Anutin criticized the Central Committee for Local Civil Service Examinations for ignoring warnings and going against policy by not delaying local official appointments amid exam fraud allegations, asserting the Prime Minister's judgment was correct and that people should trust him more.
On 27 Jul 2026 GMT+7, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul commented on progress in investigating corruption in local civil service exams, responding to Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt's report by asking if people had followed the news, emphasizing that multiple actions are underway.
Action 1: Transferring the management of the Department of Local Administration Promotion to the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry.
Action 2: Appointing a deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry to investigate facts, discovering inconsistencies between score certificates and answer sheets.
Action 3: Establishing a disciplinary committee to investigate serious misconduct by those suspected of involvement in the fraud.
Action 4: Assigning Mr. Pakorn to verify the facts of the case.
Action 5: Cooperating with the police and the National Anti-Corruption Commission, issuing summons and arrest warrants, detaining accused individuals without bail, and proceeding with prosecution.
Action 6: The Central Committee for Local Civil Service Examinations plans to annul the passing list of 5,924 candidates and forward the cases to provinces for legal action.
Action 7: Monitoring the issuance of summons and arrest warrants, extending investigations into financial trails and connections. Anutin questioned why anyone would claim no action is being taken.
He noted that warnings had already been given to the Central Committee.
When asked whether the Central Committee for Local Civil Service Examinations should be held accountable for ignoring the Prime Minister’s previous advice to delay appointments, Anutin said the matter had progressed beyond that point. Although the committee has the authority to decide, the facts have since emerged. The committee includes officials from the department, local representatives, and experts.
“Ultimately, it turned out as I warned, showing my instincts were right, but they exercised their discretion independently. When problems arose, I said it would be better to trust the Prime Minister,” Anutin said.
Asked if this was a dangerous lesson, the Prime Minister said everyone must take responsibility, regardless of danger, since he had already expressed doubt as head of government. At least six committee members are civil servants under his ministry and follow his policies.
Regarding whether annulling the local civil service pass list is sufficient, the Prime Minister said that was part of due process. Investigations and prosecutions are ongoing with police, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn’s working group, involving multiple agencies, ensuring no one will escape accountability.