The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior has urgently scheduled a meeting of the Local Administration Commission for tomorrow afternoon, ordering the revocation of 3,621 appointments related to the local government exam fraud case without waiting for 23 July. A full re-scoring of the system will be completed within 15 days.
At 11:00 a.m. on 16 July 2026, at the Department of Local Administration Promotion, Mr. Assisit Sampanrat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, along with Mr. Nirat Pongsitthaworn, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior acting as the interim Director-General of the Department of Local Administration Promotion, and Mr. Boonprasong Nuansai, Deputy Director-General of the same department, jointly held a press conference to update progress on the investigation into corruption in the competitive examination for recruitment into local government organizations.
Mr. Assisit stated that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul appointed Mr. Nirat Pongsitthaworn, Deputy Permanent Secretary, to serve as acting Director-General of the Department of Local Administration Promotion effective 16 July onwards, to expedite correcting both proper and improper issues as quickly as possible.
Mr. Assisit added that following yesterday’s announcement of 5,814 individuals with abnormal scores, these were divided into three groups: first, approximately 3,621 individuals whose scores clearly increased; second, about 1,713 individuals who already had good scores but whose scores increased abnormally; and third, approximately 480 individuals with only a one-point difference but with unclear answer sheet documents, necessitating urgent processing.
After the erroneous announcement caused serious damage, he consulted with the acting Director-General and the Local Administration Commission secretary, concluding that since the Commission declared the exam passers, it must also have the authority to revoke those appointments. They agreed to proceed accordingly because the matter is severe, requiring a prompt revocation to demonstrate integrity.
For the first group, where evidence is clear, a meeting will be held tomorrow afternoon to consider revoking their appointments without delay, ensuring fairness for the more than 9,000 candidates who legitimately passed with matching raw scores and announced names, as public suspicion currently surrounds these individuals. The goal is to clarify the facts swiftly.
Previously, he responded to media questions about handling vacancies, saying no appointments could be made while transparency was lacking. After revoking improper appointments, the department expects to re-score all answer sheets, which are copies obtained from Srinakharinwirot University, within 15 days. This re-scoring will be assigned to central agencies such as other universities and the National Anti-Corruption Commission for verification, followed by a new announcement of scores and eligible candidates.
Mr. Assisit explained that the Ministry of Interior intervened to resolve this issue, which is only one aspect of the wider, longstanding problems in local civil service examinations. With central oversight now in place, a comprehensive reform is necessary.
He expressed confidence that the new acting Director-General of the Department of Local Administration Promotion, with extensive experience and as the most senior provincial governor under the Ministry of Interior, will manage the situation effectively, assuring that all actions will be transparent and proper.
Regarding those who committed offenses, investigations are underway by police, who are expected to conclude their findings soon. Meanwhile, the National Anti-Corruption Commission will also provide an update today. All information will be considered jointly.
Tomorrow’s meeting will be linked to the Local Administration Commission’s central committee session on 23 July. Should the committee decide to revoke appointments, action will be taken promptly because clear evidence of irregularities already exists.
Mr. Assisit said the responsibility for addressing this lies with the Local Administration Commission, which met yesterday but whose secretary has yet to propose revoking the list of successful candidates. As Permanent Secretary and supervisor, he believes those who announced the list should also correct it themselves to demonstrate integrity and ensure unified progress.
When asked whether the names of the first group — about 3,621 individuals with significant score increases — would be publicly disclosed as a warning example, Mr. Assisit said once the meeting reaches a decision, notifications will be sent to each province, which will forward them to the local administrative organizations responsible for appointments. Once decided, revocation must proceed legally.
“There are two approaches, but by law, notifications must be sent to each province involved in appointments. Ultimately, the media will likely learn about all 3,621 cases anyway.”
When asked if he personally would announce the names, Mr. Assisit replied, “We will find out when the time comes.”
Regarding whether those revoked in the first group must repay salary received, Mr. Boonprasong Nuansai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Local Administration Promotion, said salary matters depend on the conduct involved and that disciplinary actions for all 3,621 cases must be reviewed.
