Acting local admin chief appointed as PM promises probe into exam scandal

Nirat Pongsitthithavorn, deputy permanent secretary of the interior, has been appointed the acting director general of the Local Administration Department (LADF), effective today, until there is any change to the appointment by the order of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul who doubles as the interior minister.

Nirat’s predecessor, Director General Teeruth Supawiboonpol, was transferred to an “inactive” post at the Interior Ministry on June 24 and placed under investigation, after being implicated of involvement in the department’s recruitment exam scandal.

Meanwhile, Attaya Nuanuthai, assistant permanent secretary of the interior, has quit as a member of the disciplinary committee appointed by the interior ministry to consider disciplinary action against LAD officials involved in the exam scandal.

In his resignation letter, addressed to the interior permanent secretary, Atthaya said that, since his name was mentioned in social media as one of the officials implicated in the exam scandal, his presence on the disciplinary committee could constitute a conflict of interest and render the investigation biased.

Prime Minister Anutin has branded the exam fraud “a vicious cycle of evil” as he offered an assurance that the illegality will be dealt with decisively. He said that the central committee probing this case will decide next week whether to declare the exam sheets of about 5,800 candidates void, after it was disclosed that the scores on the sheets do not match those shown in computer files.