Education Minister: Senator Keskamol Can't Use the Title "Professor"

[snoop1130]

 

Senator Keskamol Pleansamai is not entitled to use the title "professor" according to Supamas Isarabhakdi, Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovations in Thailand. This is because Pleansamai's qualifications, which she says were attained from a foreign university, have not been recognized by any university in Thailand.

 

Becoming a professor in Thailand involves progressing through the ranks, starting from assistant professor to associate professor and then becoming a professor. The position must also be approved by Royalty. The credibility of Keskamol’s academic qualifications, some of which were allegedly bought from foreign universities, is now under investigation by a nine-person committee led by Professor Supachai Pathumnakul, the deputy permanent secretary.

 

The committee has requested 11 pieces of evidence from universities linked to Keskamol's qualifications during its first meeting. The panel also intends to interview numerous individuals to maintain fairness in the investigation. The members have already started visiting the local universities where Keskamol claims to have earned degrees.

 

 

Supamas added that to curb the issue of fake degrees, all private universities should submit detailed lists of their students and graduates to the ministry. This will enable them to track who has actually studied and graduated.

 

As for California University FCE, where Keskamol claims to have earned some of her qualifications, the Ministry is yet to approve its equivalency degrees and no one has yet applied for their endorsement.

 

Despite the controversy surrounding her academic credentials, Senator Keskamol has a wide range of qualifications from various local and foreign universities. She also received the most votes from the 200 senators in the last Senate election.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-07-16

 

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[Pouatchee]

beautiful woman... or is she a woman? she got the most votes to be senator... bet it was for her brains, right?

 

some guy invited her to check her english skills... she did after all graduate in the US... wonder if she'll accept the challenge.

 

i remember yingluck, who also graduated with some masters in the us, making a fool of herself trying to talk in broken english

[Tropicalevo]

Strange that the hounds are baying after this young lady.

Her degree is from he same university that Thammanat Prompao received his PHD from?

Thammanat is the current minister for Agriculture.

Probably as a result of his infamous 'flour' exporting that landed him in gaol in Australia.

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2019/09/13/fake-degrees-concern-raised-over-thammanats-credentials/

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Supamas added that to curb the issue of fake degrees, all private universities should submit detailed lists of their students and graduates to the ministry. This will enable them to track who has actually studied and graduated.

In a no-fail system that's meaningless.

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

beautiful woman... or is she a woman? she got the most votes to be senator... bet it was for her brains, right?

 

some guy invited her to check her english skills... she did after all graduate in the US... wonder if she'll accept the challenge.

 

i remember yingluck, who also graduated with some masters in the us, making a fool of herself trying to talk in broken english

She got the most votes.... that put some noses out of joint.

[bradiston]

I like this woman though of course I've never met her. But I like that she figured out for herself how to get elected, and with the most votes, she appears to be totally unaffiliated to any sheister party, she runs four outlets for her beauty business, I believe she's unmarried and so presumably works hard and independently, and she seems a lot smarter than the usual crowd. As I said before, we just need 199 more like her.

[SABloke]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

This is because Pleansamai's qualifications, which she says were attained from a foreign university, have not been recognized by any university in Thailand.

 

Kind of like foreign drug convictions not being recognized. That BS aside, I still call BS on this interpretation from Supamas - I'm pretty sure many visiting professors are called professor when they come to lecture here. 

 

Now whether her foreign qualification are legit is a topic for another thread.

[mfd101]

25 minutes ago, bradiston said:

I like this woman though of course I've never met her. But I like that she figured out for herself how to get elected, and with the most votes, she appears to be totally unaffiliated to any sheister party, she runs four outlets for her beauty business, I believe she's unmarried and so presumably works hard and independently, and she seems a lot smarter than the usual crowd. As I said before, we just need 199 more like her.

If the photo's anything to go by, she's made of plastic. Or she's an AI construct.

[bradiston]

38 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

If the photo's anything to go by, she's made of plastic. Or she's an AI construct.

I've seen other photos of her with less makeup. No different really. She's just a nice looking woman. Men get suspicious of that don't they? Brains and looks? Must be a mistake. Where's the catch?

[bradiston]

8 minutes ago, bradiston said:

I've seen other photos of her with less makeup. No different really. She's just a nice looking woman. Men get suspicious of that don't they? Brains and looks? Must be a mistake. Where's the catch?

There are plenty of articles about her in the English language Thai press.

[cyrus9]

I know a private university in Thailand where some of the lecturers have fake degrees, but nothing is happening. Ministry of University Affairs and CHE should assess and verify the validity of the degrees  of the lecturers  in private universities more rigorously. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

Are they suggesting that the Dean of the University who signed her certificate, Mr D Duck, is suspicious?

[wwest5829]

21 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

beautiful woman... or is she a woman? she got the most votes to be senator... bet it was for her brains, right?

 

some guy invited her to check her english skills... she did after all graduate in the US... wonder if she'll accept the challenge.

