Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Tuesday called on senior Interior Ministry officials to turn recent corruption scandals into an opportunity to rebuild public confidence.
He was referring primarily to alleged fraud in the ministry's recruitment of administrative officials. A government committee estimates that more than 100 people in the public and private sectors may have been involved.
Authorities are preparing to revoke the results of 5,924 applicants after investigators found irregularities believed to be linked to the scheme.
"Officials must seize the opportunity to restore public trust by demonstrating that corruption would not be tolerated, particularly following the alleged fraud surrounding local government recruitment examinations," Mr Anutin told the meeting.
Deputy Interior Ministers Polapee Suwunchwee and Jeseth Thaiseth, permanent secretary Unsit Sampuntharat and other senior officials attended.
Mr Anutin thanked officials for activities marking His Majesty the King's birthday before outlining priorities including suppressing crime, drug trafficking, illegal entertainment venues, human trafficking, nominee businesses and land offences.
He instructed provincial governors to maintain law and order and said he bore no grudges over recent controversies and would give officials a fresh start.
"I have never hated anyone. I am happy to work with everyone," he said.
After observing the ministry during his three-month political hiatus, he said he understood its strengths and weaknesses and would "press the reset button" in August. He urged officials to produce tangible results demonstrating its effectiveness.
Mr Anutin conceded the ministry had been battered by scandals, particularly the alleged manipulation of the recruitment examinations, which required cooperation from several agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
He urged officials to act swiftly, saying corrupt individuals must be rooted out before they damaged the reputation of honest civil servants.
"Don't let parasitic weeds overrun the good grass," he said. "If we allow these people to remain, good people will no longer be able to stay. I will reset the Interior Ministry, and I can assure you I carry no personal grudges. Everything can be explained through work."
He vowed there would be no protection for officials found to have committed wrongdoing.
"Don't let the Ministry of Interior become the 'Ministry of Grand Bribe Solicitation'," he said, using a Thai play on words.
The remark contrasted the ministry's Thai name, Krasuang Mahatthai, with the similar-sounding phrase maha thai, in which maha means "great" or "grand" and thai means "to extort money" or "to solicit bribes".
"We must roar like lions, not bark like puppies," he said.
"We must use this crisis over local government recruitment fraud as an opportunity to show society that the Interior Ministry will never allow this to happen again," Mr Anutin added.
Separately, Mr Anutin instructed senior officials to coordinate with provincial governors to gather intelligence in preparation for talks with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, who is scheduled to visit Thailand from Aug 6-8.
