Exam-Cheat Suspect Helped 73 Applicants, Police Say

[Lite Beer]

Exam-cheat suspect helped 73 applicants, police say

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- An investigation into police entrance-exam cheating at the Nakhon Ratchasima test site found that a key suspect, teacher Tuanjai Pongpan, kept a record of 73 people whom she had helped to cheat and pass the exams.

Six suspects including Si Sa Ket-based Tuanjai, 45, were arrested along with Bt10 million cash early last week following the discovery of cheating on police entrance exams. Police subsequently arrested Lampang politician Dachai Uchukosonkan, 42, and issued an arrest warrant for Dachai's aid Wibulsak Saenjak, 29, as well as another unidentified man who procured the gang's police applicant customers.

A police team led by Pol Lt-Colonel Phum Thongpho seized Tuanjai's three diaries, six bank books and four cell phones in Si Sa Ket. Police found the bank books showed 30 transactions of Bt50,000 and Bt100,000 deposits amounting to Bt10 million, suspected to be the applicants' payments to the gang.

The three diaries also yielded a 100-item list of applicant names, ID card numbers, payment details and exam sites. The list included several kinds of civil servant entrance exams, especially the police entrance exam in 2009, to which the gang sent 53 applicants, and the police entrance exam in 2011, to which the gang sent 20 applicants. Each applicant had to pay the gang around Bt300,000-Bt500,000 and all of the applicants were assisted to pass the tests by cheating. This year, according to the diaries, the gang sent 34 applicants, but they were busted.

Another police team yesterday apprehended suspected gang accomplice Chatchawal Sornchaiphum, 28, who worked at the Royal Thai Air Force's Quartermaster Directorate, Nakhon Ratchasima deputy police chief Pol Colonel Wachirawit Kritrittisak said. He went on to say that 21 applicants found to be wearing vibrating devices to receive exam answers, confessed to cheating and implicated Chatchawal as the person who invited them to cheat. He said the investigation didn't find evidence to confirm that the police exam papers had been leaked.

Police education commander Pol Lt-General Reungsak Jarit-ek said his office was working on a new round of entrance exams, to be finished within three months, to recruit 10,000 policemen from 280,000 applicants. They would be divided into 14 zones for speedy supervision and checking, and the exam would be held on more than one day, he added.

House Committee on Police Affairs chairman Somchai Lhosathapornpipit said the committee would late this month summon the police supervisors in the areas where cheating was discovered, and those organising the police exams, as well as the national police chief to inquire about cheating-prevention measures. He said the committee would probe the case, in which they suspected policemen might be involved.

In Songkhla, where 10 people were arrested for using fake ID cards to take police exams for money, police were gathering evidence for use in arrest warrants to be issued next week. They were investigating the Sri Nakarin district office, but officials insisted the ID cards weren't issued from there.

In Phitsanulok's Muang district, former soldier Metha Ong-ard, 37, was presented at a police press conference yesterday at 9am in relation to his alleged crime of duping at least 16 people out of Bt4,877,900 cash in 2010-2011. He is accused of falsely promising to place victims' children in military positions. The man, who was fired from military service due to police complaints of public fraud and then fled to Lampang, where he was arrested on Friday, was nearly assaulted by the enraged victims.

-- The Nation 2012-06-17

[jonclark]

But the question on everyone lips is - Will those people who paid this gang to take the exam (i.e. the cheats) be required to re-take the exam to see if they are qualified, or not to hold their current positions?? Which was the point of the exam in the first place.

[Jessi]

He went on to say that 21 applicants found to be wearing vibrating devices to receive exam answers,

I thought Sex Toys were illegal in Thailand...

[Jessi]

Police in Thailand The Best Money Can Buy.

[Moruya]

Rotten to the core

[LuckyLew]

His only mistake was that he got caught

Otherwise he could have been given a cabinet position

[OzMick]

But the question on everyone lips is - Will those people who paid this gang to take the exam (i.e. the cheats) be required to re-take the exam to see if they are qualified, or not to hold their current positions?? Which was the point of the exam in the first place.

Why would you ALLOW them to re-take the exam - do you want corrupt people in your workforce? Cheating is alright if you don't get caught, and if you do all you have to do is resit the exam?

I would suspend them without pay until the investigation is completed. Those involved in cheating would then be fired and billed for the salary they have claimed under false pretence, and their file marked "never to be re-employed in public service."

[ralphlsasser]

Cheating on an exam is part of the Thai culture. So, what's the problem?

Edited June 17, 2012 by ralphlsasser

[Lifer]

Cheating on an exam is part of the Thai culture. So, what's the problem?

It's stupid thinking like this comment that is the problem here in Thailand. It's not just cheating on exams, but cheating on everything.

[allan michaud]

Why is it Thai journalists seem incapable of using a calculator. "Police found the bank books showed 30 transactions of Bt50,000 and Bt100,000 deposits amounting to Bt10 million"

No

30 x 100,000 = 3,000,000

Quite simple really, like the editors/journalists apparently

[Misterwhisper]

Can we expect now that these 73 people allegedly identified will be suspended or fired from the police force? Probably not.

[ralphlsasser]

Cheating on an exam is part of the Thai culture. So, what's the problem?

It's stupid thinking like this comment that is the problem here in Thailand. It's not just cheating on exams, but cheating on everything.

Well Mr. smarta$$. I was talking about in schools. If you'll reread the article it is talking about the training school. DUH!

The problems here go much deeper than cheating.

Edited June 17, 2012 by ralphlsasser

[MikeThaison]

Why is it Thai journalists seem incapable of using a calculator. "Police found the bank books showed 30 transactions of Bt50,000 and Bt100,000 deposits amounting to Bt10 million"

No

30 x 100,000 = 3,000,000

Quite simple really, like the editors/journalists apparently

Simple, so later on when only $3 million turns up in evidence they can show only those 30 transactions. . . other $7 million for ALOT of mia nois and Johnny Walker.

[mayday49]

Yeah but , they are really motivated and want to work at improving the community........I am Not a Liberal...