The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) will investigate student claims of sub-standard lunches being served at Rat Prachanukhro 21 School in Mae Hong Son's Mae La Noi district.
"I have ordered the transfer of the school director to Obec to prevent her from meddling in the investigation," Sub Lt Thanu Wongchinda, secretary-general to Obec, said on Saturday. "The panel we have set up must complete its probe in seven days."
After students protested on Friday outside their school, he assigned a legal team from Obec's Special Education Bureau to get first-hand information.
"Obec has always inspected the quality of food at its schools," he said. "We reminded [all school directors] that they must prepare nutritious food with sufficient portions for all students.
A group of students on Friday gathered at Rat Prachanukhro 21 School at 8.30am to prevent school director Sineenat Rodkrue from entering after she filed a complaint on Thursday with Mae La Noi police against one student for posting a photo of a school lunch on social media and complaining about its poor quality.
The student was accused of breaching the Computer Crimes Act. The complaint has since been withdrawn.
According to the Watchdog.Act Facebook page, the student said all that was served was rice, a boiled egg and chilli paste. The post grabbed the attention of Thai netizens and sparked criticism of irregularities in school lunches.
Sub Lt Thanu said: "Anyone [responsible] for irregularities in the school lunch project will be punished."