PM orders 30-day probe into civil service exam fraud

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has set up a fact-finding committee, headed by his deputy, Pakorn Nilprapunt, to investigate alleged fraud in recruitment examinations for the Department of Local Administration.

The panel has been instructed to report directly to the prime minister every 10 days and complete its investigation within 30 days.

Government House sources said the prime minister wants the high-level investigation to be transparent and conclusive, and to dispel any public doubts about the case.

Meanwhile, the Civil Service Commission, in coordination with government agencies and civil service organisations, has developed proactive measures to combat examination fraud, according to a Facebook post by Pakorn Nilprapunt.

The proposed measures include blacklisting applicants found to have cheated in examinations and immediately dismissing them from the civil service if they have already been hired.

Officials found to have been involved in examination fraud would also be dismissed for serious ethical misconduct. Those placed under disciplinary investigation would be suspended from duty pending the outcome of the inquiry.

In addition, a central database would be established to store information on all individuals involved in examination fraud.

It is also proposed that the secretary-general of the Civil Service Commission be empowered to revoke the certificates of candidates who have passed the first stage of the recruitment examination.

As a long-term measure, the commission has proposed a new law empowering authorities to recover in full any bribes accepted by corrupt officials from examinees.

The Civil Service Commission has also proposed that civil servants who abandon their duties for more than 15 consecutive days without valid reason may be dismissed for serious disciplinary misconduct.