The Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) on Sunday denied endorsing the California University Foreign Credentials Evaluation (FCE) Institution's equivalency assessments.
The institute was mentioned recently by senator-elect Keskamol Pleansamai, who is said to have graduated from the university with a PhD in business administration.
Dr Keskamol is the senatorial candidate who gained the most votes in the final national round of Senate voting on June 26. News of her education background was met with a backlash as netizens found the institute could only issue certificates, not degrees.
The California University Foreign Credentials Evaluation website said the Thai parliament and the OCSC had endorsed degrees issued from its equivalency assessments of courses conducted by Thai public universities.
In response, the OCSC said it has run checks and found no state agencies or units had sent any degree from the institute concerned, a reference to the California University FCE, for the OCSC endorsement as a requisite for seeking jobs or appointments in state agencies.
The OCSC also insisted it never put up on its website any announcement or information endorsing degrees from California University FCE.
Images of a computer screen showing such an announcement were thought to have been widely shared online.
The OCSC said it reserves the right to take legal action against anyone responsible for any false information disseminated to damage its reputation.
Issara Sereewatthanawut, deputy secretary-general of King Prajadhipok's Institute, said Dr Keskamol should share images of her PhD granted by the institute and her thesis with the public to prove her credentials.
Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn recently posted on Facebook demanding parliament investigate OCSC's alleged endorsement of California University FCE's degrees on its website.
In other news, senate-elect Yukol Chanawatpanya, who was selected from the elderly, disabled, and ethnic groups in the Senate voting, said he wants the Senate speaker and deputy Senate speaker candidates to share their vision before elections are held.
Senators are entitled to make their decisions in the race without any political interference, he said.
The Senate speaker and his or her deputies should be non-partisan and free of manipulation, he noted. He was speaking amid reports that many senators are closely aligned with political parties, which have upset those who say it should be more independent.
