Allegedly exam cheating police colonel faces suspension: spokesman

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has identified a police colonel who was allegedly caught cheating on a judge exam. Authorities have vowed to conduct a fair investigation and suspend him from service pending the probe.

RTP Orders Investigation into Cheating Allegations

Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, stated that RTP police commissioner-general Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet had been informed of the incident and had ordered a preliminary investigation.

Initial findings confirmed that the officer in question is a police colonel serving as deputy commander of the administrative division of Provincial Police Bureau 8. He has also been seconded to assist operations at the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Area 4.

Social Media Outcry Over Exam Cheating Incident

The controversy erupted on social media when exam referees discovered a candidate using cheat sheets containing printed law textbook excerpts during an exam for the Central Administrative Court at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus on Saturday afternoon.

Archayon confirmed that judges overseeing the examination noticed the officer in possession of unauthorised materials and immediately reported the incident to Pathum Thani Police headquarters, which has jurisdiction over the exam site.

Senior Police Officials Respond to Incident

Upon being alerted, Pathum Thani police chief Pol Maj Gen Yutthana Jonkhun and Klong Luang police station chief Pol Col Athimet Chaisaranwit rushed to the scene to receive formal complaints from the exam referees.

The administrative court judges, who served as exam supervisors, informed the Pathum Thani police chief that they would conduct an internal review before submitting a report to the RTP for legal action.

RTP Vows Strict Disciplinary Action

Pol Gen Kitrat instructed the Pathum Thani police chief to coordinate with the Office of the Central Administrative Court to ensure a transparent and thorough investigation. All relevant evidence and testimonies will be gathered.

If the probe confirms that the officer engaged in cheating, Provincial Police Bureau 8 has been ordered to take severe disciplinary action against him. Kitrat emphasised that exam fraud is a serious violation under Article 112 (6) of the RTP Act BE 2565, as it severely damages the police force’s reputation.

Suspension and Legal Consequences Await Officer

Kitrat has also directed the bureau to suspend the police colonel from service while the investigation is ongoing. He further ordered an inquiry into why the officer was seconded to ISOC Area 4 and whether he had properly taken leave to sit for the exam.

The commissioner-general stressed that the officer must face both disciplinary and legal actions to deter other officers from engaging in similar misconduct.

“Police officers are meant to uphold the law. If they cheat on an exam, how can they ensure justice for others? This is even more alarming because it was an exam for administrative court judges. Such an incident is completely unacceptable,” Archayon quoted Kitrat as saying.

Provincial Police Bureau 8 Prepares Report

Meanwhile, a source from Provincial Police Bureau 8 confirmed that the bureau was aware of the incident and had submitted a preliminary report to Kitrat.

The source revealed that the police colonel had been seconded to ISOC Area 4 for two years and that a formal disciplinary investigation into the deputy commander of the administrative division was now underway.