Anutin says 5,814 suspect civil service appointments should never have been made but admits he cannot cancel them. A July 23 committee will decide their fate as police widen an investigation into organised exam cheating and corruption.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has declared that 5,814 local government appointments linked to Thailand’s exploding civil service examination scandal should never have been made. Yet he admits he lacks the legal power to cancel them as police widen an investigation into what they believe is an organised corruption network, setting the stage for a decisive July 23 vote that could overturn thousands of appointments, trigger sweeping legal action and expose even more suspects.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Wednesday defended the government’s handling of Thailand’s widening local government civil service examination scandal. However, he declined to say whether 5,814 disputed appointments will ultimately be revoked.
Instead, he said the decision rests with a legally constituted committee meeting on July 23. Those officials have already taken up their posts across local government organisations.
Personally, Mr Anutin believes the appointments should never have been made. Even so, he acknowledged that the law prevents him from cancelling them himself despite serving as Minister of the Interior. That authority, he said, belongs to the Central Committee for Local Government Officials and Employees.
Earlier on Wednesday, he received a report confirming 5,814 appointments linked to irregular examination scores. The findings will now be considered by the committee before any administrative action is taken.
Scandal as investigators trace organised exam cheating network behind thousands of appointments
The scandal has rapidly developed into one of Thailand’s biggest public sector corruption investigations. At its centre are allegations of organised cheating during the 2025 local government recruitment examinations. Investigators also suspect leaked examination papers and manipulated scores. As a result, attention has shifted from individual suspects to what police believe is a wider corruption network. Thousands of appointments are now under review.
At 1.10pm, Mr Anutin travelled to the Crime Suppression Division headquarters inside the Central Investigation Bureau. There, he received a detailed briefing on the progress of the investigation. Police General Kittirat Phanphet, Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, welcomed him on arrival. Police Lieutenant General Nattasak Chaowanasai, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, also attended the meeting. Senior investigators then outlined the latest developments.
During the briefing, the Prime Minister thanked the Royal Thai Police and other law enforcement agencies for uncovering what he described as an audacious corruption operation.
He admitted the case had troubled him since it first emerged. After all, the alleged fraud occurred within an examination system supervised by the Ministry of the Interior. He said the government therefore had a responsibility to ensure every allegation was thoroughly investigated.
Prime Minister praises police probe as investigators uncover broader corruption links
Without the cooperation of investigators, Mr Anutin said, public confidence could have been seriously damaged. Instead, the investigation gradually exposed a much broader operation. It also revealed links between suspects and individuals connected with other corrupt activities. Consequently, he said the evidence no longer points to isolated wrongdoing. Rather, it suggests a coordinated network operating across several levels.
The Prime Minister repeated earlier assurances that the investigation would proceed without interference. Likewise, he insisted there would be no assistance, facilitation or manipulation on behalf of anyone involved.
According to Mr Anutin, the alleged corruption struck directly at the integrity of Thailand’s civil service recruitment system. Therefore, every finding must rest entirely on evidence gathered during the investigation.
“Please rest assured that there will be absolutely no distortion of this case,” Mr Anutin said. He stressed that every allegation would be examined against the available evidence. Where necessary, investigators would verify and compare information before reaching conclusions. In his view, that process provides the legal certainty the public expects. “There will be no leniency or flexibility in this case,” he added.
Anutin vows no political interference as suspended officials face inquiry and tougher penalties under law
Separately, the Prime Minister rejected suggestions that political influence could affect the inquiry. No law or regulation, he said, would be used to shield any suspect. Instead, every person involved would face the same legal process.
He also pointed to the speed of the investigation as evidence that authorities were acting decisively. Nevertheless, he cautioned against treating disciplinary suspensions as proof of guilt before investigations are completed.
Several officials linked to the affair have already been suspended from duty pending further inquiries. Meanwhile, Mr Anutin warned that politicians implicated in the scandal would face much harsher consequences. Existing law, he noted, allows enhanced penalties for politicians, public officials and civil servants convicted of corruption offences connected with their positions. He said that principle had already been communicated to those involved.
In response to repeated questions about the disputed appointments, Mr Anutin disclosed fresh details from a briefing he received earlier that morning. The report came from Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior Arsit Sampanrat following the latest meeting of the Central Committee for Local Government Employee Examinations.
Ministry review confirms 5,814 irregular scores before crucial committee meeting on appointments
According to the findings, the Department of Local Administration completed an extensive comparison between raw examination scores and the officially announced results. That review identified 5,814 candidates with irregular score patterns.
As part of that process, the entire list has now been forwarded to the Central Committee for Local Government Officials and Employees. The committee will meet on July 23. It alone has the legal authority to decide whether the appointments should be revoked.
Mr Anutin confirmed he will personally chair the meeting. Previously, he delegated responsibility for overseeing the Department of Local Administration after taking office in 2023. This time, however, he concluded that the scale of the scandal required his direct involvement.
Even then, the Prime Minister acknowledged the limits of his authority. Although he chairs the committee, he holds only one vote. The Ministry of the Interior controls no more than three votes altogether. By contrast, most members represent local government bodies and other agencies. Therefore, he cannot simply order the appointments to be cancelled.
Prime Minister admits committee alone can decide fate of thousands despite his call to cancel appointments
“If I had the authority, it would already have been done,” Mr Anutin said. He revealed that he instructed officials to delay the examination results once concerns first emerged. Despite that instruction, appointments still proceeded. On another front, he questioned why the appointments continued after the Department of Local Administration had already issued a letter delaying the process.
Personally, however, the Prime Minister left little doubt about his own position. “I think it should be cancelled,” he said. Even so, he accepted that other committee members may disagree. If opinions remain divided, the issue will be decided by a formal vote when the committee meets on July 23.
