Free food sparks outcry

Criticism over free meals provided to our lawmakers has been reported in the media for years.

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Often, during parliamentary sessions, outlets — including this newspaper — highlight massive food waste afterwards.

Despite lawmakers earning more than 110,000 baht per month — not to mention additional per diems and other fringe benefits — taxpayers still cover their meals during House sessions, at a cost of around 1,000 baht per person per day.

Free meals are far from modest. Some menus include sushi, along with morning and afternoon breaks, and even late-night options such as kao tom (hot-boiled rice soup) for extended meetings.

MPs and senators are entitled to hire teams of assistants to help them perform their duties more efficiently, with the public covering their salaries. Beyond questions of qualifications, negative reports have raised concerns about what these paid experts actually do.