By 2024, Thailand’s school lunch budget had risen to between 22 and 36 baht per meal, yet the backlash on social media remained relentless, with complaints about both quality and portion sizes. Teachers and caterers, grappling with these realities firsthand, argue that even with the increase, the budget falls short of the 40 baht required for a basic, cooked-to-order meal. To complicate matters further, many schools remain under the Ministry of Education’s control, forcing local governments to find additional funds to subsidize the program.

A Long-Running Program with Limited Reach

School lunch program at a kindergarten in Thailand (Source: NACC).

Few realize that Thailand has had a school lunch program for over seven decades. However, despite its longevity, participation remains low. Many students bring food from home or purchase meals from on-campus vendors. Some parents opt for school lunch services, paying monthly fees for catered meals.

The program’s shortcomings date back 30 years when the Thai government introduced free lunches for schools in poorer areas. The initiative sparked concerns over corruption and criticism about food quality. Parents complained of meager portions, soggy rice, and even spoiled food that caused illness. Teachers, meanwhile, found themselves cooking meals out of their own pockets, despite billions allocated to the school lunch program.

According to data gathered by The Glocal, the School Lunch Subsidy in 1993 was set at 5 baht per meal. By the year 2024, the subsidy had risen to a minimum of 22 baht per meal, with a maximum of 36 baht, depending on the size of the school. This means that, over the span of 31 years, the subsidy has only increased by 17 baht.

Ongoing Challenges

Despite these efforts, numerous problems persist. Delays in disbursing funds mean schools struggle to secure ingredients on time, impacting both food quality and quantity. Nutritional oversight is also lacking— most schools don’t have a nutritionist to evaluate meals, leading to persistent malnutrition among students.

An expansion of the budget to cover middle school students has also fallen short, with the resulting food often failing to meet minimum standards. Further complicating the issue is the government’s e-bidding system, which, despite costing schools more, has led to subpar meals.

Moreover, delays in budget allocation due to inconsistencies in protocol have exacerbated these challenges, leaving students with less food and poorer nutrition.

The Strain on Teachers

Teachers from Chiang Mai’s Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) describe the immense burden the program places on smaller schools. The per capita budget, they say, barely covers ingredients, much less the cost of kitchen equipment or cooks’ wages. With few options, teachers often find themselves responsible for managing the lunch program, including purchasing supplies and handling related paperwork.

This, teachers argue, takes time and resources away from teaching. Many are calling for a specialized agency to take over the management of school lunches, with the added oversight of the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). “I hope they relieve teachers from this duty,” said one teacher. “Let the experts manage it, so we can focus on educating students.”

Teachers at the Highland People Education Center in Chiang Mai raise yet another issue: the unique challenges facing schools in rural and mountainous areas. While they receive the same budget as other schools, the logistical difficulties of procuring both ingredients and caterers are immense.

Teachers often have to travel long distances to purchase food, and the risks involved can be deadly. In 2021, a tragic accident in Mae Chaem District claimed the lives of a janitor, his wife, and a teacher when their truck plunged into a reservoir while returning from a shopping trip for school lunch supplies. “These are the dangers we face in the highlands,” said a teacher. “And it’s all because we don’t have adequate support.”

Budget Problems

School lunch being served at a school in Thailand (Source: NACC).

A school lunch catering service in Chiang Mai pointed out the budgetary constraints in providing meals, particularly for secondary schools with adolescent students. “If we’re given 22 baht per student, we can still make a modest profit. If there are a lot of students, we can sustain our business,” said one caterer. “But secondary students are included under the same budget.”

The rising cost of ingredients, the caterer explained, only adds pressure to the already tight margins. “To be honest, the core problem with the school lunch program is an insufficient budget. These days, even a simple bowl of noodles or a plate of Thai food costs 40 baht, but the school lunch budget remains fixed at 22 baht per person. This forces us to adjust the quality to fit the budget,” they said.

“If the government doesn’t increase the budget, they should at least consider providing subsidies to help caterers. Both teachers and caterers fear the power of social media. If someone posts a picture of a bad-looking school lunch, we’ll be scrutinized by the public—and by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), too.”

An officer from Chiang Mai’s Department of Local Administration explained that, for schools still under the Ministry of Education's control, local authorities are only responsible for transferring funds. “We’re barely involved in other aspects, like offering advice on nutrition,” the officer noted.

The Thai Decentralization Plan stipulates that local schools should be devolved to local authorities, with the Ministry of Education handling only regulation and monitoring. “But that hasn’t happened yet,” the officer said. Local authorities, they added, do not have enough personnel to oversee nutrition and lunch subsidies. When complaints arise, the NACC often steps in to investigate.

Parents' Concerns Over School Lunches

A parent in Mueang district, Chiang Mai, whose child attends a private school benefiting from the lunch subsidy program, raised concerns about transparency. “When my child was in kindergarten through grade 3, the school provided free lunches in the classroom. But starting in grade 4, they had to buy food from vendors in the canteen.”

