Regional News
Arrest Warrants Issued for Students Accused of Cheating Royal Thai Police Entrance Exam
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BANGKOK – The criminal court has issued arrest warrents for more than 50 medical and engineering students for their alleged roles in cheating during police officer entrance exams last month at the Metropolitan Police Bureau in Bangkok.
Criminal arrest warrants were issued Thursday for as many as 51 university students and a Bangkok city regulation enforcement officer, after MPB Training Centre chief Pol Colonel Uthen Nuiphin filed cheating complaints against Pathumwan-based officer Jiraphot Plaidoung and 347 applicants who were seeking to be police officers.
Jiraphot surrendered to police on Tuesday and allegedly confessed to arranging the cheating in exchange for up to Bt400,000 per applicant. He was released on bail the following day.
Earlier reports said the university students received 20,000-30,000 baht each to sit in on the examinations and about 500 genuine applicants were involved.
Tawatchai Thaikyo, deputy permanent secretary for justice, said on Thursday that if the students were found guilty they could face punishment for the harshest offence: gathering for illegal activities. This offence carried a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and/or a fine of up to 14,000 baht.
If they confessed, the penalty could be halved and they could seek probation instead of imprisonment, Mr Tawatchai said. He felt the students should undergo a rehabilitation programme instead of being dismissed from their universities.
Sources: Bangkok Post | The Nation