The alleged cheating was uncovered by the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) and the Provincial Police Region 7.

Dechnarong said he and a fact-finding panel – comprising representatives from the MPB, Provincial Police regions one to nine, the Southern Border Provinces Police Bureau and the Border Patrol Police Bureau – had come up with possible responses to the scandal and police commissioner General Chakthip Chaijinda would consider them on Monday.

He will consider whether to completely or partially cancel the exam results or implement another response, Dechnarong said.

“As for this case’s arrest warrant issuance, there are 52 wanted persons as the MPB had said. We will proceed with legal actions against those implicated by evidence without exception,” he said.

The 52 suspects comprise 51 university students who took the exam and revealed the answers to others for money and a Bangkok Thesakij city regulation enforcement officer who allegedly arranged the scam.

The arrest warrant request for the 52 is still being considered by the Criminal Court, which is awaiting further evidence, an informed source reported yesterday.

On Sunday, MPB Training Centre chief Pol Colonel Uthen Nuiphin filed a complaint alleging exam cheating against Pathumwan-based Thesakij officer Jiraphot Plaidoung and 347 applicants. Jiraphot, who surrendered to police on Tuesday, reportedly confessed to arranging the cheating and was released on bail the following day.

Deputy city police chief Maj-General Adul Narongsak, who is on the MPB investigation team, yesterday visited Phaholyothin Police Station to follow up on the progress of the case.

He said the team was making preparations to interview those allegedly involved in the crime, but the case report had not progressed much as officers had to study over 13,000 pages of document evidence in detail. However he expected clarity regarding Jiraphot’s alleged network later yesterday.

Adul said police had informed the educational institutes whose students were allegedly involved in the exam-cheating service.