Photo from Senator faces Supreme Court over misleading PhD claims

 

A Thai senator faces dismissal from Parliament and a potential 10-year prison sentence, after being caught falsely claiming the title of Professor during her election campaign.

 

The Election Commission (EC) has determined that 45-year-old Keskamol Pleansamai, a physician who transitioned into politics, improperly used the academic title in her Senate election application last year. This breach could result in imprisonment and a 20-year ban from participating in elections.

 

Keskamol's contentious claim to hold two disputed doctoral degrees remains unaddressed by this ruling.

 

Lawyer Pattharapong Supaksorn, who lodged the complaint, revealed yesterday, 21 July, that he has urged the EC to forward the case to the Election Division of the Supreme Court by Thursday, 24 July, within the legally allowed seven-day window.

 

“If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, Keskamol will be suspended pending the final judgment,” Pattharapong noted. “There's no justification to delay investigating her academic credentials.”

 

Keskamol astonished observers during June’s multi-tiered Senate elections last year by garnering the most votes in the freelance professional category. Her medical qualifications and noteworthy academic claims appeared to resonate with voters, though these claims are now under scrutiny.

 

She had declared doctoral degrees in Business Administration and Political Science from California University FCE, an obscure US-based institution. However, an inquiry revealed these degrees were issued by unaccredited entities in the United States and lack recognition in Thailand.

 

Officials also asserted that the documents she provided did not conform to the national criteria for doctoral qualifications.

 

This situation adds another chapter to Thailand’s continuous saga of dubious academic claims within the political arena, a complication that has troubled the system for years.

 

Should Keskamol be found guilty by the Supreme Court, it could establish a precedent for more rigorous academic validations in upcoming elections.

 

The implications of this case could extend to tighter scrutiny of qualifications, impacting the trajectory of future political prospects. Stakes are high, with Keskamol’s fate and the potential for systemic reforms hanging in the balance.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-07-22

 

 

4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A Thai senator faces dismissal from Parliament and a potential 10-year prison sentence, after being caught falsely claiming the title of Professor during her election campaign.

Ten years for this and banned from politics for 20 years when the place is packed full of the totally corrupt. 

Most likely from the Bhumjaithai Party which is under investigation from the Division of Special Investigations for money laundering as well as other corrupt activity. And of course our dear friend, Anutin, is head of this Party. 

1 hour ago, dutch boy said:

Most likely from the Bhumjaithai Party which is under investigation from the Division of Special Investigations for money laundering as well as other corrupt activity. And of course our dear friend, Anutin, is head of this Party. 

Nope. Ran under the Freelance Worker's Party.

In the US.. Many small Universities lost their accredited status when they began having online classes to get more students. They have not gotten their accredited status returned to them since. Many students attending those schools went when the school was accredited but now since most people only check the current status of accrediting for the schools. Many people find their degrees are worthless now. It is an unfair practice. China accepts legitimate degrees still and requires documents proving the degree are real. Whereas Thailand only checks online to see if the school is accredited. 

I am not saying this lady did not buy her degree. She most likely did. But many other people lost out on good positions because of the accredited status. 

Who in the Senate does not have criminal connections?

A politician lying, whatever next!

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The implications of this case could extend to tighter scrutiny of qualifications,

Yes, do it. Many surprises ahead

Graduated by TRUMP-University?

2 minutes ago, BerndD said:

Graduated by TRUMP-University?

Is that where they make TRUMP ecstasy?

2 hours ago, thesetat said:

In the US.. Many small Universities lost their accredited status when they began having online classes to get more students. They have not gotten their accredited status returned to them since. Many students attending those schools went when the school was accredited but now since most people only check the current status of accrediting for the schools. Many people find their degrees are worthless now. It is an unfair practice. China accepts legitimate degrees still and requires documents proving the degree are real. Whereas Thailand only checks online to see if the school is accredited. 

I am not saying this lady did not buy her degree. She most likely did. But many other people lost out on good positions because of the accredited status. 

it was ascertained by the US media that California FCU was actually a scam. 

What's amusing in this typically-Thai practice is the assumption that having or not having a PhD somehow qualifies you to be a political leader of the nation. 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Photo from Senator faces Supreme Court over misleading PhD claims

 

A Thai senator faces dismissal from Parliament and a potential 10-year prison sentence, after being caught falsely claiming the title of Professor during her election campaign.

 

The Election Commission (EC) has determined that 45-year-old Keskamol Pleansamai, a physician who transitioned into politics, improperly used the academic title in her Senate election application last year. This breach could result in imprisonment and a 20-year ban from participating in elections.

