Bangkok school director suspected of food-budget corruption
A school in Bangkok’s Yannawa district gave students instant noodles for breakfast and sold free school milk at Bt5 a cup, claims an online anti-corruption watchdog.
Findings revealed on the Thai Anti-Corruption Club’s Facebook page include video of school cooks pouring state-subsidised free milk into a pot. Parents of the students are now demanding to know what the school is doing with its food budget.
Wat Yannawa School’s director allegedly ordered canteen staff to cook fried eggs and omelette or semi-instant noodles with minced chicken, dishes which cost about Bt15 per portion. However, the school reportedly spends about Bt200,000 a month to hire Napat Food Co Ltd to produce dishes at Bt40 per portion. The difference between the state budget and money spent on meals has sparked growing concern that corruption may have occurred.
The school director also allegedly told teachers and other staff to sell snacks and soda to students, with surveillance cameras installed to monitor whether they were following the instruction. Meanwhile, parents are reportedly prohibited from entering the school’s canteen, according to the Anti-Corruption Club.