More arrest warrants issued over police exam scandal

Police have issued arrest warrants for a second batch of more than 30 people in connection with the police entrance examination fraud scandal.

Adul Narongsak, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), said yesterday that a court approved arrest warrants for more than 30 people suspected of being involved in cheating during the police entrance exam on Dec 4.

The latest raft of suspects were charged with cheating on the exam and persuading others into committing the offence.

Pol Maj Gen Adul said the MPB will announce a list of 1,000 eligible candidates with 141 substitutions who took the test next Monday.

They are required to report to the Royal Thai Police Sports Club in Laksi district on Tuesday.

However, of the 1,141 candidates, seven to eight were found to be connected with the police exam scam. They were among those wanted under the warrants.

Pol Maj Gen Adul also urged candidates who cheated during the exam to relinquish their rights as eligible candidates, warning that they will be arrested if they insisted on reporting to the club on Tuesday.

“Those involved in the cheating should renounce their rights if they realise they don’t deserve a police position that is unlawfully acquired,” he said.

Pol Maj Gen Adul said candidates who confessed to police they were involved in the cheating will be treated as witnesses during the prosecution, adding about 50 witnesses, who mostly sat for the exam, will testify to Phahon Yothin police today.

The probe also indicated that several cram schools were involved with Jeerapoj Playduang, a key suspect who serves as a city inspector attached to City Hall.

Pol Maj Gen Adul declined to provide details of those schools as it could affect the investigation.

On Jan 11, the first batch of arrest warrants were issued against 51 medical students and Mr Jeerapoj in connection with the case.