Minister Supamas Acts Swiftly Amid University Degree-Buying Scandal

[snoop1130]

 

In an effort to maintain academic respectability, Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister, Supamas Isarabhakdi, pledged to take immediate action over accusations of a private university purportedly trading degrees to rich students without requiring them to attend classes.

 

Whisperings surrounding this issue led to an announcement on July 8 by Minister Supamas about the creation of a formal inquiry committee headed by the ministry's Deputy Secretary, Professor Doctor Supachai Pathumnakul. While the minister did not directly name the accused university, speculation is rife that it belongs to the city of Phitsanulok.

 

The committee's primary responsibility will be to conduct a rigorous probe into the accusations of the university licensing degrees and inform the ministry of their findings.

 

These accusations came to light when several individuals reported being swindled by a foundation president into spending large sums of money in return for degrees without attending classes. The degrees, however, never materialized despite the individuals making payment.

 

 

The university initially refuted their participation in any degree-selling scheme. However, a statement released on July 4 established that an internal investigation showed a lecturer's involvement in selling degrees for 200,000 baht each. The lecturer implicated in the scandal has been dismissed from the institution and legal measures are being taken, though the lecturer's identity was not released.

 

Minister Supamas also highlighted that due to regulatory non-compliance concerning the number of qualified lecturers, the ministry assumed control of the university from March 14, 2023, to June 4, 2024. This period under strict scrutiny would have averted any degree-selling mischief, possibly disappointing hopeful degree purchasers.

 

The minister stressed that the ministry will undertake an in-depth investigation of the university. She pledged that, should the allegations be validated, the university's administration could be subject to legal action and potentially lose its license.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-07-08

 

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[ikke1959]

It doesn't matter ... withe no fail law in Thailand everybody will pass anyway every year.....Only need to have attending classes.. In some schools even teachers are not allowed to give grades lower than 2,5 even to the never working students.... 

[tomazbodner]

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

These accusations came to light when several individuals reported being swindled by a foundation president into spending large sums of money in return for degrees without attending classes. The degrees, however, never materialized despite the individuals making payment.

So they paid but never got degrees. I guess they got a life lesson here!

[OneMoreFarang]

I worked with enough students with a degree from Thai universities to know those degrees do not mean the person has even the basic knowledge of whatever they studied.

Obviously, there are also students who know what they are doing. But on paper they just have the same useless degree. 

 

[Snackbar]

 Thai institutions want to see the correct piece of paper.

 

Know as a ‘ticket’ in the west. Doesn’t matter how you got it. 

[khunjeff]

If universities can't sell degrees to unqualified students, how on earth will ministers and MPs get the qualifications that they need?? 😂

[newbee2022]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The minister stressed that the ministry will undertake an in-depth investigation of the university. She pledged that, should the allegations be validated, the university's administration could be subject to legal action and potentially lose its license.

Hmmh, how deep will be the so called investigation? Up to what size of brown envelopes? 😇

[john donson]

do rich kids need a degree to go work in daddy's company turning fingers, pseudo meetings, a lot of business travel and lunches and getting paid in gold?

[Tropicalevo]

9 minutes ago, john donson said:

do rich kids need a degree to go work in daddy's company turning fingers, pseudo meetings, a lot of business travel and lunches and getting paid in gold?

There are lots of degrees for rich kids.

Law, and how to not get caught.

Finance, and how to avoid taxes

Tourism, and which are the best countries to visit for those hidden bank accounts

Economics, how to make money from others and no pay back

and so on.

[Bangkok Barry]

 

It is any wonder that any Thai 'qualifications' are not trusted by overseas universities or companies? I believe that US universities insist that Thais take an entrance exam, no matter if they 'appear' to be qualified.

 

And I know a secretary who worked for a prestigious school in Sydney at which a couple of Thai brothers were studying. They failed their exams, insisted they be given passes otherwise Daddy would remove them and their fees from the school, and the school waved them goodbye.

 

My wife also studied at a Bangkok university to teach English. She showed me an exam paper she was given, and on just one page there were around 15 errors. I corrected the paper, she gave it to the professor, who simply threw it in the bin.

[Purdey]

How swiftly was this minister on the case exactly? 

The government took over the University in 2023 because of this cheating, so presumably it had been going on for a long time before 2023. Not swift at all.

[Grusa]

They might care to take a look at the flying schools..... same,same.

[brianthainess]

And now we have a beauty product sales lady, with a degree in business Admin, from an online uni in the Senet who looks like a ghost. ...............

Edited July 9 by brianthainess

[ThaiFelix]

14 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

It doesn't matter ... withe no fail law in Thailand everybody will pass anyway every year.....Only need to have attending classes.. In some schools even teachers are not allowed to give grades lower than 2,5 even to the never working students.... 

Yes I worked for the big chain of private schools and we were told to keep testing till they pass??  No more teaching just the same test till they pass lol,  ie you dont go home till they magically come up with the correct answers.............get it!

Edited July 9 by ThaiFelix

[BritScot]

When I was teaching in Bangkok, I refused to alter exam results and told the principle, "if you want to change then go a head, I won't ". I would not be involved in insulting my students who tried by passing those who didn't care or try. I would do everything I could in helping my students who tried their best by designing tests that helped them. I read out every test result. My greatest joy was a term test I made, there were prizes for Boy's 1st,2nd,3rd and girl's 1st,2nd,3rd and seeing the pride and joy on the faces of students who struggled academically but put in so much effort win, wow! And the pride their parents had when they collected their prizes..... 

[Maitdjai]

19 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I worked with enough students with a degree from Thai universities to know those degrees do not mean the person has even the basic knowledge of whatever they studied.

Obviously, there are also students who know what they are doing. But on paper they just have the same useless degree. 

 

Absolutely correct!

[Maitdjai]

Most TiT University "Degrees" are not worth wiping it. 

Exceptions confirm the rule.

Everybody knows it, the government anyway.

That's the reason why, after paying for the degree, the "academics" have to "pay" for a decent job within the "official" kleptocracy structures.

 

In the private sector, the fruits hang a bit higher. Same, same, a little different.

Not high enough, to change this imploding system, and the declining performance of the economy. Structural, and educational failures are taking their toll in the long run.

With, or without tourists.