Pakamon urges the government to revoke the NCPO order and restore the authority to conduct exams to local governments, exposing systemic central-level corruption and exam leaks.
On 1 July 2026, Pakamon Noonanan, a People's Party MP, sharply criticized the 2027 budget allocation, pointing out that the portion designated for local governments remains at 29.35%, far below the 35% target. She called on the government to unlock decentralization laws and reform the structure to return authority to over 7,000 local administrative organizations nationwide to independently conduct competitive exams for personnel selection.
Pakamon stated that previously, the NCPO order centralized exam authority to the central government, claiming it would prevent patronage and corruption, trusting the central government to be honest. However, ironically, the latest centrally organized local exams revealed massive, systematic corruption, involving the printing press— the same one used for election ballots— and a fraud ring that possessed leaked exam answer sheets and keys from the exam creation stage.
She also questioned the lax terms of reference and performance of officials at the Department of Local Administration (DLA), responsible for identity verification and controlling access throughout the process. She asked whether oversight bodies like the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission had observed the process as required. She concluded pointedly that the public knows well the close ties between the Bhumjaithai Party leaders and the bureaucracy. Thus, decentralization is a critical test for the government; if it insists on preserving centralized power, it will fail to address public criticism.