The Council of University Presidents of Thailand has agreed that university council members should not be required to submit declarations of their assets and liabilities as required by a new regulation announced by an anti-graft agency.
Suchatvee Suwansawat, council chairman and rector of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), announced the consensus after a meeting with rectors of state of Rajabhat and Rajamangkala universities on Thursday.
The meeting agreed in principle that universities' rectors and vice-rectors should submit declarations of their assets and liabilities to the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) to help prevent graft in the public sector.
However, there is no need for university council chairmen and university council members to submit their assets declarations to the NACC, Mr Suchatvee said.
He said university council chairmen and council members carry out duties which are mainly academic, and they hold no executive power and have no authority in procurement.
Mr Suchatvee said that some university council members have already tendered their resignations, which could affect the running of university affairs.
The council will ask the NACC to revise the regulation, Mr Suchatveee said.
"Even though the new rule is aimed at promoting good governance, it will also add too much of a burden on those who are required to declare their assets. They will also have to declare the assets of their spouses and children," Mr Suchatvee said.
The Council of Rajabhat and Rajamangkala University Presidents of Thailand previously said that many of their council members would quit their positions because of the requirement, thus creating a power vacuum in universities.
Their resignations would affect quorums of meetings, which would affect the councils' decision-making process.
The regulation was published in the Royal Gazette on Nov 1.
It was issued under a new anti-corruption law which authorises the NACC to order political office-holders, judges, and other state officials, their spouses and children, including those who are not yet of age, to declare their assets and debts to the NACC.
Most office holders who are required to submit to the regulation are senior officials holding the ranks of department deputy directors-general, university rectors and other officials holding equivalent positions.