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**Fruriourl** · 06-03-2010, 05:02 PM

Criminal proceedings against S'pore's Raffles Design Institute in Bangkok

Thu, Jun 03, 2010
The Nation/Asia News Network

Two "rogue" foreign design institutes in Bangkok are facing legal action for failing to stop operating, the Higher Education Commission said yesterday.

"We will not certify the degrees handed out by these schools because they have operated without approval from authorities," HEC secretary-general Sumeth Yamnoon said. His office has already launched criminal proceedings against Raffles Design Institute and Academia Italiana Fashion & Design Institute. "We have received complaints from people and have launched probes," Sumeth said.

A conviction could bring their executives a fine of up to Bt500,000 ($21,567) and/or jail sentence of up to one year. Police had already concluded their investigation into the Raffles Design Institute's case and forwarded their report to public prosecutors. Police are now gathering evidence against the other institute. Raffles Design Institute started teaching in 2008 without receiving permission from the education minister, as required by the Private Higher Educational Institute Act, Sumeth said.

This institute has conducted courses awarding certificates and bachelor and master degrees from Sydneybased Raffles College of Design and Commerce. The branch in Bangkok has about 100 students. On November 12, the HEC told the executives of Raffles Design Institute to stop instruction but it refused to oblige, he said, adding that Academia Italian Fashion & Design Institute has also ignored HEC's order. Sumeth also said the HEC had extended help to publichealth students at Chaiyaphum Rajabhat University's Amnat Charoen Learning Centre.

The centre was found to have offered the undergraduate programme without prior approval from the university's council. "Now the council has approved the course and some students can continue studying. For some others, their academic qualifications are not high enough, so they can receive refunds from the university," he said.

06-03-2010, 05:02 PM	#1
Fruriourl Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 452 Senior Member	Criminal proceedings against S'pore's Raffles Design Institute in Bangkok Criminal proceedings against S'pore's Raffles Design Institute in Bangkok Thu, Jun 03, 2010 The Nation/Asia News Network Two "rogue" foreign design institutes in Bangkok are facing legal action for failing to stop operating, the Higher Education Commission said yesterday. "We will not certify the degrees handed out by these schools because they have operated without approval from authorities," HEC secretary-general Sumeth Yamnoon said. His office has already launched criminal proceedings against Raffles Design Institute and Academia Italiana Fashion & Design Institute. "We have received complaints from people and have launched probes," Sumeth said. A conviction could bring their executives a fine of up to Bt500,000 ($21,567) and/or jail sentence of up to one year. Police had already concluded their investigation into the Raffles Design Institute's case and forwarded their report to public prosecutors. Police are now gathering evidence against the other institute. Raffles Design Institute started teaching in 2008 without receiving permission from the education minister, as required by the Private Higher Educational Institute Act, Sumeth said. This institute has conducted courses awarding certificates and bachelor and master degrees from Sydneybased Raffles College of Design and Commerce. The branch in Bangkok has about 100 students. On November 12, the HEC told the executives of Raffles Design Institute to stop instruction but it refused to oblige, he said, adding that Academia Italian Fashion & Design Institute has also ignored HEC's order. Sumeth also said the HEC had extended help to publichealth students at Chaiyaphum Rajabhat University's Amnat Charoen Learning Centre. The centre was found to have offered the undergraduate programme without prior approval from the university's council. "Now the council has approved the course and some students can continue studying. For some others, their academic qualifications are not high enough, so they can receive refunds from the university," he said.
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