The parent, surprised to learn that private schools receive the same lunch subsidies as public ones, wondered how much of the subsidy actually covers their child’s meals. “We’ve been paying for lunches starting in grade 4, but isn’t the government supposed to subsidize school lunches through grade 6?”

In Doi Saket district, another parent expressed frustration about the lack of communication regarding the school lunch program at PTA meetings. Their 4-year-old child, enrolled in a Child Development Center with a lunch program, often skips lunch, waiting until after school to eat at home. This worries the parent, who is concerned about the long-term effects on their child's health, especially the risk of gastritis.

“My kid says the school lunches are full of vegetables, so they wait until 3 pm to eat at home. I do worry about their health. If this becomes a bigger issue, I’d suggest they offer pizza for lunch once in a while,” the parent added with a sigh.

A Shift Toward Block Grants

Paramee Waichongcharoen, a party-list MP from the People’s Party (Source: file).

Paramee Waichongcharoen, an MP from the People’s Party and a member of the House of Representatives’ Standing Committee on Education, suggested a change in how the Ministry of Education allocates its budget. Rather than the current per-student method, Paramee proposed shifting to a “block grant” system, where a lump sum is allocated to each school for independent management. This approach, Paramee explained, would give schools greater autonomy to use their funds according to their specific needs, instead of following a uniform, one-size-fits-all plan.

“The current system imposed by the Ministry of Education is rigid and lacks flexibility,” Paramee said. “Each school should have the freedom to manage its own budget. Using the same plan for every school has left some unable to spend their allocated funds effectively within their unique contexts.”

As an example, Paramee highlighted schools that rely on private donations for sports equipment. Under a block grant system, they could use the extra funds for other needs, like improving their lunch programs. “Schools that already receive raw ingredients through donations could channel their remaining budget toward areas where they need more support,” he said.

Paramee also acknowledged the pitfalls of the current per-student budget method. While it aims to prevent corruption, he noted that it still has loopholes that can be exploited, particularly in smaller schools. “The block grant system would allow us to allocate funds more appropriately for each school’s size and openly share this information to increase transparency.”

He further drew parallels to corruption issues in other sectors, like law enforcement, and suggested that similar inefficiencies exist in education. Bribery scandals in prestigious schools, for instance, point to the need for greater autonomy and transparency. He called on the Ministry of Education to adopt a new mindset, one that empowers schools to manage themselves independently.

Community Oversight and Technological Tools

Paramee emphasized the importance of community involvement in school governance, advocating for stronger roles for school boards to oversee principals. “School boards should have clear authority to ensure checks and balances. This would help reduce corruption and boost transparency,” he said.

He also discussed the Ministry of Education’s recent efforts to leverage technology to address issues in the school lunch program. A website called “Thai School Lunch” has been set up to allow people to file complaints, but Paramee pointed out that the platform is still not widely known and is difficult to navigate. “They need to make it more user-friendly and improve follow-up processes to make it truly effective,” he urged.

A Flexible Approach to Lunch Management

Pakpoom Saengkanokkul, an assistant professor from Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Economics, echoed the need for a more decentralized approach. He suggested that the management of school lunch programs be handed over to the private sector, with the government playing a subsidizing role.

“Food is something that needs to be dealt with daily,” Pakpoom said. “It would be far more efficient for the private sector to handle this, while the government offers support.” He also argued against the direct distribution of lunch money to parents, noting that not all families may be in a position to use those funds effectively. “Just giving lunch money to parents doesn’t guarantee it will be spent on food for the kids, because every family’s circumstances are different.”

Pakpoom proposed delegating more responsibility to local authorities like the Department of Local Administration (DLA), allowing them the flexibility to manage on-the-ground issues as they arise. He pointed to France’s model, where private businesses collaborate with local authorities to provide school lunches. The use of fresh ingredients from local farmers, along with donations of soon-to-expire food, has strengthened both the school system and the local economy. “Cooking meals with locally sourced ingredients not only ensures freshness but also contributes to the sustainability of the local economy,” he said.

Local Solutions for School Lunches

Tanakorn Sammasako, vendor of a cooked-to-order restaurant and former MP candidate from Buriram’s Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) (Source: supplied).

Tanakorn Sammasako, a vendor of a cooked-to-order restaurant and former MP candidate from Buriram’s Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), suggested that the DLA take responsibility for preparing school lunches, rather than relying on external catering contracts. “As a parent, I believe the best option is to have the students' parents manage the catering,” Tanakorn said. “Parents want their children to eat well, and if their kids benefit, so will the others.”

Tanakorn also proposed that the DLA should prioritize locally produced ingredients, which would not only provide students with fresher, more nutritious meals but also support local farmers. “Using chickens, eggs, and other products raised in the community would bring more income to locals and create sustainable jobs,” he explained.

He further suggested incorporating agricultural and nutritional education into school curriculums, inviting local farmers as guest speakers. “Teaching students about local cuisine will improve community living standards and promote a sustainable local economy,” Tanakorn added.