By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PRIME MINISTER Anutin Charnvirakul was today (Sep.7) encouraged to think twice about a planned promotion of a provincial governor as chief of a major agency under the Ministry of Interior despite suspicion of his having been evidently involved in a scandalous fraud conspiracy over last year’s government exams.
People’s MP/spokesperson Pukkamon Nunarnan called on the prime minister who concurrently acts as interior minister to reconsider the speculated naming of Somchai Leelanoi, currently provincial governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat, as director-general of the Department of Lands in an annual reshuffle of government personnel scheduled to take effect on the first day of next month because, she said, he remains among those suspected of involvement in the exam fraud conspiracy which had previously seen a couple of his relatives falsely qualify to be hired at local government units.
Both unnamed persons who had been among a total of 5,925 applicants to have cheated in the exams under the organised fraud plot and had their employment contracts rescinded were found to carry the same surname as the southern provincial governor’s, according to the opposition lawmaker who concurrently chairs the House Committee on Political Development, Mass Media & Public Participation.
Pukkamon insisted that Anutin seriously take into account the alleged misconduct of the current provincial governor who is yet largely speculated to be named chief of the Department of Lands which is part of the cabinet portfolio where the prime minister is taking charge in concurrent fashion for fear that the high-ranking government official in question might possibly take on shenanigans to abuse his power and make undue, personal or partisan gains.
For instance, she said, land title deeds could possibly be issued by the Department of Lands in exchange for kickbacks clandestinely destined for such rogue officials.
The People’s MP added that a number of unnamed MPs had secretly asked the alleged fraud conspirators to have those applicants’ exam papers doctored to the extent that they “qualify” for positions in municipalities and sub-district administrations, also known as Or Bor Tor, without handing out payoff cash in exchange.
Besides, she advised the prime minister who concurrently acts as leader of the Bhumjaithai, core of the coalition government surreptitiously directed by de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, to keep his word to bring all government officials and others evidently suspected of involvement in the exam fraud conspiracy to justice including Department of Provincial Administration Director-General Narucha Kosacivilize who had literally instructed online one of his subordinate officials in Phuket to “do help the Blue”, the political shade symbolising Newin’s ruling camp, during a run-up to the general election held earlier this year.
Narucha is invariably known as the de facto Bhumjaithai boss’s protege who might probably be named undersecretary for interior next month.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: Nakhon Si Thammarat Governor Somchai Leelanoi. Photos – Government PR and Facebook
Insert: Pukkamon Nunarnan. Photo – Facebook
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