Questions then turned to candidates who insist they completed the examination honestly and now seek fair treatment. In response, Mr Anutin said every case must first be examined on its own merits. He cautioned against reaching conclusions before investigators complete their work. According to the Prime Minister, the legal team must also determine the consequences flowing from any proven fraud.
At present, he said, investigators are dealing with about 5,900 cases linked to suspected examination fraud. If evidence confirms examination papers were leaked and scores later manipulated, the legal consequences could be extensive.
As a result, cancellation or revocation of the examination results remains one possible outcome. Any such decision, however, must follow the procedures laid down by law.
Honest candidates seek fairness as government weighs legal consequences of widespread fraud
Reporters also asked whether candidates found to have cheated would be permanently barred from future examinations. Mr Anutin replied that any prohibition would depend on the terms governing the recruitment process.
Even so, he believes those whose answer sheets do not match their officially announced scores will almost certainly face legal action. Investigators, he said, will summon those individuals for questioning before deciding whether criminal charges should follow.
Attention then shifted to the thousands of local government positions already filled after the examination. Specifically, reporters asked whether reserve candidates would automatically replace anyone removed from office. Mr Anutin said that depends entirely on the committee’s legal decision. If only the examination results are revoked, one process would apply. If the entire examination is cancelled, the outcome could be very different.
For that reason, the Prime Minister stressed that no administrative action can be taken before the July 23 meeting. The Minister of the Interior, he said, has no authority to bypass the committee. Instead, members must first decide whether the appointments should stand. Only after that ruling can officials determine how vacancies, if any, should be filled.
Mr Anutin also explained why he would personally chair the forthcoming meeting. Normally, he delegates responsibility for the Department of Local Administration to the Deputy Minister. However, he concluded that the seriousness of the scandal now demands his direct involvement. Even so, he emphasised that his presence does not give him additional legal powers.
Government considers legal reform as expanding investigation continues to uncover new evidence
Questions also focused on the committee system itself. Some reporters asked whether it should now be dismantled to prevent future scandals. In response, Mr Anutin pointed to the Decentralisation to Local Administrative Organisations Act of 1999.
That legislation, he explained, created the current structure. Therefore, any significant changes would require amendments to the law rather than executive action.
Even so, the Prime Minister accepted that the legal framework deserves review. Corruption on this scale, he said, provides strong grounds for tightening the system. As part of that process, the Ministry of the Interior will consider whether stronger legal safeguards are needed. The aim, he indicated, is to make future recruitment procedures more robust.
Looking ahead, Mr Anutin made clear that the investigation remains far from complete. He predicted that authorities would hold many more briefings as the inquiry progresses. The investigation, he said, will not end with those already arrested or formally accused. Instead, officers will continue following the evidence wherever it leads.
“I have confidence in the capabilities and potential of the authorities,” Mr Anutin said. He added that investigators would not allow anyone connected with the alleged corruption to escape punishment. According to the Prime Minister, the inquiry has already exposed a complex operation involving numerous individuals. As investigators continue gathering evidence, he expects more names to emerge.
Prime Minister says wider corruption network will be exposed as anti-graft agencies pursue this case
Notably, Mr Anutin suggested the investigation would eventually expose people whose involvement has not yet become public. Some, he implied, may have appeared to be helping resolve the scandal while privately playing a far more significant role. He did not identify anyone by name. Instead, he said the evidence would ultimately reveal the full picture.
Separately, Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission Secretary-General Phumwisarn Kasemsuk outlined the agency’s next steps. He said the commission will develop clear preventive measures to reduce the risk of similar scandals. Those proposals will examine weaknesses exposed by the current investigation. They will also identify procedural loopholes requiring attention.
According to Mr Phumwisarn, the commission will produce a detailed assessment for the Prime Minister. The report will explain the factual failures uncovered during the inquiry. It will also recommend practical safeguards for future recruitment exercises. In his view, the current case highlights the need for stronger oversight throughout the examination process.
Before leaving the Crime Suppression Division, Mr Anutin again addressed questions about potential penalties. He referred reporters to the relevant legislation rather than offering further personal views.
Existing law, he said, imposes enhanced punishment on civil servants, public officials and politicians in specified corruption cases. He confirmed that principle had already been communicated to everyone connected with the investigation.
Security mix-up follows briefing as disputed appointments move to a decisive July 23 committee vote
At about 2.10pm, the Prime Minister encountered an unexpected incident outside the Central Investigation Bureau headquarters. Reporters asked whether he had seen the suspects while entering the building earlier.
Mr Anutin replied that he had walked past them without realising who they were. Police officers, he said, simply asked him to stand aside while the suspects were escorted for remand proceedings.
During that process, confusion briefly developed when officers initially attempted to place one suspect inside the Prime Minister’s official vehicle. Members of the security team immediately intervened. “This is the Prime Minister’s car,” they told officers before redirecting the suspect to the correct police van. The mix-up lasted only moments before the transfer proceeded normally.
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Meanwhile, developments continued inside the Ministry of the Interior. Earlier that afternoon, Permanent Secretary Arsit Sampanrat confirmed that officials had formally submitted the list of 5,814 names with irregular examination scores.
Those cases will now be considered by the Central Committee for Local Government Officials and Employees on July 23. Its decision will determine whether thousands of appointments survive or are revoked, while the criminal investigation continues on a separate track.
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Further reading:
Job appointments in poisoned exam process goes ahead as the impact of the scandal is still expanding
Jobs for cash corruption scandal creating shockwaves as Deputy PM promises to uncover the full truth
