Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior revealed that the Central Committee on Local Official Examinations (CCLOE) has endorsed the resolution to punish local exam cheaters and will present measures to the Central Personnel Committee on 6 Aug. They will decide on how to handle 97 individuals who passed and were appointed but had score increases; the causes will be investigated before possible dismissal. A warning was issued that anyone involved will face legal proceedings.
On 5 Aug 2026 at 13:00 at the Department of Local Administration (DLA), the Central Committee on Local Official Examinations (CCLOE) held a meeting. Attendees included Mr. Assisit Sampantharat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior; Mr. Wanchai Chanporn, CCLOE Chairman; Mr. Nirat Pongsitthaworn, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior acting as Director General of DLA; and Mr. Boonprasong Nuansai, Deputy Director General of DLA serving as CCLOE secretary. They convened to consider a resolution to revoke appointments of civil servants involved in local exam fraud.
At 16:30, Mr. Assisit disclosed after the CCLOE meeting that this was a continuation of several prior sessions. Today’s meeting summarized that the CCLOE Chairman had signed the cancellation of the previous list of successful candidates and announced a new list to confirm the resolution has been implemented. They also set procedures: about 12,000 candidates who passed legitimately have already been appointed accordingly. Those with incorrect or inflated scores will not be listed. How to list newly eligible candidates not yet listed will be determined. On 6 Aug, the Central Personnel Committee (CPC) will meet to review this matter based on the CCLOE Chairman’s report and consider whether the proposed procedures comply with the law for final confirmation.
When asked about handling those who initially passed but had their scores increased, Mr. Assisit said there are two groups. First, 561 candidates who have not yet been listed and therefore have not started working; they will not be listed. The second group, consisting of 97 individuals who passed, were listed, and already appointed, will have their cases reviewed to determine appropriate procedures.. . .According to the rules, candidates who pass must first be listed. The operational procedures will be proposed to the CPC meeting. This does not mean discarding anyone, as candidates who passed must be officially announced based on their actual exam scores. Currently, the official announcements reflect true scores. For those with increased scores numbering fewer than 100, they will consider how to handle this group. Procedures will be established to confirm the authenticity of their scores. The police will investigate how these score increases occurred. The CCLOE has already set guidelines for this.
When asked if candidates might be re-examined later, Mr. Assisit confirmed this is possible if new information emerges. He referred to the statement from the Royal Thai Police Chief that the committee investigating facts and legal issues concerning the 2025 local official exam fraud, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Pakorn Nilpraphan, has met. Hundreds of people are involved, and the Ministry of Interior will receive notifications. Some may face new disciplinary hearings, as more than five individuals have already been subjected to serious disciplinary inquiries. The 97 individuals will face further action. Those involved know they cannot continue without consequences. If investigations later find evidence of wrongdoing, legal action will follow.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior stated that the current responsibility of the DLA is to cancel the old lists and issue new ones based on verified scores from official documents. Anyone involved in wrongdoing related to this process will not be able to remain and will face disciplinary action. However, they have the right to appeal. For example, if someone claims ignorance but police investigations find evidence of bribery and score manipulation, the penalties could be more severe, including dismissal from government service, criminal prosecution, blacklisting, and possibly imprisonment depending on the law.
Regarding the cause of score increases, Mr. Assisit stated that investigations must determine who increased the scores and who they contacted to do so. It might not be the candidates themselves; it could involve parents or relatives buying higher scores. Once the police trace the involved individuals, all will be implicated in this case, and no one can escape liability.
Mr. Boonprasong Nuansai, Deputy Director General of the Department of Local Administration, revealed that among those with increased scores, approximately 774 candidates have been reviewed. Of these, 561 were listed in the initial list, but 211 did not report for duty. Within the 561, a subgroup of 97 remains on the list; the other 464 will be revoked and wait their turn based on actual scores.
Regarding how to address the 97 appointed candidates, Mr. Boonprasong added that actions will follow legal provisions under Sections 18 and 19. If candidates passed the initial stage correctly and have valid scores, they are considered to have passed. However, issues of fraud will be handled by the National Anti-Corruption Commission or the police for further proceedings.