Police have been called to act against a technical college in Chai Nat for allegedly charging expensive tuition fees but failing to give the students degrees.

Suchada Krahothong, a college graduate, said she paid 50,000 baht for a one-year course the college advertised as a "special programme".

Despite having regularly attended classes via a long-distance learning arrangement from Ratchaburi, she was not granted a high vocational certificate after the course was completed.

Ms Suchada said she needed the certificate to apply for a job.

She added she had inquired with the college only to be told the institute had financial problems, forcing it to shut down the off-campus study centres in Chai Nat's Muang district.

"I want police to act against the college and the lecturers on charges of cheating," Ms Suchada said after filing a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old was among students who had enrolled in the long-distance Sunday classes held at the Ban Rai Tambon Administrative Organisation (TAO) in Ratchaburi.

Ms Suchada said she believes she and other students were cheated into paying big sums to the school, which, she learned later, was not allowed to set up off-campus study centres. She added the school only agreed to give her 10,000 baht in compensation.

More than 200 students had made complaints with the Vocational Education Commission, following the shutdown of the long-distance learning centres which the college opened in many provinces, including Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon.

An initial investigation found the college had illegally established long-distance programmes taught at TAOs as well as in department stores, the Vocational Education Commission secretary-general said.

Officials were looking to see if the students were deceived. "Some may have known [the college ran the course illegally], but just wanted a shortcut to get certificates," he said.