POLITICS
POST REPORTERS
Transport Minister Santi Promphat once cheated in a university exam and lacks the integrity to serve in the cabinet, says the opposition. During yesterday's House censure debate, Democrat MP Vinai Sompong said the transport minister was not qualified to hold the portfolio as he was expelled by Ramkhamhaeng University after being found to have cheated in an exam in 1999.
Mr Vinai charged that while Mr Santi was a student at Ramkhamhaeng University in 1999 he had someone else take a final examination on his behalf by using a fake student ID card and driving licence.
According to the Democrat MP, the hired man was caught, leading to an investigation in which Mr Santi was found guilty of serious disciplinary violation.
The university council expelled him and his expulsion was signed by Rangsan Saensuk, then university rector, who currently serves on Thai Airways International's board.
''I was puzzled about how he claimed he had a PhD from Ramkhamhaeng University when he was expelled. It became clear to me when I saw Mr Rangsan serving on THAI's board,'' said Mr Vinai.
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The dark side of parliament
The censure debate was disrupted by two power blackouts yesterday while the opposition Democrats were grilling Transport Minister Santi Promphat about his educational qualifications. — THITI WANNAMONTHA |
Mr Santi denied the allegations, insisting that he graduated from the university and had never had problems.
Ramkhamhaeng University lecturer Wiwatchai Kulamart yesterday lodged a police complaint against Mr Santi for alleged forgery and against Mr Rangsan for alleged negligence of duty. The complaint was related to Mr Winai's accusations made against Mr Santi in the no-confidence debate.
According to the complaint, Mr Santi forged his student identity card and driver's licence and had someone with the forged papers sit a final exam.
Mr Santi, however, enrolled at the university again and Mr Rangsan helped with his enrolment. Mr Santi obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from the university in 2002,and 2004.
Mr Wiwatchai said Mr Rangsan failed to take action against Mr Santi, damaging the university reputation.
Democrat MP for Songkhla Thaworn Senniem yesterday questioned the transparency of the Transport Ministry's 110-billion-baht plan to lease 6,000 air-conditioned buses for the city.
Mr Thaworn said he suspected an ''under-the-table'' payment of up to six billion baht was made in the project, which was, however, suspended by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
Deputy Transport Minister Songsak Thongsri rose to defend the bus leasing scheme, saying it was intended to improve the city's bus services. It would also reduce the debt burden on the city's bus agency, which had accumulated debts of 70 billion baht.
Mr Samak urged the opposition to lodge a complaint with the National Counter Corruption Commission if it suspected corruption. He pulled the bus project because it drew wide criticism and needed a review.
Meanwhile, the NCCC has announced it will indict Priti Hetakul, former board director of the state-run New Bangkok International Airport Co (NBIA), for forgery causing damage of more than one billion baht to the state. The decision was based on findings by a sub-panel formed to investigate Mr Priti for altering the median price for a landfill project at Suvarnabhumi airport in 1996.
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