MP Clarifies Statement Regarding Local Government Exam Corruption Probe

On August 22, 2026, Asapol Santritraipop, a Bhumjaithai Party MP for Sisaket and Chairman of the House Committee on Corruption Prevention and Suppression, issued a clarification regarding his recent comments on a local government examination fraud investigation. Previously, media reports suggested that Asapol had linked Narutcha Khosawilai, the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration, to the scandal.

Asapol stated that his earlier remarks were the result of a misunderstanding caused by loud noise during an interview, leading him to mishear the question. He explicitly stated that Narutcha is not involved in the corruption. According to Asapol, Narutcha was actually responsible for appointing the committee that drafted the new Terms of Reference (TOR), which ultimately led to the arrest of a municipal clerk in Nakhon Ratchasima.

For residents and those interested in Thai governance, this clarification highlights the ongoing scrutiny of local administrative processes. While the investigation into the exam fraud continues, the committee has scheduled a meeting for August 27, 2026, to hear testimony from the chair of the TOR drafting committee. It remains to be confirmed whether the investigation will eventually implicate any national-level politicians, as current evidence has not yet reached that level.