#Mhesi

A major new analysis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concludes that “sophisticated global networks” are systematically undermining academic publishing by pushing fraudulent papers into journals at industrial scale — and doing so faster than science can contain them. The researchers find that suspected “paper mill” submissions are doubling every 18 months, far outpacing the overall growth of legitimate research, which doubles roughly every 15 years. The authors warn that without urgent reforms, parts of the scientific literature risk becoming “completely poisoned,” a scenario with direct implications for Thai universities and national research priorities. The study’s key findings and expert warnings were first reported by Times Higher Education, which underscores that existing systems to combat misconduct are struggling to keep up with an increasingly organized underground industry of fake science built on collusion, image manipulation and “journal hopping” to evade detection (Times Higher Education).

Sophisticated global criminal networks are systematically corrupting academic publishing at unprecedented scales, producing fraudulent research papers faster than legitimate science can be published, according to groundbreaking analysis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that reveals Thailand already experiencing direct consequences from this academic contamination. The Northwestern University-led research team documented that suspected “paper mill” submissions are doubling every 18 months while genuine research output doubles only every 15 years, creating what researchers warn could “completely poison” entire scientific fields unless urgent systemic reforms are implemented immediately. This industrial-scale academic fraud directly threatens Thailand’s national research priorities and university advancement systems, with recent domestic investigations uncovering extensive paper-purchasing networks spanning dozens of Thai institutions and resulting in faculty dismissals across multiple universities. The study’s findings, extensively reported by Times Higher Education, demonstrate that existing misconduct detection systems are fundamentally inadequate against increasingly organized underground industries built on sophisticated collusion, image manipulation, and “journal hopping” strategies designed to evade traditional enforcement mechanisms.

A surge in sophisticated paper-mill activity is reshaping academic publishing worldwide, with Thailand already facing direct consequences. New analysis suggests fraudulent submissions are rising faster than genuine research output, signaling urgent reforms to protect national research priorities and university advancement. Authorities report domestic networks selling manuscripts have led to dismissals across multiple universities, underscoring the need for stronger detection and governance in Thai higher education.

Researchers mapped extensive patterns of fraud across journals, editor clusters, and image manipulation to show how counterfeit studies move through the system. They describe editorial hubs that process large shares of problematic papers and note that mills migrate to new venues when journals tighten controls. A senior researcher from a leading university warned that the scientific enterprise must police itself more effectively to prevent long-term damage to knowledge, as highlighted by independent reporting.