PUBLISHED : 7 Mar 2024 at 07:06
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is probing allegations that answers to an assistant teacher recruitment examination in Khon Kaen were sold at exorbitant prices to applicants.
The DSI is questioning 20 applicants who might have knowledge of the allegations.
DSI deputy director-general Pol Capt Wisanu Chimtrakool said the case was reported by Somchat Sa-ngapakpoom, a civic representative on Khon Kaen’s Provincial Education Commission, who filed legal complaints against two senior officials connected to the exam held on Aug 19-20 last year.
The officials are Seree Khamprapai, who directed the Khon Kaen Primary Educational Service Area Office 2 at the time of the exam, and Anusart Sornsinpong, chairman of Khon Kaen Primary Educational Service Area Office 2’s committee for teachers and education personnel.
According to Mr Somchat, the answer sheets in which correct answers had secret markings on them were distributed to two applicants on the exam day. Each applicant allegedly paid 600,000 baht to the panel supervising the exam and another 300,000 baht to the broker who arranged for the sale of the answer sheets.
The DSI said the exam, which was held at various venues in the province, was not transparently conducted as no central examiner unit was there to oversee it. Instead, the exam was supervised by individual education district offices and managed by a university without a police presence to provide security at venues for the test.
After Mr Somchat complained to the Education Ministry and the DSI, the Office of the Basic Education Commission and the National Anti-Corruption Commission opened an investigation into the case.