Mahidol University has insisted it has done all it can to recover a 30-million-baht debt left by a former dentistry lecturer who refused to repay a scholarship and who now works at Harvard in the United States.
The university's claim followed widespread social media posts accusing Harvard -- widely considered one of the world's top universities -- of harbouring the former Mahidol lecturer who allegedly breached her state scholarship contract and left huge debts to her colleagues and lecturers who were her guarantors.
The 30 million baht is the equivalent of US$840,000 at current exchange rates.
Mahidol University vice-president Banchong Mahaisavariya has confirmed the story which went viral online about a former Mahidol dentistry instructor who defaulted on a large debt obligation from a scholarship she took in 1993.
"Dr D" is hiding in plain sight behind these ivy-covered stonewalls in Massachusetts, with US nationality, and 30 million baht in student debts her "friends" and colleagues now must pay. (Photo courtesy Harvard University)
The news was widely shared online, with a message posted by a dentist named Padet Poolwithayakit describing how he and three teaching staff at the university now had to pay out of their own pockets to settle the scholarship fund that has not been repaid by the dentist identified as "Dr D".
The four acted as guarantors of the scholarship which financed Dr D's master's degree and PhD studies at Harvard over 10 years from 1993.
After she completed her PhD, she did not return to teach at the university, contrary to the condition of the scholarship.
Dr D is now a researcher working at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
The Comptroller-General's Department pressed the university to recoup the money from Dr D. Mahidol had tried in vain to contact her and was required by law to turn to the guarantors.
Dr Banchong said the university had done its best to bring Dr D to account.
However, she has since married and settled down in the US and is a naturalised US citizen. This puts her beyond the reach of Thai law, Dr Banchong said.
Normally, scholarship recipients must return upon the completion of their studies to teach at the university if they cannot repay the scholarship money.
If they fail to fulfill such an obligation, they must pay back three times the amount of the scholarship granted. In Dr D's case, this is 30 million baht.
He said the university has helped the guarantors by securing court permission to reduce the debt by two-thirds, to about 2.5 million baht each, or 10 million baht in total.
Dr Banchong added the university has arranged interest-free loans for the guarantors to cover the debt.
Dr Padet, another of the guarantors, told a television talk programme on Channel 3 he did not know Dr D personally but decided to co-sign as a guarantor because he believed the scholarship would help produce precious manpower for Mahidol.
On his Facebook page, Dr Padet said Dr D now works as a researcher at Harvard University and lives in a smart apartment.
"I have four kids of my own to take care of. But I'm now having to pay off her debt," he said. "She obviously had it all planned," he added.
Calls were also made by social media users to change the terms and criteria for considering applicants for the government scholarships. They said the guarantors should be members of the recipients' immediate family so debt collection in case of a default would be easier.
The issue has attracted a great deal of attention on social media.
Tevin Vongvanich, chief executive officer of PTT Plc who studied at Harvard business school, was among the Thais who posted on Harvard's official Facebook page, saying he hoped the university was investigating the issue and considering appropriate action.
"We hope to hear from you soon before this situation turns into a crisis on Harvard's image," Mr Tevin wrote. "For now, I am taking any reference to my education programme at Harvard out of my social media profile."
Harvard University Attorney Ara Gershengorn said in a letter to the guarantors that the university is treating the case as a private matter.