Suspected imposter, 56, caught taking exam for 28-year-old applicant

Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Director-General Thiraphat Khatchamart has promised stiff legal action against an imposter caught taking the department's recruitment examination on behalf of another applicant.

The suspected imposter, 56, whose name is being withheld, was arrested yesterday during an examination at Suan Dusit Rajabhat University.

Officials became suspicious because he appeared significantly older than the 28-year-old registered applicant whose identity he was allegedly using.

Thiraphat said today that he inspected all four examination venues yesterday. When he learned of the incident, he instructed examination supervisors to alert police and keep the suspect in the examination room until the test had ended.

After the examination, the suspect was briefly questioned by the supervisors but claimed he had undergone chemotherapy, which had altered his facial appearance.

A subsequent fingerprint check, however, confirmed that he was an imposter, and police immediately took him in for further questioning.

Thiraphat said the suspect appeared calm, suggesting this might not have been the first time he had taken an examination on behalf of someone else.

He added that the incident would not affect the overall examination process.