5,814 caught in exam scandal

The Department of Local Administration (DLA) has submitted a list of 5,814 candidates whose examination scores were found to be irregular to the Central Examination Committee for consideration of revoking their appointments. A decision is expected at a meeting next Thursday as authorities widen their investigation into alleged fraud in last year's local government recruitment examinations. Speaking after a meeting of the Central Committee for Local Government Personnel Examinations at the DLA on Wednesday, permanent secretary for interior Unsit Sampuntharat said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had instructed all agencies to pursue the investigation to its conclusion and ensure the public received a clear explanation. The committee reviewed the findings of a comparison between raw examination scores and the officially announced results conducted by the DLA in cooperation with the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission and the Department of Special Investigation. The review identified 5,814 candidates with irregular scores. Mr Unsit said the candidates were classified into three groups. More than 3,000 recorded significant increases in their scores, while over 1,000 others, who had already achieved high marks, were found to have received unusually large score increases. A further 400 had discrepancies of only one mark, although their answer sheets were unclear. ''The committee agreed to forward the names of all 5,814 candidates to the central committee, which has the legal authority to decide whether appointments should be revoked,'' he said. ''The three local government personnel commissions, representing provincial administrative organisations, municipalities and tambon administrative organisations, on July 23 will consider the evidence before making a decision,'' Mr Unsit said, adding any final revocation orders would be issued by the heads of the local authorities that appointed the candidates. He said authorities must first recount all examination scores before reserve candidates could be promoted to fill any vacancies because the answer sheets remain in the custody of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. ''If further irregularities emerge during the recount, additional legal action could follow,'' he said. Candidates who have not yet been appointed would not be affected immediately, but any vacancies created by revoked appointments would be filled according to the revised merit list. Asked whether the salaries paid to officials whose appointments were revoked would be reclaimed, Mr Unsit said the DLA would consider the matter separately. He went on to say investigators had not ruled out expanding the inquiry to previous recruitment exercises if evidence linked additional individuals or agencies to the alleged fraud. Separately, Mr Anutin on Wednesday announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the examination fraud case. The suspects -- identified only as Pichit, Win and Satthaporn -- face multiple charges, including criminal association, conspiracy, forging official documents, concealing or destroying official documents, dishonestly entering false computer data into a computer system and unlawfully disclosing official secrets. Mr Anutin thanked the agencies involved in the investigation, saying the government was committed to restoring public confidence by pursuing the case impartially and on the basis of evidence. He said the investigation had revealed indications of an organised network. Unsit: Evidence to be considered on July 23