:

WE/14001
1 2557

(1) (2)

..

: " "
(.)
:
wwe/13014 25 2556
(1) (2)


6



Organic Asparagus Production as a Case Study for
Implementation of the National Strategies for Organic Agriculture in Thailand S. Lorlowhakarn, S Piyatiratitivorakul
W Cherdshewasart, Thai Journal of Agricultural Science Vol 41 No1- 2, pp 63-74 ( TJAS)

( link)
2551 5
80% 4
(Times Higher Education 19 2555)
21 2555
5

1. :
( )

2. : (fatal
methodological flaws)

peer review
peer review 3
3. (Plagiarized) (1) : - -
2,000,000

4. (Plagiarized) (2) : - -

Looking East, Looking West Wageningen Academic Publishers

RE: REQUESTING COOPERATION TO RETRACT PLAGIARIZED PAPER

TO: PRESIDENT OF CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY, THAILAND (PROF PIROM KAMOL-RATTANAKUL)
1 January 2014
Dear Prof Pirom,
I write to request your urgent action in regard to a plagiarized paper published in the Thai Journal of
Agricultural Science (TJAS) in 2008 by a former PhD student and his academic advisors at CU.
Today marks six years since I filed an allegation of academic misconduct with your office about this
student, and CU is to be credited for its response in revoking the students PhD. However, CU failed to retract
a related paper, entitled Organic Asparagus Production as a Case Study for Implementation of the National
Strategies for Organic Agriculture in Thailand by S. Lorlowhakarn, S Piyatiratitivorakul and W
Cherdshewasart, Vol 41 No1- 2, pp 63-74 (TJAS). The paper was based on the discredited thesis and should
have been automatically disqualified in 2012 when the degree was revoked.
It is disappointing at your failure even to acknowledge receipt of my request. CUs claims to worldclass excellence can only be taken seriously if CU acts firmly in such cases. I hope you will therefore now
take prompt action to request the papers retraction.
This case has drawn global media attention (see link). As you may recall, the student was allowed to
graduate in 2008, although CU had known of the complaint for 5 months. CU then took 4 years to revoke the PhD,
despite its own ruling that the students thesis was 80% plagiarized. Only after questions were raised by the media
(Times Higher Education, 19 April 2012) was the degree finally revoked on 21 June 2012.
But despite revoking the PhD and thesis of this student, CU took no action on his paper based on the
discredited thesis, published in print and online by the Thai Journal of Agricultural Science (TJAS). CU has
clear and compelling evidence of the following shortcomings:
1. Not the true authors: The University ruled that the student did not do the work or write the thesis himself,
but that it was done by a paid third party (see (3) below). As the TJAS paper reports on the same
discredited study, the author can have no legitimate claim to either work. CU cannot void the thesis
without also voiding the paper.
2. No scientific value: The papers obvious methodological flaws, statistically non-significant results, and
unsupported conclusions would justify rejection by peer reviewers at any international peer-reviewed
journal. Yet, this paper sped through the TJAS review process in a mere 3 weeks.
3. Plagiarized (1): The paper copies word-for-word from the report of the above field study, which was
commissioned and funded by the National Innovation Agency (where the student serves as Director),
costing the people of Thailand 2,000,000 Baht (US$ 50,000).
4. Plagiarized (2): The papers introduction contains text that is cut and pasted from an earlier paper
written by myself under contract to the UN International Trade Centre, and later published as a book
chapter in Looking East, Looking West , published by Wageningen Academic Publishers.
5. Copyright violation: Wageningen Academic Publishers claim copyright over the work and has demanded
the papers retraction. WAP is now taking steps to defend its copyright.
In light of these established facts, I respectfully suggest there is no need for yet another committee. If you
are unable to affirm this papers legitimacy, I request you to inform TJAS accordingly, and kindly explain CUs
intended actions regarding any academic staff involved. Your urgent action is needed to uphold CUs declared
commitment to integrity and academic leadership: please therefore show us that you care. In this matter please
be informed that the anti-plagiarism site Retraction Watch has been invited to monitor developments.
Thank you for your kind consideration.
Sincerely,

Dr William Wyn Ellis

Supachai Lorlowhakarn Plagiarism Case: Media Coverage

" "
(.)
Date
7/6/08
26/9/10

27/9/10

Title
A Test of Intellectual Integrity- Erika Fry

" " ..
(Chula asks Council of State to rule on revocation of degree of Dr Supachai
Lorlowhakarn, NIA Director, after conclusion of alleged plagiarism case)
"" " .."

Publication
Bangkok Post
Matichon

(Supachai squirms, denies plagiarism of foreigners thesis to Ministry of Science Adviser:

Challenges Chula to revoke degree if you dare, revoke the degree, no need to wait).

