Bangkok: "Teng," a nickname for a high-ranking official, has criticized "Nu," another high-ranking official, for her delayed efforts in tackling corruption within the Ministry of Interior. Teng stated that if Nu was truly serious about eradicating corruption, she should have taken action when she first assumed the role of Minister of Interior, rather than waiting for the issue to make headlines.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives and leader of the People's Party, addressed the alleged corruption in the local government examination at the Department of Local Administration (DLA). He suggested that the scandal may have originated from a conflict among civil servants within the department, who are divided into two political factions. This internal strife led to the exposure of the scandal, impacting those who had honestly participated in the exam.
Mr. Nattapong shared that he received a complaint from an honest exam taker, whose family had high expectations after passing the exam. The complaint was supported by a petition signed by 1,000 individuals, indicating that many more honest participants were affected. He emphasized the urgent need for the government to evaluate if its measures have impacted a large number of corrupt individuals and consider each case individually.
He further questioned the Prime Minister's commitment to eradicating corruption, stating that the public might not have been aware of these allegations without the internal conflicts within the Department of Local Administration. He urged for tangible results in the fight against illicit networks within the government, rather than just creating news headlines.
In response to the Bhumjaithai Party's claims that the Prime Minister intended to address the issue seriously, Mr. Nattapong argued that the Prime Minister, having served multiple terms as Minister of Interior, should have been aware of such problems. He questioned the sincerity of the Prime Minister's actions, suggesting that immediate action should have been taken from the start, instead of rushing when the issue became public. Mr. Nattapong believes the Prime Minister is more focused on resolving internal matters than genuinely tackling corruption.