Even if Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao’s doctorate degree from a university in California is fake, it does not disqualify him from being a cabinet minister, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngarm said today (Friday).

Citing a provision in Constitution, regarding the required qualifications of a minister, he explained that a proposed cabinet member must have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in any field.

In Thammanat’s case, he said the Office of the Secretary-General of the Cabinet had checked the embattled minister’s educational background and found that he graduated from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy with a diploma equivalent to a BA degree.

Wissanu said that whether Thammanat’s Master’s degree or PhD are real or fake, or whether the Office of the Secretary-General of the Cabinet has approved them or not, is irrelevant.

“When the Constitution only requires a Bachelor’s degree, they just authenticate his BA degree and didn’t bother with his MA or doctorate degrees, and that was enough,” said the deputy prime minister.

Wissanu refused, however, to give a direct answer to a reporter’s question about whether Thammanat would still be considered qualified if the higher-level degrees were proven to be fake.

“Do not mix up the 2-3 issues. If it started with the issue of qualification, it must stick with that issue.  When the qualifications requirements are met, it is OK and there is no need for interpretation. If, however, someone told you that you are not honest or your ethical conduct is substandard, this will have to be proven,” said Wissanu.