Matichon

21/2/11

Worldclass Standards and Boosting - Chularat Saengpassa, Waannapa Khaopa

The Nation

2/9/11

Escape from Thailand - Erika Fry

19/4/12

Innovation Boss in Duplication Row - Paul Jump

20/4/12

Academic Scandal: British Times Higher Education Asks What is Happening in Thailand?

Columbia
Journalism Review
Times Higher
Education
Andrew
Drummond.com

28/5/12

Thai 'Plagiarism' Saga Takes a New Turn

SciDevNet

21/6/12

(Chula University Council resolves to strip

Daily News

Supachai of his degree for thesis plagiarism)

22/6/12

Influential People, Criminal Defamation, and a Foreign Reporter: Thai NIA Directors
Ph.D Revoked

Asian
Correspondent

22/6/12

". (Chula strips PhD of NIA Director)

ASTV / Manager

22/6/12

(First time in history: Chula University Council revokes PhD of

Thai Publica

22/6/12
25/6/12
26/6/12

Supachai Lorlowhakarn, but not retrospectively; Borwonsak clarifies that past use of
the degree may have been legitimate).

. ""- (NIA
Director threatens to sue Chula in the Administrative Court, claiming Chula
misinterpreted investigation findings)

Escape from Thailand: Epilogue Erika Fry

" ".. ? (1)

Matichon
Columbia
Journalism Review

(Verbatim: Supachai Lorlowhakarn, NIA Director, curses Chula, demands to know what
is behind decision to revoke my PhD? (1) )

Matichon

27/6/12

(Chula in process of revoking PhD)

Thai Rath

27/6/12

! " " " " (Heaven crashes to earth!

Matichon

28/6/12

-
(Verbatim: Supachai Lorlowhakarn in Chula PhD revocation case

Supachai Lorlowhakarn stripped of doctorate by Chula University Council)

Thai Publica

admits he did copy thesis, but claims he asked permission)

28/6/12

Doctor No More: Thai Official Finally Loses Title - Paul Jump

Times Higher
Education

29/6/12

Thai PhD Withdrawal Leads to Calls to Retract Article - Prime Sarmiento

SciDevNet

Date
2/7/12

3/7/12

Title

5
(William Wyn Ellis, opponent of Supachai Lorlowhakarn in PhD revocation case, fights
5 years to defend authorship rights)

(PhD revocation case famous around the world: Outside media reports put pressure on
Thai Journal of Agricultural Science to retract article)

Publication
Thai Publica

Thai Publica

12/8/12

Thailand's Director of Innovation Was 'Criminal Forger'

Andrew
Drummond.com

18/8/12

Plagiarism Controversy Raises Questions Over Academic Integrity

World Univ. News

21/8/12

Thai Official in Plagiarism Dispute Found Guilty of Forgery

SciDevNet

26/8/12

Plagiarism Scandal Continues after Forgery Verdict

World Univ. News

28/8/12

(Supachai Lorlowhakarn loses to William Wyn Ellis, accuser in PhD revocation

Thai Publica

(Supachai Lorlowhakarn thesis plagiarism case: Appeal Court dismisses

Thai Publica

case- found guilty of criminal forgery of employment contract)

2/9/12

libel case, upholding lower court verdict and ruling William Wyn Ellis was the author)
30/9/12

..
(Revealing record of secret meeting of Chula University Council to strip

Thai Publica

Supachai Lorlowhakarn of PhD, NIA Director: rules guilty of grave violations of academic ethics).
29/8/13
12/7/13
18/7/13

- .
(Abduction - death threats: William Wyn Ellis, accuser of Supachai Lorlowhakarn, NIA
Director, in academic plagiarism case)
My Five Years of Thai Hell by British Agriculturalist

(Appeal Court quashes lower court verdict, dismisses case brought by Supachai
Lorlowhakarn in thesis plagiarism case)

Thaionlooker
Andrew
Drummond.com
Thai Publica
Times Higher
Education
Andrew
Drummond.com

22/8/13

Death Threats in Thailand for UK Whistleblower Elizabeth Gibney

1/9/13

Now Grenade Threats Claim Against British Scientist Who Upset Top Thai Civil Servant

17/9/13

British Embassy Intervenes as 'Death Threats' Professor is put in Witness Protection

Scheme

Andrew
Drummond.com

(British Embassy acts to protect William Wyn Ellis, British academic who sued

Chao Phraya
News

20/9/13

Supachai Lorlowhakarn, over abduction and death threats).

30/10/13

Guilty: Appeal Court Confirms Forgery of Director of NIA

Andrew
Drummond.com

31/10/13

Appeal Court Upholds University Verdict on Plagiarism

World Univ. News