The dubious case of Mahidol University's Buddhist Studies Programme

Just this month, Thailand's Mahidol University launched a small PhD
programme in Buddhist studies.

Reportedly, reading ability in Pali and Sanskrit is a focus.  Of
course, they don't yet have a reputation, as they were founded in
2007, but one tries to read the announcement with an open mind.

The list of professors is not without interest:
* Pathompong Bodhiprasiddhinand
   DPhil in Oriental Studies (Oxford University, UK)
* Justin Meiland
   DPhil in Oriental Studies (Oxford University, UK)
* Alexander Wynne
   DPhil in Oriental Studies (Oxford University, UK)
* Sumana Tangkanasingh
   PhD in Culture and Musuemology (Grenoble University, France)
* Taveevat Puntarigvivat
   PhD in Religions and Society (Temple University, USA)
* Pagorn Singsuriya
   PhD in Philosophy (Chulalongkorn University, Thailand)

The trouble is that this is "backed up" with a long list of supposed
"academic advisors" --and here I must suspect they are misleading the
public.

This list (below) is inherently difficult to believe, but to make
matters worse, I have just received an e-mail request passed on from
their most senior professor (first named in the list above) asking if
anyone could provide him with Dr. Hundius's e-mail, as he has just
figured out that he is a difficult man to find (given his emeritus
status, etc.).  How could Hundius possibly have any involvement with
the Mahidol project whatsoever, without any of their professors either
having his e-mail, or at least fore-knowledge of the fact that he is
indeed retired, and how to contact him via the department secretary,
etc.?  Perhaps he once made a brief appearance there, and is now
listed as an "Academic Advisor to the Programme" --but there is ever
the possibility of outright fraud.  Nor is there any obvious
connection to German academia in their list of professors.  I'm sure
that a few eyebrows will be raised for some of the other names on the
list, below, as well:

"Honorary Academic Advisors to the Programme

1.Most Venerable Phra Prommuni (Junda), Pali Grade 9
Director General, Mahamakuta Rajavidyalaya Foundation, Under Royal Patronage,
Wat Bovornivesviharn, Bangkok

2.Most Venerable Phra Promgunaporn (Prayudh Payutto), Pali Grade 9, PhD (Honoris
Causa)
Wat Yanawessakawan, Nakornpathom

3.Ven Phra Sriyansophon (Suwit Piyavijjo), Pali Grade 9, BA Hons
(Mahamakut), MA (London)
Wat Phraramkao (Rama IX Temple)

4.Prof Emeritus Visudh Busyakul, PhD in Sanskrit (Honoris Causa),
Chulalongkorn University
Fellow of the Royal Institute of Thailand

5.Prof Dr Richard Gombrich, DPhil in Oriental Studies (Oxon, UK)
Director of Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies (OCBS), Oxford University, UK

6.Prof Dr Oskar von Hinueber, PhD in Oriental Studies, Mainz University, Germany
Freiburg University, Germany

7.Mr Lance Cousins, MA in Oriental Studies (Cantab), Former President
of the Pali Text Society
Wolfson College, Oxford University.

8.Prof Dr Nalini Balbir, Doctorat de 3 ème cycle en études indiennes
(Université Paris-3), Doctorat d'Etat ès-lettres (Université Paris-3)
Directeur d'études (philologie moyen-indienne) à l'Ecole Pratique des
Hautes Etudes, Section des sciences historiques et philologiques

9.Prof Dr Janet Gyatso, PhD in Buddhist Studies, University of
California at Berkely
Harvard Divinity School, Harvard University

10.Dr Peter Skilling, PhD in Buddhist Studies (Ecole Pratique des
Hautes Etudes, Sciences
Historiques et Philologiques a la Sorbonne, Paris, France)
Ecole francaise d'Extreme-Orient (Bangkok and Paris)

11.Dr Prapod Assavavirulkarn, PhD in Buddhist Studies, University of
California at Berkely
Head of the Department of Oriental Languages, Faculty of Arts,
Chulalongkorn University"



E.M.