Thai student protest erupts over unsatisfactory school meals

A student protest recently erupted in a school located in Mae La Noi, Mae Hong Son. The students rallied against the school’s director, barring entry into the school premises by locking all entrances.

The protest was a response to the director’s decision to lodge a police complaint against a student who posted pictures of the school’s unsatisfactory midday meal consisting of plain rice, a single boiled egg, and a small packet of red-eye chilli dip at 8.30am on today

The previous day at 6pm, the school director lodged a complaint about the student who posted the image of the meagre meal at the local police station. The complaint was lodged with Inspector Panuphan Chanthachom, an investigator at Mae La Noi Police Station, under the Computer Crime Act.

At 7pm that same day, students from the school collectively went to Mae La Noi Police Station to protest against the director.

Sources within the school revealed that the director has been putting pressure on the students, leading to two students allegedly losing their lives while one case is still currently under investigation. In addition, another case was resolved by compensating the student’s parents.

The meals provided to the students are insufficient, often consisting only of plain rice, a single boiled egg, and a small packet of red-eye chilli dip, leaving the students hungry. However, when senior officials visit, better meals are provided, which happens infrequently. The students, unable to endure this pressure, rallied against the director, demanding that he be transferred elsewhere.

Boiled eggs

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector Somphet Panko, the Deputy Chief Investigator at Mae La Noi Police Station, stated that the school director came to complain about a student who posted a video of a midday meal consisting of plain rice, a boiled egg, and a small packet of red-eye chilli dip on New Year’s Day.

The deputy inspector further stated that the student posted and shared the video with 20 people, hence the director came to make a daily record with the investigator. However, later, more than 20 students, along with their parents, arrived at the investigator’s residence. The situation was diffused and the director withdrew the daily record and promised to improve the meals provided to the students.

However, the director told the investigator that the image posted was not from the school and could have been brought in from elsewhere to tarnish the school’s reputation. The investigator did not further discuss the matter after the director withdrew the complaint, reported KhaoSod.