A Thai senator free meals dispute drew online criticism after a senator said cancelling complimentary lunches was an “insult” to the honour of senators during a meeting on Monday, April 20.
The issue follows a March 15 parliamentary meeting where Members of Parliament (MPs) agreed to end free meals after public criticism over the use of taxpayer money. MPs, who earn more than 100,000 baht per month, began paying for their own lunches after the Songkran festival.
Parliament President Sophon Saram said the Secretariat of the House of Representatives would continue providing food and drinks, but MPs would be required to pay instead of receiving them free of charge.
In response, Senator Wuttichat Kalyanamit proposed that senators should also pay for their meals, suggesting a 10,000 baht deduction from their monthly allowance to cover costs. The proposal remained under discussion.
During the senate meeting on Monday, Senator Prathum Wongsawat voiced opposition to the change. She said colleagues had informed her it would be the final day of free meals and stated that she and others disagreed with the cancellation.
Prathum suggested that meal budgets or portions could be reduced if necessary but argued that removing free meals entirely was inappropriate. She stated…
“It’s not about the money, but honour. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but this matter is about an honor as a senator.”
Her remarks prompted criticism on social media, where some users questioned the link between free meals and public service. Several commenters said that a senator’s honour should be reflected in their work rather than benefits. Comments included…
“The honor of a senator lies in fulfilling their duty to the best of their abilities, not in getting free meals.”
“If you are honour, then you should be able to buy your own lunch.”
“I had just learned from her that free food makes people honourable.”
“I’m honoured, too. I got some from a temple.”
The Senate has not reached a final decision on the policy. Deputy Senate President Boonsong Noisophon said he would raise the matter at the next meeting to gather further opinions from members.
In a related story, the Economic, Financial, and Fiscal Affairs Committee of the Senate proposed a tax reform plan and suggested the raise of value-added tax (VAT) from 7% to 10%.
The Spokesperson of the Office of Prime Minister, Ratchada Thanadirek, stated that the government had no plan to increase VAT and focused on measures to support the cost of living.
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