RTA denies overpricing claims on mess trays purchase

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) firmly denied accusations from the People’s Party (PP) regarding the alleged overpricing of mess trays. These claims were presented during the scrutiny phase of the national budget expenditure bill earlier this week.

The opposition party accused the army of allocating an excessive portion of its budget to purchase approximately 10,000 mess trays at prices significantly above the market rate.

Deputy RTA spokesperson Colonel Richa Suksuwanon clarified yesterday, September 5, that the trays, procured under the fiscal year 2024 budget, are constructed from SUS 304 food-grade stainless steel with a thickness of 0.8 millimetres. He stressed the trays’ durability and frequent use, highlighting that they are employed three times daily.

“The lowest price quoted by the winning firm in an e-bidding process was 520 baht apiece.”

Col. Richa noted that this price closely aligns with the discounted rates offered by leading kitchenware brands, Zebra and Seagull.

According to the deputy spokesman, Zebra’s standard price for a similar tray is 650 baht, with a promotional rate of 515 baht. In comparison, Seagull’s standard price is 619 baht, with a discounted price of 520 baht.

During Tuesday’s debate, PP list MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn argued that the army could have chosen trays available for a retail price of 360 to 380 baht each. Col. Richa countered this claim, explaining that the lower-priced trays are made from inferior-grade stainless steel with a thickness of only 0.5 millimetres. He stressed that such trays are neither safe for food use nor durable enough for prolonged service.

Wiroj, known for his critical stance on defence budget allocations, maintained that the mess trays’ cost alone warranted a reduction of 1.5 million baht in the next fiscal year’s defence budget, set to commence next month. He further suggested that the company awarded the bid to supply the trays might lack a licence to produce stainless steel kitchenware.

The MP suspected that the winning firm may have procured the trays from an established kitchenware manufacturer before selling them to the RTA, reported Bangkok Post.