The claim that Pita did not graduate from Harvard is misleading.

Picture Credit: ATHIT PERAWONGMETHA | REUTERS

Although Thailand's general election has passed, the creation of fake news to attack the opposition continues. Recently, a statement alleging that Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party, claimed that the Prime Minister to-be did not graduate from Harvard University was spread on social media.

Social Media Claim

The CULTURAL Facebook page posted a message that "'Ruangkrai', from PPRP party checked the profile of 'Pita' and did not find his name on the Harvard alumni directory. And asked which Harvard did he graduate from...?"

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Mr. Ruangkrai Leekijwatana, a member of the Palang Pracharath Party, has submitted a letter to the Election Commission of Thailand requesting an investigation into Mr. Pita Limcharoenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party. The investigation concerns Mr. Limcharoenrat's ownership of shares in ITV Public Company Limited.

Furthermore, there have been questions raised about Pita's educational qualifications. A person from the United States contacted him and stated that Pita claimed to have graduated from Harvard. Still, it is unclear if it was from Harvard University or Harvard Kennedy School. While the first is a university, the latter is more like an educational institution. This question was raised by an alumnus of Harvard University who found it suspicious and checked the alumni directory. They wanted to know the truth about this matter. (Source: MGR Online)

We also found the similar claims posted on Facebook.

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Getting to know Harvard Kennedy School

Harvard Kennedy School, also known as the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is a part of Harvard University that focuses on public policy and government. It offers master's and doctoral programs, as well as various special courses. The school was initially founded in 1936 as the Harvard Graduate School of Public Administration.

The Harvard Kennedy School is home to many notable alumni, including Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations; Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore; Necmettin Bilal Erdoğan, President of Turkey; Felipe Calderón, former President of Mexico; and many other important international political figures.

In addition, the information on the faculties and departments of Harvard University also shows that the Harvard Kennedy School is one of Harvard University's campuses.

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So, did Pita really graduate from Harvard?

The Harvard Kennedy School Magazine, Winter 2016 edition, page 28, mentions Pita as an alumnus from the class of 2011. In addition, there is a short update about Pita, along with other fellow classmates.

Source: Harvard Kennedy School Magazine, Winter 2016

Additionally, Pita posted his student ID card and pictures of himself wearing Harvard's graduation gown on his personal Instagram account.

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Furthermore, a Twitter user shared a picture of a search result for Pita's name on the Harvard alumni directory. The directory displayed Pita's name and graduation year. The user tweeted:

"Who did Ruangkrai get the information from? If you are truly an alum, you should know that Harvard Kennedy School is one of the 12 schools of Harvard University. When I searched for Pita's name, it immediately appeared in the alumni directory.

Everyone here had to select one of the 12 schools to attend. Upon graduation, we all receive degrees from Harvard University."

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Pita's Representation as a "Harvard Alumnus"

During and after the election, many global media outlets have shown interest in the Prime Minister to-be, and, in addition to discussing political directions, many foreign media outlets have frequently mentioned him as a "Harvard alumnus."

Here is Pita's interview clip before the election from Bloomberg titled "Harvard Alumni Wants to Help Thailand Reclaim Lost Decade."

Several global news outlets, including the BBC, Washington Post, and The Guardian, have featured articles about Pita. These articles briefly mention his background, noting that he graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance from Thammasat University in Bangkok before pursuing a master's degree in public policy at Harvard and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Articles from other foreign media outlets:

• Financial Times: Thailand's Harvard-educated election winner challenges military's grip on power
• Firstpost: Single dad, Harvard graduate: Pita Limjaroenrat is likely to be Thai's new PM
• The Times of India: Who is Pita Limjaroenrat, the Harvard alumnus tipped to be Thailand's next PM?

In addition, Pita has shared his experiences and knowledge as an alumnus of both Harvard and MIT on multiple occasions.

Talking about life at Harvard

Discussing Studying Abroad at TIECA Study Abroad Expo 2018

Being a guest speaker as an MIT alumnus.

To sum up, The statement that Pita did not graduate from Harvard University is misleading. He graduated from Harvard Kennedy School, a graduate school of Harvard University. Therefore, he is considered a Harvard alumnus.