Mahidol Uni’s choice for rector hits flak

Has quit VP role to dodge assets demand

A group of Mahidol University (MU) lecturers has opposed the appointment of Banchong Mahaisavariya as the new rector of the institution, raising questions about his previous stint as a vice president of the university.

Sukree Chareonsuk, the dean of MU’s College of Music, said he has submitted a petition to Kasem Watanachai, president of the university council, asking him to reconsider the appointment of Mr Banchong as the new rector.

“The rector is a noble position, so we need someone who is transparent and clean,” he said, referring to Mr Banchong’s resignation as an MU executive ahead of the implementation of a National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC) regulation which would have required him to declare his assets.

Mr Sukree said his group will soon submit the same petition to Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin and Office of the Higher Education Commission secretary-general Supat Jampathong. Mr Banchong declined to comment yesterday.

Earlier this year, 13 MU vice-presidents resigned from their positions ahead of the NACC regulation requiring them to declare their assets.

NACC president, Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, said the vice-presidents were worried complying with the mandatory asset declaration, which applies to every university vice-president as of Monday, would be an arduous task.

The regulation aims to record the assets of all university vice-presidents and verify their declarations, he said.

He admitted that the requirement that assets had to be declared within 30 days before someone takes up a position, after one year into the job, or after an office-holder’s resignation might have placed some university vice-presidents under pressure.

Pol Gen Watcharapol said there are 564 vice-presidents at 84 universities in the country who are required to declare their assets to the NACC.

However, acting university vice-presidents are exempt from the regulation.

Udom Kachintorn, MU’s former president, insisted recently the resignations of its 13 vice-presidents were not intended to skirt the NACC regulation.

The former MU vice-presidents should be forgiven because they had only four working days — from the day the NACC was announced to the day it took effect — to prepare their asset declarations, he said.

Unlike other executive positions offered at ministries, an appointment as a vice-president at MU is not regarded as career advancement because those holding the office return to teaching at the end of their terms, he added.

Since it is difficult to find anyone else to replace the resigning vice-presidents at the moment, they are currently requested to serve as acting vice presidents until replacements are found.

National Anti-Corruption Network (NACN) secretary-general Mongkolkit Suksintharanon, meanwhile, called on the NACC to investigate whether the 13 vice-presidents did try to avoid inspection of their assets.