No free lunch for Senators

Thai senators were buying their own lunches in Senate canteen today on the first day of the ‘no free lunch’ program, following in the footsteps of the Lower House, in an effort to cut the costs of catering in parliament.

The program was initiated in mid-March by the lone MP of the Thai Pakdee party, Dr. Warong Dechgitvigrom, who observed that lawmakers are paid more than 100,000 baht per month in salary and other stipends, so they should be able to afford to buy their own lunches instead them being bought lunch every day by the taxpayer.

Three well-known food outlets were shortlisted by the Office of the Senate Secretary-General to provide one course meals in the Senate canteen. The choices today were rice with roast red pork (khao moo daeng or khao moo krob), chicken biryani (khao mok gai) or noodles served with pork and tom yum lime soup. The prices per dish ranged between 60 and 70 baht.

General Kriangkrai Srirak, the first deputy Senate speaker, took a group of reporters to sample the atmosphere in the Senate canteen at lunchtime today. Many senators were seen queuing at the food stalls.

Kriangkrai ordered a dish of rice with roast pork and noted that the fish is also delicious, adding that the change will save the taxpayer a lot of money each year.

He said that parliament used to set aside 800 baht per legislator per workday for a buffet lunch, but each of them now personally spends no more than 200 baht per day.

Some senators have complained, however, that there should be a wider choice of dishes.

General Kriangkrai explained that senators will be asked submit assessments about the taste and quality of the food, as well as the service, adding that more food shops and a wider variety of dishes will be introduced in due course.