Accra:A group of parents has filed complaints against a fraudulent Chinese exchange program that left them abandoned and out of over 2.7 million baht. They are urging the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to investigate the matter and pursue legal action.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident involves 62 students and parents from 11 schools, along with 8 teachers, who were supposed to travel to China for a short-term summer course. The program was arranged by a government official at a "Doctorate" level from OBEC, who was responsible for coordinating with universities, arranging accommodation, and booking flights, charging 39,900 baht per person.
Representatives of the affected teachers and parents have submitted evidence to the Central Investigation Bureau's complaint center to press charges against those involved. They reported paying the full amount but were left unable to travel due to repeated schedule changes and lack of confirmation.
A parent representative explained that the program was advertised through schools, promoting experience and scholarship opportunities at Chinese universities. Payments could be made in installments, and an online group was created to communicate project details. A doctor, claiming academic credibility, reassured parents, leading them to trust the program based on its past success.
Despite multiple meetings and attempts to obtain proof of flight bookings, no confirmation was provided. Just before the scheduled departure, they were told of issues with the university, accommodation, and flights. Subsequent inquiries with the university in China revealed that no confirmation was given for the program.
The estimated damages amount to 2.7 million baht, although partial refunds of 10,000 baht each have been issued to some parents since October 15th. The parents are calling for OBEC to ensure transparency and prevent future occurrences, citing concerns about the misuse of personal data provided to the program.
Dr. Thanu Kwandej, Secretary-General of OBEC, clarified that the project is not officially sanctioned by OBEC but is an individual endeavor. OBEC is forming a fact-finding committee and will take disciplinary and criminal action if any civil servants are found to be involved.