Senator Keskamol Pleansamai has no right to use the “professor” honorific, even though she claims to have earned the qualification at a foreign university, unless a university in Thailand accredits her credentials.
Supamas Isarabhakdi, minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovations, said that to become a professor in Thailand, one must start as an assistant professor, then an associate professor and, finally, a professor, a position which must be Royally approved.
Regarding Keskamol’s questionable academic credentials, several of which are alleged to have been purchased from foreign universities, the minister said that a nine-member panel, led by Professor Supachai Pathumnakul, Ph.D., the deputy permanent secretary, has been set up to investigate the controversy.
The panel recently held its first meeting and resolved to seek 11 pieces of evidence from universities related to the senator’s academic credentials, she said, adding that the panel will have to invite numerous for questioning, to ensure fairness to all parties concerned.
Members of the panel have already visited some local universities, from which Senator Keskamol claims to have earned degrees, to discuss the senator’s credentials with their managements.
To prevent the use of fake degrees and diplomas, the minister said that all private universities are required to submit a list of their students, their numbers, as well as information about their graduates, to the ministry, adding that this helps the ministry to identify the graduates who have actually attended the universities and graduated.
In the case of California University FCE (foreign credentials evaluation), from which Keskamol earned some of her qualifications, Supamas said that the ministry has not yet approved the university’s equivalency degrees and, to date, no one has sought their endorsement.
Senator Keskamol claims an impressive array of academic credentials, from both local and foreign universities. She also received the most votes among the 200 senators in the final round of the Senate elections.
