Deputy Minister Warasit confirms the local exam cheating case will conclude by 31 August, noting many provinces understand and have no concerns, swiftly signing off on dismissals of implicated officials after reviewing the real evidence and scores.
At 11:00 a.m. on 19 August 2026 GMT+7. Mr. Warasit Liangprasert, Deputy Minister of the Interior. He spoke at the Government House about the progress of the Provincial Local Officials Committee (Gor Changwat) meetings on local exam corruption, stating: Previously, several provincial administrative organization (PAO) chiefs expressed concerns. I understand their perspective as a fellow worker. However, many who were concerned had not yet seen the information. The Department of Local Administration (DLA) has prepared a package detailing how the process should proceed, including procedures for those listed, along with forms and supporting documents to eliminate doubts. After additional explanations, many now understand and have acted accordingly.
Mr. Warasit added that the PAO chief of Lamphun expressed gratitude after reviewing all the evidence. This aligns with our earlier statements. We understand that initially, not everyone had access to the information, but once facts supported by forensic evidence were clear, there were no grounds to withhold action.
When asked about the three local government associations urging the DLA on 18 August 2026 to provide evidence for dismissing local officials, Mr. Warasit said it was a similar situation. The Gor Changwat committees have not all met simultaneously, and some have not yet forwarded data to local areas. On 18 August, I spoke with the association presidents who requested legal support from the DLA. The DLA director-general has already prepared for this. He emphasized that given the tight timeframe, the process must be simple, fast, and responsive to local officials’ questions and need for advice. Waiting for official letters back and forth would be too slow; this point has been stressed.
Regarding whether staggered arrival of conclusive evidence from different provinces would affect decisions, Mr. Warasit said this is why a deadline was set for local administrative organizations to complete actions by 31 August. He understands that Gor Changwat committees in various provinces are not operating simultaneously and that there are many local bodies, so a broad timeframe was necessary. He confirmed that by 31 August, the local exam corruption cases must be resolved. .