Senator Premsak Piayura has raised concerns over a nationwide shortage of school textbooks, alleging irregularities in a 1.4-billion-baht printing project and prompting the Education Ministry to launch an investigation.
Speaking during a Senate session on Monday, Dr Premsak questioned Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong over the 2026 academic year's textbook shortage, claiming that more than 2,000 schools nationwide have yet to receive textbooks despite the school term beginning on May 15.
"These textbooks were due to be delivered on June 3. However, countless students have been left without them, while teachers are lacking necessary teaching materials," he said.
Dr Premsak described the situation as unprecedented in Thailand's education system, noting that millions of textbooks remain undelivered more than a month into the semester. He also alleged that while the education minister has ultimate responsibility for the project, a more influential figure may be exerting control behind the scenes.
The senator questioned the transparency of the textbook procurement process managed by the Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Educational Personnel (Otep). He noted that responsibility for textbook production had been transferred from the Teachers' Council of Thailand to Otep, which subsequently appointed outside committees to draft procurement terms and oversee contractor selection.
According to Dr Premsak, evidence suggests irregularities in the bidding process, with some companies allegedly awarded contracts despite failing to provide the required financial guarantees.
He urged authorities to examine whether procurement rules had been properly followed and whether any parties received preferential treatment.
Mr Prasert said the project was approved by the relevant committees on March 27 with a budget of 1.4 billion baht. While Otep reported that textbooks had been delivered to all 11 major distributors, he acknowledged that delays may have occurred during distribution to schools and said the ministry would verify the facts.
The minister pledged a full investigation into both the delivery delays and the procurement allegations, stressing that no individual is above the law.
