Bangkok: Lawyer Thammarat Sarapanya has submitted a formal request to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to halt the upcoming local government official examinations scheduled for December 7th. Thammarat, along with his legal team, met with Pol. Lt. Col. Yutthana Praedam, the Director-General of the Department of Local Administration, to address concerns involving the examination process and the involvement of a well-known university.

According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Lt. Col. Woranan Srilam, Director of the Consumer Protection Division and DSI spokesperson, accepted the case on behalf of the department. Thammarat has urged the DSI to revoke the announcement regarding the competitive examination for local government officials, citing evidence of corruption, such as audio clips and a list of applicants who paid fees for positions. These claims have been corroborated by complaints from applicants and their families.

Thammarat highlighted the irregularities in the civil service examinations from 20
13 to 2015, particularly the lack of examinations for civil servants in local government organizations. He noted improper preparations by the Department of Local Administration and questioned the legitimacy of contracts with universities conducting the exams. Despite objections from various agencies, the decision to proceed was left to the discretion of the committee overseeing the examinations.

Further, Thammarat pointed out that the examination process was manipulated to control applicants and ensure certain groups secured permanent positions in local government. This manipulation, he claimed, facilitated political power grabs and benefited individuals involved in future government procurement. The allegations involve charging applicants for promises of permanent positions, forming a network of extortionists within the civil service and political spheres.

The university involved required candidates to pass five rounds of examinations, with a staff of approximately 80,000 and verification tools in place. D
espite over 400,000 applicants nationwide, only 15,000 positions were available, with an application fee of 420 baht. Allegations also surfaced about a quota for politicians from the Northeastern region, with positions allegedly sold at 350,000 baht each, totaling up to 4 billion baht. Additionally, concerns were raised about the potential for exam results to be leaked, particularly in areas like the flood-affected southern region, where exams have been postponed.