About 10 people, mostly government officials, were arrested at a house in Nonthaburi province for allegedly rigging nationwide exam results of government officials who paid billions of baht in total to the gang.
Police and National Anti-Corruption Commission officials raided the house in tambon Bang Len of Bang Yai district at 6pm on Monday. There were about 10 people on the premises, mostly government officials, along with 18 computers and the answer sheets of about 3,000 examination participants.
The suspects were allegedly tampering with the answer sheets to ensure applicants passed the local government entrance exam held nationwide in February last year, when the Department of Local Administration was recruiting 6,669 officials.
The gang allegedly charged exam sitters from 350,000 to 800,000 baht each, depending on the desired position. They were paid to rig the answer sheets of about 3,000 exam candidates, and had already done so for about 2,000 applicants, according to police.
The investigation was ongoing.
Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasit said investigators would determine if any officials of the Department of Local Administration conspired in rigging the exam results.
He believed that even more candidates had paid the gang to ensure they passed. In all, about 100,000 people have sat the examination.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said it was totally unacceptable and he had ordered that any civil servants involved receive maximum punishment.
Interior permanent secretary Unsit Sampuntharat also harshly condemned the exam cheats.
