Thailand senator under fire for questionable PhD certificate

A Thailand senator is under fire because people are questioning her educational background. Many academics and internet users in Thailand say her doctorate from California University was allegedly bought for just 8,600 baht (about $250).

Associate Professor Doctor Keskamol Pleansamai, a newly elected senator, got the most votes (79) in the recent Thai Senator election. However, her high vote count and charming personality aren’t the only reasons she is well-known. Suspicion around her education has also drawn attention.

Dr. Keskamol, who is 45 years old, is famous in the beauty clinic industry in Thailand. She runs several health and beauty clinics and is also a social worker.

She has a solid educational background, including:

• A PhD in Resource Development and Management from Maejo University
• A master’s degree in Organisational Management from Krirk University
• A Bachelor of Medicine from Rangsit University

The controversy is about her PhD in Business Administration from California University. Critics say this university doesn’t teach or give out degrees. Instead, it evaluates foreign qualifications and issues equivalent certificates.

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Allegations of a Bought PhD

A Twitter user, @iwhale, claimed that anyone could get a PhD certificate from California University by entering their information on the university’s website, paying a service fee, and covering the delivery cost to send the certificate to Thailand. The whole process reportedly costs only 8,600 baht.

Dr. Keskamol and her lawyer, Deachai Kittiwittayanan, have asked people to check her published research to verify the legitimacy of her PhD.

However, Associate Professor Doctor Weerachai Phuttawong highlighted potential issues with her research. For instance, some of her research might have been done by someone else, as it used the pronoun “his” instead of “her.”

Additionally, one of her research projects was completed in just ten days. Typically, research takes at least three months to finish and about a year for proofreading and other steps.

Calls for Investigation

Due to these suspicions, many people call for the Election Commission of Thailand and other relevant bodies to investigate thoroughly and punish Dr. Keskamol if she is found guilty.

So far, the Office of the Civil Service Commission is the only organization to respond. On July 14, they announced that degrees from California University are not recognized because no information about the university had been previously submitted to the authorities.

Current Status

It needs to be clarified whether Dr. Keskamol’s PhD from California University qualifies her to be a senator. The situation is still being investigated.