 

Keskamol's contentious claim to hold two disputed doctoral degrees remains unaddressed by this ruling.

 

Lawyer Pattharapong Supaksorn, who lodged the complaint, revealed yesterday, 21 July, that he has urged the EC to forward the case to the Election Division of the Supreme Court by Thursday, 24 July, within the legally allowed seven-day window.

 

“If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, Keskamol will be suspended pending the final judgment,” Pattharapong noted. “There's no justification to delay investigating her academic credentials.”

 

Keskamol astonished observers during June’s multi-tiered Senate elections last year by garnering the most votes in the freelance professional category. Her medical qualifications and noteworthy academic claims appeared to resonate with voters, though these claims are now under scrutiny.

 

She had declared doctoral degrees in Business Administration and Political Science from California University FCE, an obscure US-based institution. However, an inquiry revealed these degrees were issued by unaccredited entities in the United States and lack recognition in Thailand.

 

Officials also asserted that the documents she provided did not conform to the national criteria for doctoral qualifications.

 

This situation adds another chapter to Thailand’s continuous saga of dubious academic claims within the political arena, a complication that has troubled the system for years.

 

Should Keskamol be found guilty by the Supreme Court, it could establish a precedent for more rigorous academic validations in upcoming elections.

 

The implications of this case could extend to tighter scrutiny of qualifications, impacting the trajectory of future political prospects. Stakes are high, with Keskamol’s fate and the potential for systemic reforms hanging in the balance.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-07-22

 

 

All Thai politicians resumes should be checked, the results might prove illuminating.

14 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

What's amusing in this typically-Thai practice is the assumption that having or not having a PhD somehow qualifies you to be a political leader of the nation. 

But the key thing here is claiming something that is not true.

Ten years in prison seems really excessive. Do we assume she was doing something else and this is just how they wanted to handle it publicly?

The only thing doctored about her is her face by the looks.

 

The modifications seem to have been manufactured by a doctor with qualifications from the same uni perhaps. 

1 hour ago, JimHuaHin said:

Who in the Senate does not have criminal connections?

A very small minority.

1 hour ago, BerndD said:

Graduated by TRUMP-University?

Trump-University, one of the many big frauds by Trump, MAGA-University. 

1 hour ago, wozzlegummich said:

Is that where they make TRUMP ecstasy?

Made ich China, packed in Trump-University.

The California University FCE is not nor does it claim to be a university. From publicly available information it is a state entity which evaluates smaller, private institution and foreign earned credentials only. Most recently involved in charges mounted against Zambia Minister claiming fase credentials.

Phd makes you a Dr, not a professor 

1 hour ago, Dionigi said:

A politician lying, whatever next!

Jail dodgers running the country

I seem to remember that, decades ago, Ramkhamhaeng University faced criticism for proving easy qualifications for members of parliament - or is my memory at fault?

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Keskamol Pleansamai

Senator Oink Oink, successfully feeding from the public trough since over a year. One of her first senatorial proposals was to establish a regulatory body to monitor content on social media...

It's on her Wikipedia

 

6 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Senator Oink Oink, successfully feeding from the public trough since over a year. One of her first senatorial proposals was to establish a regulatory body to monitor content on social media...

It's on her Wikipedia

 

 

which says

 

Keskamol claims to hold a PhD in resources management and development from Maejo University and a PhD in business administration from California University Foreign Credentials Evaluation (FCE).^[2][3][4] California University FCE does not issue degrees, but issues certificates based on applicant's education and career experience

2 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Who in the Senate does not have criminal connections?

There's the cleaning ladies.

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case,

 

On what grounds might they refuse?

 

Presumably the evidence has been presented for all to see......so......oh wait........this is Thailand.

20 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Senator Oink Oink, successfully feeding from the public trough since over a year. One of her first senatorial proposals was to establish a regulatory body to monitor content on social media...

It's on her Wikipedia

 

 

14 minutes ago, proton said:

 

which says

 

Keskamol claims to hold a PhD in resources management and development from Maejo University and a PhD in business administration from California University Foreign Credentials Evaluation (FCE).^[2][3][4] California University FCE does not issue degrees, but issues certificates based on applicant's education and career experience

which also says:

 

Thailand's Office of the Civil Service Commission and the United States only recognizes the University of California and California State University.

In a July 10 interview with Nation TV, Keskamol claimed that California University FCE was recognized by the US Department of Education.

4 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Who in the Senate does not have criminal connections?

Yeah, or if not then they should have.

4 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Who in the Senate does not have criminal connections?

 

Janitor?