MAE HONG SON: A school director in Mae La Noi district is reportedly set to be transferred after a group of students protested against her because she filed a police complaint against one of them for complaining about the quality of a school lunch on social media.
The picture of the lunch posted by the student. (Photo: Watchdog.ACT Facebook)
On Friday, a group of students gathered at their Rat Prachanukhro 21 School at 8.30am to prevent school director Sineenat Rodkrue from entering the school after she filed a complaint on Thursday with Mae La Noi police against the student for breaching the Computer Crimes Act.
According to the "Watchdog.Act" Facebook page, the student posted a picture and commented on the poor quality of the school lunch, complaining that all they received was rice, a boiled egg and chilli paste.
The post by the student grabbed the attention of Thai netizens and sparked criticism of irregularities in school lunches.
In response, Mae Hong Son provincial governor Chettha Mosikarat on Friday instructed his deputy to immediately investigate the matter to prevent any discontent in a school which educates more than 500 students from various ethnic groups.
However, an urgent order sent by his superior demanded the school director be transferred elsewhere within 24 hours.
Mr Chettha said many at the school had opposed the severity of the action of the school director. The information was disseminated and shared by the Watchdog.Act Facebook page and had led to scrutiny of the school in online discussions.
Pol Lt Col Somphet Phankab, deputy superintendent of Mae La Noi Police, told the media that more than 20 students and parents visited the police station to protest against the school director's complaint at 7pm on Thursday.
Police negotiated with students, parents and the school director until she agreed to withdraw her complaint and pledged to improve the school lunch quality, Pol Lt Col Somphet said.
The school director also alleged the picture that the student posted might have been taken somewhere else, and had sullied the reputation of her school.
The student group also complained to the media yesterday, asking whether the present budget of 30 baht per student should result in such poor-quality lunches.
The group added the quality of the food had declined since the director arrived last October.