The article discusses the persistent corruption in the Thai civil service examination system, highlighting how systematic cheating continues to hinder qualified candidates. Despite strict monitoring from examination committees, corruption has worsened over the past decade, with elaborate schemes in place that often go undetected, including collusion among officials and businesspersons.
Dr. Mana Nimitmongkol, Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand, emphasizes that tackling corruption at higher levels could significantly reduce malpractice, particularly referring to the issue of nepotism involving influential individuals. The enduring problems of recruitment and position trading continue to loom, particularly in the education sector, despite reforms intended to establish a fairer selection process.
Corruption manifests in various other forms such as position fixing and bribery to secure contracts or continued employment, particularly impacting local government roles and teaching positions. Although efforts by the Office of the Civil Service Commission have led to reduced reports of cheating in certain areas, problems persist in testing for military and police positions due to lucrative tutoring schemes offering insider knowledge.
The prevalence of examination fraud, such as impersonation or use of electronic devices, has increased, particularly in local agencies where Pseud-Civil Servants conduct internal selections, making oversight difficult. In addition, state enterprises often have quotas for the children of long-term employees, complicating equality in job access.
The article stresses that practices like trading positions and seeking payments for transfers create a cycle of corruption detrimental to the workforce’s integrity, leading to incompetent appointments and a lack of accountability. Moreover, the tendency to shift positions closer to home often involves bribery or favoritism.
Furthermore, attempts to address academic qualifications among civil servants are also marred by corruption, as individuals sometimes resort to underhanded methods to ascend professionally without meeting requisite criteria.
Dr. Mana suggests the need for monitoring high-ranking officials’ wealth to combat corruption effectively, criticizing the current government for its lack of commitment to addressing these issues thoroughly. It is argued that responsibilities for anti-corruption must be shared across all sectors and cannot merely be relegated to different oversight agencies.
The protracted processes of corruption investigations lead to dissatisfaction and could result in unnoticed misconduct, while the promotion of legal gambling initiatives raises concern about the potential for increased corruption in future economic plans.
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This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.