 

i remember yingluck, who also graduated with some masters in the us, making a fool of herself trying to talk in broken english

First degree from Chiang Mai University. Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Kentucky State University.

[wwest5829]

As stated in the article, the Academic Title of Professor is earned over time and the process is often vetted by students, colleagues and administration. It takes years to earn. In my case in the USA, often new Faculty members start as Instructors. In the system where I worked I was hired as a History Instructor in a new community college after having already taught as a tenured teacher in the public schools for 16 years. All Faulty were evaluated each year (even after earning tenure). After two years as Instructor, you were considered to be raised to the Academic Rank of Assistant Professor. This was vetted at the local institution with input from Student evaluations, colleagues and administration. After serving successfully for six years the critical time came to be considered to be raised to the Academic Rank of Associate Professor with Tenure. Again local decision but then the file was sent to the system offices where a more intense vetting was required. If one did not receive this promotion, you were given a terminal contract for one year to look elsewhere. This was the end of the required academic steps. However, after ten years of successful teaching and fulfilling of other requirements, including statewide and/or national service you could voluntarily request to be recognized as Full Professor. Upon retirement one might also be granted the earned Academic Title of Emeritus Professor in recognition of the years of service and attainments. This was for the statewide system in which I taught for 27 years. The focus was on teaching, it was not a research institution system so publication was not a criteria for promotion. We were assigned four areas of responsibility: teaching, institutional service, professional development and community service. I retired to Thailand in 2011 but have not pursued teaching here.

[thesetat2013]

6 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Strange that the hounds are baying after this young lady.

Her degree is from he same university that Thammanat Prompao received his PHD from?

Thammanat is the current minister for Agriculture.

Probably as a result of his infamous 'flour' exporting that landed him in gaol in Australia.

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2019/09/13/fake-degrees-concern-raised-over-thammanats-credentials/

It is a bought and paid for degree. No schooling needed. Just need to say you have related experience only. Fake in any sense. For this woman to try using this makes a good mockery of Thailand and its government. They Even have a minister leading agriculture who obtained the same fake degree. Why is she even allowed to keep a position? If a foreigner arrived to Thailand from a native speaking country. And his university is not listed online as being accredited. the teacher will not get even a temporary teaching permit and be fired from the school. Yet, here we have an elected official and a minister using such a fake degree. Shame on Thailand and for Thailand

[Dr B]

4 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

As stated in the article, the Academic Title of Professor is earned over time and the process is often vetted by students, colleagues and administration. It takes years to earn. In my case in the USA, often new Faculty members start as Instructors. In the system where I worked I was hired as a History Instructor in a new community college after having already taught as a tenured teacher in the public schools for 16 years. All Faulty were evaluated each year (even after earning tenure). After two years as Instructor, you were considered to be raised to the Academic Rank of Assistant Professor. This was vetted at the local institution with input from Student evaluations, colleagues and administration. After serving successfully for six years the critical time came to be considered to be raised to the Academic Rank of Associate Professor with Tenure. Again local decision but then the file was sent to the system offices where a more intense vetting was required. If one did not receive this promotion, you were given a terminal contract for one year to look elsewhere. This was the end of the required academic steps. However, after ten years of successful teaching and fulfilling of other requirements, including statewide and/or national service you could voluntarily request to be recognized as Full Professor. Upon retirement one might also be granted the earned Academic Title of Emeritus Professor in recognition of the years of service and attainments. This was for the statewide system in which I taught for 27 years. The focus was on teaching, it was not a research institution system so publication was not a criteria for promotion. We were assigned four areas of responsibility: teaching, institutional service, professional development and community service. I retired to Thailand in 2011 but have not pursued teaching here.

There is quite a lot of confusion here. I do not believe there is a thing such as an "Acadmeic Title of Professor". Professor is a position, and one ceases to be a professor when one resigns or retires from that posiiton, unless elevtaed to Emeritus Professor or Professor Emeritus, which can be retained. On the otherhand Doctor, as in one who holds a Doctorate and not a physician or General Practitioner, is a title, just like the one that I hold, and that does not disappear on retirement or resignation. I held a position as an Adjunct Associate Professor for 6 years, but am not allowed to use that position anymore.

[john donson]

online bought degrees...any more value then kaosan road?

[wwest5829]

14 hours ago, Dr B said:

There is quite a lot of confusion here. I do not believe there is a thing such as an "Acadmeic Title of Professor". Professor is a position, and one ceases to be a professor when one resigns or retires from that posiiton, unless elevtaed to Emeritus Professor or Professor Emeritus, which can be retained. On the otherhand Doctor, as in one who holds a Doctorate and not a physician or General Practitioner, is a title, just like the one that I hold, and that does not disappear on retirement or resignation. I held a position as an Adjunct Associate Professor for 6 years, but am not allowed to use that position anymore.

The 4 academic titles I outlined were factually accurate for the state system in which I taught. I retired in 2011 with the academic title of Professor Emeritus of History.