The Secretary-General of Prai Nok Yoong Subdistrict Administrative Organization in Chai Nat hopes that the local civil service examination system will screen candidates based on a system of integrity, believing that once corruption is exposed, the issues will be resolved.
At 13:00 on 26 Jul 2026, at the Thammasat University Conference Center, Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani Province, which served as the examination venue for local government officials competing for executive positions, Thairath Online spoke with Mr. Thanakrit Rattanapongkawi, Secretary-General of Prai Nok Yoong Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Han Kha District, Chai Nat. He came to take the competency exam for the position of Secretary-General at all levels, using a walking cane. When officials saw this, they provided a wheelchair to assist him into the exam room.
Mr. Thanakrit said he hopes to be promoted to a mid-level Secretary-General position. When asked about the current major news of corruption in local civil service exams, he said it should not happen and saw two main causes: first, political interference involving political payoffs, vote brokers, or patronage networks; second, individuals who try to take advantage of others, who have not studied or lack ability, resorting to tricks to gain government positions.
When asked if he was aware of such issues before, Mr. Thanakrit said he had previously worked in a unit where local government organizations conducted their own exams and encountered similar problems. Even after centralizing exams, problems persist; as times change, so do the issues and methods of favoritism. However, he still hopes that once the corruption is exposed and investigated, the problems will improve. This will reveal vulnerabilities, from setting exam measures or Terms of Reference (TOR), which allow conditions such as timing, duration, and exam format that create loopholes for corruption.
"I believe things cannot get any worse. Selecting candidates must rely solely on a system of integrity. The system of favoritism and undue advantage can no longer continue."