"Pakorn" sighs over widespread local exam fraud involving many parties. The number of positions to be filled was originally 8,000 but unexpectedly rose to 10,000. The investigation results are scheduled to be submitted to the Prime Minister on 4 August.
On 24 July 2026, Mr. Pakorn Nilprapan, Deputy Prime Minister and Chair of the fact-finding and legal committee investigating corruption in the 2025 local government civil service examinations, revealed after the third meeting that the working group is preparing a report outline divided into four key parts to present to the Prime Minister on 4 August. He emphasized that this committee serves as the "starting point" for forwarding evidence to anti-corruption authorities for further action.
Mr. Pakorn stated that the report will be divided into four main sections, including the appointment quotas where irregularities were found: although only 8,000 positions were authorized, 10,000 were actually filled without proper resolutions or legal backing. The pre-examination process revealed numerous flaws, including TOR conditions and contracts inconsistent with the standards of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC). The document handling and examination administration did not comply with standards set by the Ministry of Higher Education or leading educational institutions. The result announcement and appointment approval stages also showed abnormalities.
Mr. Pakorn added that investigations found over 100 individuals from both government and private sectors involved, including those with direct authority and others suspiciously engaged without formal powers in the exam process. However, the committee will not directly assign blame but will clearly identify individuals and behaviors at each stage to forward to responsible agencies such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, and Anti-Money Laundering Office for financial tracing. If disciplinary or criminal offenses are found, police will prosecute accordingly. The committee will also propose measures to close loopholes for the Department of Local Administration and related organizations to prevent recurrence.
"Every issue to be presented to the Prime Minister is critical because no one can tolerate this. We sighed repeatedly during meetings, wondering how such things could happen. The Minister of Justice even joked that I might faint from all the sighing, and I admit I've never encountered anything like this in my life," Mr. Pakorn said.