From: ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Re: Money Money Money
Date: 16 Oct 92 05:48:10 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.Bw79GB.15J
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

godfrey@sscvx1.ssc.gov (LAURENCE GODFREY) writes:

>I, and several other farang scientists I know, would be more than willing
>to take a cut in salary of a factor of 5 ormore and return to Thailand
>to teach science in universities, if we could be guaranteed fair treatment
>and no problems of the sort I experienced at cmu (see previous mailing).
>I (and other farang) take the attitude that the nicer aspects of life in
>Thailand more than compensate for the loss of salary.

>Laurence

May I apologize other friends in the s.c.t to bring this up again but
I don't want to hear only one-sided story? After Dr. Godfrey had posted
his article, I was very concerned in both way. If it is true, what should
be the future of Thailand not only in the domain of S&T but also in other
aspects as well? In case it is not true or partially true, I am concerned
that CMU is faultly represented and the persons mentioned had no chance to
respond. Khun Schitt has been also very concerned. His attempt to appeal
to the international community of scientists to go to do research in Thailand
specifically in his newly set up FIBO is being heavily jeopardized 
by Dr.Godfrey's post no matter it is true or not. I then decided I had to do
something.

Knowing the persons who were mentioned by Dr. Godfrey, though partially
anonymous, I sent the whole article posted by Dr. Gedfrey to the both
Chiangmai and Bangkok c/o of friends who have e-mail account. 

Dr. K which was mentioned by Dr. Godfrey is Mr.Kasem Wattanachai, M.D., who
was the Rector of Chiangmai University (CMU) during the time Dr.Godfrey had
worked at CMU. I am not 100% sure about Dr.T though I suspect he is Dr.
Teerasak Ramingwong who used to be the Dean of the Faculty of Science. 

Dr. Kasem is no longer at CMU, but, since October 1st, this year, has been
appointed the Deputy Under-Secretary of the Ministry of University Affairs
in Bangkok. That's why I sent Dr.Godfrey's collection of his letters which
was posted in the s.c.t as referred by him in the his above post to a friend
in Bangkok who has an e-mail account. This friend is an ajarn at Chula.  This
friend has been very helpful. He right awy delivered the letter to Dr. Kasem 
by himself at the Ministry. The following is part of the message he sent to 
me yesterday (Oct.14, 1992):


:I met Dr. Kasem at the Ministry of University Affair this afternoon 
:to give him your letter. He seems to know everything about the matter.
:He told me that this farang after came back to UK, went to the Thai
:Embassy there. And the issue got into the newspapaer there also.
:Dr. Kasem said that this farang had an argument with Dr.T. and was
:very upset with the matter. Dr. Kasem also told that they already sent
:him the money. Anyway that is what he told me during the 10 minutes talk
:he said that he'll respond and FAX his message to me. I'll forward
:the message to you immediately after I get it.


This friend also suggested I try to avoid controversial matter as much
as I can. I took his advice and thought I would let this matter die down.
Though Dr. Kasem sent his story, I would write back to him explaining
that we want to keep the atmostphere in the s.c.t healthy for exchange 
of information and opinion and beg his pardon for disregarding it. But 
the above reaction posted by Dr.Godfrey seems to need counter information.
Nonetheless, the above quoted message sent to me by my friend is by no
means a hard evidence to faulsify Dr.Godfrey's accusation. I still wait
for the text of reaction from Dr.Kasem and Dr.T to whom Dr.Godfrey's post 
was sent. 

My friend at Chiangmai also sent me a short message saying he had passed the
message to Dr. T. I just hope that he, too, should quickly reply. 

To all s.c.t fans, please don't be too frustrated if you see my post about 
this matter showing up on the screen again. My intention is only try to settle
this matter as smooth and as FAIR as possible. It would only harm CMU, in
particular, or Thailand, in general, in the long run if we only try to 
protect their reputation without looking at the fact. I hope Dr.Godfrey, too,
would also want to hear from the other side. It is aparent that he had not
got any reply the CMU administration.