The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is expanding its investigation into civil service examination fraud after tracing 1 billion baht in financial transactions to a previous cheating case involving local exams in Pattaya in 2021.

An inquiry panel is now examining the alleged irregularities, NACC secretary-general Surapong Intharathaworn said on Thursday, adding that links had been discovered between suspects arrested in the current exam scandal and the Pattaya case.

An examination of financial transactions of those previously arrested revealed cash flows exceeding 1 billion baht, with links to the 2021 local government recruitment exam fraud, said Mr Surapong.

The findings prompted the NACC board to order the retrieval of case files that had previously been referred back to the relevant parent agencies.

The cases will now be investigated jointly after evidence suggested they involved a network of connected people, said the NACC secretary-general.

The Pattaya investigation reportedly focused on a subcommittee on municipal staff recruitment, provincial administrative officials and specific Pattaya City employees who were unlawfully appointed to executive positions in 2021.

Investigators discovered that original raw exam scores were adjusted within the computer registry to guarantee specific individuals received high-ranking positions. They found that the same group of suspects and network structures operated in both 2021 and 2026.

Asked whether the investigation had implicated any particular people, including politicians or high-ranking officials, Mr Surapong said details could not yet be disclosed as they were part of the case file.

The Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) would assist with tracing the financial transactions, he said, adding that the investigation had made considerable progress.

‘No interference’

He also dismissed suggestions of political interference, insisting the anti-graft agency has never faced pressure from political parties or politicians.

If the evidence points to anyone, that person must be held accountable. There will be no exceptions, he said, adding that findings of criminal or civil liability would depend on the evidence.

Addressing concerns that transferring the examination fraud case to the NACC could cause delays, Mr Surapong said the commission had screened and reviewed all cases and was capable of managing its investigation timelines.

Although the exam fraud case contained more than 800,000 pages of documents, he insisted that the investigation must reach clear conclusions within six months, starting from June of this year.

Investigators will also make greater use of technology to assist in examining the evidence and will consider separating different types of offences where appropriate, in an effort to accelerate the inquiry and produce clearer findings.

On Wednesday, Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasit ordered local authorities to wrap up their investigations into suspected fraud in local government examinations by the end of this month.

He said the Department of Local Administration had prepared guidance, forms and supporting documents for handling reviews of 5,925 people flagged in connection with exam irregularities.

Mr Worasit said the evidence had clarified the cases and would enable local leaders to dismiss civil servants found to have cheated.