Asapol, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) Commission, revealed that releasing the 3 suspects in the local exam fraud case does not affect the legal proceedings. He emphasized the evidence is solid and confirmed that the case involving 'Mayor Heng and 2 DSI officers' is not a repeat of the first group.
9 Oct 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Asapol Santraipob Member of Parliament for Sisaket from the Bhumjaithai Party and Chairman of the NACC Commission on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption and Misconduct, Asapol Santraipob, spoke on the program "Inside Thailand" regarding the case where 3 suspects in the local exam fraud case were released. He said the suspects were arrested and detained in mid-July 2026. According to the law, detention can last up to 7 periods of 12 days each, totaling 84 days, which follows legal procedures.
The NACC Chairman further explained that at the commission meeting, NACC representatives clarified that the police transferred the 3 suspects to NACC for investigation with limited time—only 3 periods. Normally, NACC investigations take longer, and regulations require completion within 2 years. With only 3 periods, it is impossible to file charges promptly. However, in reality, the suspects' release does not affect the case, as NACC can continue the investigation. The previous arrests were not in vain; important evidence was obtained immediately, and during the 84 days, the suspects could not interfere with witnesses, allowing NACC to secure all crucial evidence.
When asked about concerns from villagers about what would happen if the 3 suspects fled to another country, and how NACC and police would handle such a situation, Asapol stated that the NACC commission had the opportunity to study procedures and was informed by the NACC Secretary-General that they already have informants tracking the suspects. If suspects flee to neighboring countries, extradition processes can be requested, as Thailand maintains good relations with neighboring nations.
Regarding reports that NACC admitted in the commission meeting that it is difficult to prevent suspects from fleeing abroad, the NACC Chairman confirmed this was correct. The investigative system and police accusation system allow detention for up to 84 days, but the initial investigation takes time to gather all evidence and submit to the full NACC committee for indictment decisions, causing a legal gap.
When asked if police who arrested and prepared the case could proceed faster, Asapol said it was mentioned from the start that while the NACC has significant authority, its investigative process is slow and should be expedited. Many have suggested police assist, but regarding whether the commission discussed police involvement, the Chairman said there was no discussion on this, likely due to concerns over confidentiality and NACC's independence.
On concerns from society about the release of the 3 suspects and fears that Mayor Pravit Charuratchakul (Mayor Heng) and 2 DSI officers in the second group might also evade justice, Asapol said the police anti-corruption division submitted the case to NACC on 15 Sep 2026. Although some believe the case might not proceed in time, leading to their release, the police had granted bail to all suspects instead of detention. For Mayor Heng and the two DSI officers, the commission invited industrial officials who play key roles linking Mayor Heng, Mr. Itthipol Siriphetphatrakul (Victor), and Mr. Anurak Khajonrit (Tor).
"According to information received by the commission from Mayor Pravit, there was a first deposit payment of 5 million baht at a restaurant in Bangkok given to Victor and Tor. The second payment of 50 million baht was received by Mayor Pravit at Mayor Heng's residence in Bangkok and then given to Victor and Tor along with a list of 709 exam applicants. Therefore, the investigation concerning Mayor Heng and the 2 DSI officers is expected to progress quickly because once the matter became widely known, Tor contacted Mayor Pravit to request the mobile phone containing LINE chat details, but Mayor Pravit refused as it was government property. Thus, all LINE chat details have already been submitted to the DSI and anti-corruption police." .