The director of a primary school in Surat Thani who was suspended from duty for 10 months over a scandal in which the school served poor quality lunch to young students has been dismissed from his job.
Somchao Sitthichen, director of the Ban Thamai School in Tha Chana district, was suspended last June after parents complained the school was feeding students lunches consisting of khanom cheen noodles mixed with fish sauce.
Parents filed their complaints with the local education office, which ordered his suspension pending a probe. The investigation found he committed a serious disciplinary violation for allowing low-nutrition meals under the state-run free lunch programme.
The probe team, set up by the Surat Thani provincial education office, resolved to dismiss Mr Somchao with immediate effect.
The team claimed the scandal has ruined the reputation of the free school lunch programme and the former school director, as the highest authority of the school, could not evade responsibility.
However, he can appeal against the decision within 30 days with the Office of Teacher Civil Service and Education Personnel Commission (OTEPC).
If he does and the OTEPC accepts it, the commission could either increase or reduce the penalty.
One of the parents of a student at Ban Tamai School said he was satisfied with the dismissal order, but questioned why the investigation took nearly one year.
The parent said he was waiting to see if the National Anti-Corruption Commission would take up the case against Mr Somchao as the scandal indicated the fund for the school lunch programme may have been abused. The fund was set up in 1992.