The Agriculture Ministry has ordered an "urgent" nationwide inspection of the provision of milk to schools under the school milk project in order to assess each supplier’s performance.
Last year, an inspection found rotten milk had been distributed to schools in Bangkok and the surrounding area, prompting the recall of over 100,000 cartons.
Milk delivery is due to resume at schools nationwide as many begin the new term tomorrow.
“I’ve ordered not only the Department of Livestock Development, but every department under the ministry, to take part in the inspection,” said Agriculture Minister Grisada Boonrach on Sunday.
The Department of Agricultural Extension, for instance, has more than 800 units across the country and they will be visiting schools to monitor the punctuality, quality and quantity of milk supplied by contracted suppliers, he said.
"Any suppliers found in breach of their agreements with schools will be punished by having their quota cut and given to other suppliers next term," he said.
Mr Grisada recently sent a Line application message containing an “extremely urgent” order to the permanent secretary for agriculture, permanent secretary for interior, permanent secretary for education, director-general of Department of Local Administration and every provincial governor, to remind them of the Agriculture Ministry’s plan to inspect the school milk scheme this term.
Following the previous problems with the scheme, the cabinet ordered the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to adjust its school milk distribution system, said Mr Grisada in the message.
The ministry had therefore formed a new committee to manage the scheme and five subcommittees to implement the policy, he said.
These subcommittees have already assigned milk quotas to suppliers based on the number of students in each area and the capacity of each supplier, he said.
Any suppliers who find the allocation unfair are allowed to lodge complaints with the governor of the province, but they must still fulfil the contracts, he said.
The livestock development office and the agriculture office in each province were also asked by Mr Grisada to take part in the inspection.
