THAILAND - A former deputy rector of Ramkhamhaeng Univerisity sought legal action against Transport Minister Santi Prompat for falsifying and forging official documents while a student there.

A lawyer representing Wiwatchai Kullamart told police yesterday that Santi had someone else sit an examination for him at the Faculty of Education in 1992. The man identified himself as Santi and presented a student's identity card and driving licence bearing Santi's name.

Wiwatchai said that as chief of the examination, he found out about the incident and had the case investigated by the faculty. The investigation panel concluded that Santi had hired someone else to take the exam for him and had falsified official documents.

It ruled that Santi be dismissed from the university.

Back in varsity

However, Santi re-applied for admission to the university even though he was aware he was prohibited from doing so, Wiwatchai said. With the help from the rector at that time, he was accepted as a student of the university.

Democrat MP's Winai Sompong raised the issue during the no-confidence debate in Parliament yesterday.

However Santi denied the accusation, saying he had never held a driving licence in his life and had never had such a problem with the university.

This article was first published in The Daily Xpress on June 27, 2008.