The Central Committee on Local Official Examinations (G.S.T.) has begun meetings to revoke the appointments of 5,000 local officials involved in exam fraud. Athisit stated he is not worried and expects to send the resolution to the Central Committee for consideration on 23 July. Meanwhile, the Deputy Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) emphasized that the authority to revoke these 5,000 officials' appointments belongs to the Department of Local Administration (DLA). The NACC does not hold this authority.
At 10:00 a.m. on 15 July 2026, at the Department of Local Administration, Mr. Athisit Sampantharat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, chaired the Central Committee on Local Official Examinations (G.S.T.) meeting. The key agenda was to consider revoking the appointments of 5,000 local officials after discovering irregularities in their exam scores.
Before the meeting, reporters asked Athisit if he was worried. He replied, “Worried about what?” When asked if today's agenda included revoking the appointments of all 5,000 officials, he emphasized that the authority lies with the Central Committee on Local Officials or the Central Committee. Today, the G.S.T. has been delegated by the Central Committee to conduct exams. When issues arise, the G.S.T. must bring them to its meeting and then forward the matter to the Central Committee for consideration and resolution, expected by 23 July.
Mr. Suchart Kruaykitanon, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, spoke before attending the G.S.T. meeting as an observer. He said he was not yet aware of the meeting details, having just received the invitation. The Department of Local Administration will provide information on whether the revocation of the 5,000 officials' appointments is taking place, as he is attending only as an observer.
When asked if the information observed today would be incorporated into the NACC’s ongoing investigation, Mr. Suchart said he would review and request data to combine with existing NACC inquiries. He also mentioned he would offer suggestions during the meeting.
When asked if the NACC would initially recommend revoking all 5,000 officials’ appointments, Mr. Suchart said this matter must be reported first. Since investigations are proceeding on multiple fronts, such as revocations, these must be carefully considered to avoid affecting other case files. He reiterated that the authority to revoke appointments belongs to the Department of Local Administration, not the NACC.
Regarding progress on further exam paper inspections, Mr. Suchart said this is the Department of Local Administration’s responsibility to identify any altered answer sheets. The department has not yet provided NACC with this information or indicated when it will. The investigation will require this data to help identify all involved parties, including government officials and examinees.
Asked whether the meeting would reveal additional names involved, Mr. Suchart said that during investigations, anyone found connected can be summoned for further inquiry. Currently, only 22 names are involved. If there are updates, the NACC will continue investigations and take comprehensive action against anyone implicated.
When asked if NACC’s information would be forwarded to the fact-finding committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt, Mr. Suchart replied that if the Deputy Prime Minister requests coordination, they are ready to provide the data. He noted that the NACC investigates while the government works on solutions and policy guidelines.
Regarding whether the investigation process is slow, Mr. Suchart said that the NACC has only recently begun proceedings and established the investigation process. Since this is now a special case, the process must be expedited and conducted by an investigative committee. He believes the process will be swift due to public interest and affirmed that the NACC is not complacent. Officials have facilitated preparations, and the case will be fast-tracked as much as possible.
Before the meeting, all G.S.T. members attended collectively, though most declined to comment to reporters. Representatives from the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Central Investigation Bureau police also attended to observe and gather information to support the investigation.