Eleven councils representing various professions will file a petition to Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Jantong on Sept 6, requesting the removal of four sections in the draft Higher Education Act.
Sections 64, 65 and 66 would put an end to the role of professional councils in approving and inspecting courses for higher education institutions.
Another section 48 they want removed would allow higher education institutions to provide professional services.
"We've been able to control the quality of higher education programmes from upstream to downstream, but now the draft law wants us to look at only downstream which is not enough to maintain the quality of education especially in this disruption era," said Tassanai Chaikwang, president of Thailand Lawyers Council under the Royal Patronage.
Paisarn Kangwonkij, chairman of the Dental Council of Thailand, said the law could create new problems such as a rise of substandard programmes and a higher number of unlicensed professionals.
Dr Paisarn said many universities, especially private ones, want to open medicine courses to lure students because the programmes are in high demand. If the students graduate from substandard courses, they may not be able to pass licensing examinations and may end up being unlicensed doctors.
"At present, many Thai medical students who graduated from universities in neighbouring countries cannot obtain a professional licence to practise in Thailand because the standard of their medical courses is lower than in Thai universities. If Section 64, 65 and 66 of the new draft Higher Education Act are not removed, the same problem may occur with students who graduate from substandard courses," he said.
Engineers Council president Kamol Takabut explained his group's objection to Section 48, the on which would allow higher education institutions will provide professional services.
"The current law stipulates that higher education institutions can only provide academic services, but the new law will allow them to provide professional services as well. This is not fair on other people who have to go through the process to obtain a professional licence," he said.
Earlier, Deputy Minister of Education Udom Kachintorn had criticised professional councils for obstructing education progress. "There are more than 3,000 courses waiting for the councils to approve. If universities have to wait as a result of opposition to the changes, they won't be able to adapt in time," he said.
Professional councils asking for partial amendment are: the Medical Council of Thailand, the Dental Council of Thailand, Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council, and the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Others are the Pharmacy Council of Thailand, the Veterinary Council of Thailand, the Medical Technology Council of Thailand, the Physical Therapy Council of Thailand, Thailand Council of Engineers, the Architect Council of Thailand and the Federation of Accounting Professions.
