Bangkok: The government has confirmed that children in all areas will receive school milk within the next week, addressing previous delays. The Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DFPO) has been instructed to expedite milk deliveries to areas still waiting.
According to Thai News Agency, Lieutenant Colonel Patthadarasmi Thongslueykorn, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, addressed reports of delays in school milk delivery in some areas since the new school term began. She emphasized that the government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives have been actively following up with relevant agencies to resolve the issue. Allocation for most areas has been completed, with groups 2 through 7 having received their supplies. However, group 1, located in Saraburi Province, only finalized its allocation recently.
The delay in some schools receiving milk is attributed to pending contracts in certain areas. In response, the committee has instructed the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DPO) to temporarily supply milk to all schools for the first 20 days to ensure a continuous supply for students. For local administrative organizations (LAOs) that have not yet finalized contracts due to unconfirmed student enrollment figures, the DPO has been directed to coordinate with small-scale dairy product manufacturers to supply milk in advance.
The Deputy Spokesperson further clarified that all regional groups have confirmed allocations from their respective sub-committees. These results have been reported to the School Milk Supplement Committee and announced on the official website. Meanwhile, the Committee has instructed the DFPO to deliver milk to schools awaiting additional allocations and those under investigation and appeals. It is anticipated that all areas will have received their full milk supply by next week. The government assures that the allocation and delivery process will be transparent and prioritize students' best interests, ensuring all students receive milk for the full 260 days of the program.