Selection process in fraud-hit police exam to continue

Selection process in fraud-hit police exam to continue

Municipal official Jeerapoj Plaiduang (centre), 45, based in Pathumwan district, was the first to be arrested and is accused of masterminding the exam cheating. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Municipal official Jeerapoj Plaiduang (centre), 45, based in Pathumwan district, was the first to be arrested and is accused of masterminding the exam cheating. (Bangkok Post file photo)

A committee investigating cheating in the recent police entrance exam has decided that while those candidates found involved in the scandal will be disqualified and charged, the other applicants will not have to sit a new examination.

The exams, held at Hua Mak and Bang Na campuses of Ramkhamhaeng University on Dec 4, 2016, attracted 85,989 applicants from across the country, all vying for the 5,000 positions available for entrance as police lance corporals.

Last week, a court issued warrants for the arrest of 51 university students and a City Hall inspector after police found irregularities in the papers submitted by candidates sitting entrance tests for the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Provincial Police Region 7 and Provincial Police Region 1. 

Pol Col Kritsana Pattanacharoen, deputy police spokesman, said the exam results would be announced for Regions 7 and 1  on Jan 27, and for the MPB on Jan 30. He did not say how many applicants would be disqualified. 

MPB deputy chief, Pol Maj Gen Adul Narongsak, said the panel in charge of the case would finalise the list of exam cheaters within a week, and then continue with the selection process. 

Of the 52 people wanted on arrest warrants, he said, 37 had reported to investigators, five requested a postponement because they were sitting exams elsewhere or overseas, and 10 failed to show up. 

A deadline would be set for the no-shows and police would oppose bail if they report in late.    

One of the suspects is Jeerapoj Plaiduang, 45, a city inspector, or thetsakit, at the Pathumwan district office of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Pol Maj Gen Adul said Mr Jeerapoi initially did not cooperate but later gave useful information regarding the fraud. Police had released him on bail of 150,000 baht.  

The MPB deputy chief said investigators had applied for arrest warrants for 100 more exam candidates, but the court ordered them to gather additional evidence and re-submit their request. 

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