'Big Turtle' exposes the modus operandi 'Mayor Heng' acting as a middleman demanding 650,000 baht per local government exam candidate, with over 100 victims identified. Among them, 57 have names on the official pass list. Authorities plan to investigate involved parties further, affirming this is not a political smear.
On 27 Aug 2026 at 17:30 GMT+7, at the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Suppression Division (ACMSD), Police Major General Jaroonkiat Pankaew, Deputy Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, revealed the arrest of Mr. Prawit Jaruratkul, also known as 'Mayor Heng,' a former candidate for MP from the Pheu Thai Party, along with Mrs. Nawaporn Pruprang, a local administrative official from Sisaket province. He stated that police had previously arrested suspects linked to Staff Sergeant Major Pichit Thongphrom, while the NACC appointed ACMSD and the Anti-Corruption Division to assist in the investigation of this case.
This arrest resulted from complaints filed by victims in Sisaket province against Mr. Prawit. The ACMSD accepted the case under a policy that allows those who suffered injustice or delayed cases to file complaints directly with the Crime Suppression Division or ACMSD on a case-by-case basis. If corruption is found, the case will be forwarded to the NACC to be consolidated with main investigations.
Investigations reveal that Mr. Prawit acted as a middleman facilitating candidate admissions, with Mrs. Nawaporn, a close associate and subordinate, contacting and recruiting candidates and collecting money. For fiscal year 2025, but money was collected in 2024, over 100 victims were identified.
According to investigation data, about 57 candidates have names on the official pass list and were appointed in 2026. There is also information regarding exam answer alterations. Meanwhile, over 40 candidates who paid but did not pass each paid about 650,000 baht and mostly filed fraud complaints in Sisaket province. Currently, only one victim has lodged a complaint with ACMSD regarding this case.
Police Major General Jaroonkiat added that the group of approximately 57 who passed likely completed full payments, while the group of over 40 who failed demanded refunds from Mr. Prawit, who has shown evasive behavior and fled the area.
Regarding Mr. Prawit's claim that he could alter answers or exam scores, Major General Jaroonkiat said Mr. Prawit has cooperated partially, but police are still investigating further. When asked if the 57 who passed would face charges, he said each would be questioned individually to determine whether payments and passing were due to corrupt intent. It remains inconclusive if all paid to pass, as some may have passed on their own merits, while others might have had exam answers altered.
Major General Jaroonkiat further explained that Mrs. Nawaporn played a role in collecting money, while Mr. Prawit had information enabling exam arrangements. Both face joint charges. Police have uncovered some details about money flows and other involved individuals but have not disclosed specifics to avoid compromising the case.
Regarding links to the group of Staff Sergeant Major Pichit, Major General Jaroonkiat stated, "There is clear evidence of a connection," but declined to specify the nature of the link. He emphasized that the two cases should not be directly compared, only that suspects arrested previously and in this case are connected.
On Mr. Prawit's claim that his LINE account was forged, Major General Jaroonkiat said this requires thorough investigation. Police have found other persons involved and may have additional evidence linking further individuals.
When asked if there are higher-ranking individuals above Mr. Prawit, Major General Jaroonkiat said the case will proceed and, once complete, files will be sent to the NACC within 30 days to merge with main investigations. Some individuals may be witnesses to extend the probe to masterminds, and authorities believe the investigation can reach those higher up behind the arrests made today.
Regarding concerns that the case might only involve fraud charges, Major General Jaroonkiat affirmed that police consider the suspects' actions to constitute corruption as intermediaries demanding money and passing it to government officials.
He also insisted that the prosecution is unrelated to political harassment or discrediting any political party, as victims themselves filed complaints. The Central Investigation Bureau operates transparently without discrimination toward any individuals or parties.
The Deputy Commander added that this case is a subset of the NACC's main investigation, which began examining the corruption issue and requested ACMSD's assistance in searches and inquiries. The Central Investigation Bureau will pursue all involved parties based on evidence and believes the NACC's main proceedings will expand the scope to higher-level participants.
However, a credible source reported that among the 57 linked to Mr. Prawit's network, all had their exam scores altered. They are part of a larger group of over 5,900 individuals implicated in local government exam fraud.