their lives. Therefore, they urged executives at all levels, including those in the ministry and related agencies, to recognize the hardship faced by those who honestly passed the exam and to expedite the consideration of their appointments in the next round, as many have family responsibilities, expenses, and are the main breadwinners for their families.
Previously, the recruitment process had reached its third round, with those called in that round reporting for duty since the end of May and scheduled to begin work on July 1st. However, the recruitment in the fourth round, which normally occurs approximately once a month, has been halted due to the problem, directly affecting those on the recruitment list from rounds 4 to 8.
Furthermore, some affected individuals have already resigned from their previous jobs to prepare for civil service positions, some are pregnant, or have family responsibilities to support, making the delay in appointments extremely difficult. It was emphasized that if any fraud is found in already completed appointment rounds, legal action can be taken, and individuals can be dismissed from government service. Therefore, it is incomprehensible why all candidates in the next appointment round are being delayed, when it is possible to separate those who committed wrongdoing from those who passed honestly and proceed with the appointments as normal.