Public health minister steps down as Mahidol university rector
Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin announced his resignation as rector of Mahidol University on Wednesday.
He announced his resignation during the meeting of deans and also sent a letter to the Mahidol Community, informing staff, lecturers, and students of his resignation.
Earlier, Sukree Charoensuk, dean of Mahidol University's College of Music, led a protest against Rajata’s holding two posts, saying his responsibilities as the public health minister would give him no time to administer the university.
In his letter, Rajata said he initially intended to work in both positions like several of his minister colleagues, who are holding the Cabinet seats and their permanent post in some government agencies, to see whether he could handle the two responsibilities efficiently at the same time.
However, he said, Mahidol lecturers, who disagreed with him holding two positions, attacked him on social media and provided one-sided information that damaged the university’s reputation. He thus decided to resign as rector for the sake of unity of the Mahidol community.
