Two of Thailand’s beloved kitchenware brands, Zebra Group and Seagull, have set the culinary scene abuzz with their latest promotions, featuring stainless steel mess trays that mirror the Royal Thai Army’s specifications, while being significantly more wallet-friendly. These brands are riding a wave of public scrutiny following a heated parliamentary debate over the acquisition of 10,000 mess trays by the army, which an opposition MP claims came at a grossly inflated price.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a prominent figure from the People’s Party, first cast light on this contentious issue, questioning the Army Ordnance Department’s procurement methods. He pointed out that the army paid a whopping 520 baht per tray, a figure that seemed exorbitant when compared to similar options available in the market.
Capitalizing on the ensuing uproar, Zebra Group took to social media last Friday, showcasing a six-compartment tray priced at a mere 355 baht. Praising its resilience and safety, Zebra boasted that their tray is crafted from food-grade SUS 304 stainless steel, matching the army’s stringent requirements. The tray offers ample space, measuring 29 centimeters wide, 39 centimeters long, and 2.5 centimeters deep, and is effortless to clean.
Not to be outdone, Seagull also launched their own promotion through various online shopping platforms. Their SUS 304 tray, with dimensions of 28.8 by 39.2 by 6 cm and comprising six compartments, is available for 360 baht. Interestingly, this price isn’t even part of a special offer— it’s just their everyday price!
In the face of growing criticism, the army responded, asserting that their SUS 304 trays, which are 0.8 millimeters thick, are designed to withstand the rigorous demands of daily usage across even the most remote bases. They argued that the standard market trays, often made with the thinner 201-grade stainless steel (0.5mm thick), would simply not suffice for military needs.
The army further defended their procurement process by noting that the lowest bid they received was indeed 520 baht per tray. They claimed this was comparable to prices from competing brands, highlighting Zebra’s promotional price of 515 baht and Seagull’s discounted rate of 520 baht. As per an army spokesperson, the usual price for a Zebra tray meeting army specs is about 650 baht, whereas Seagull generally charges around 619 baht.
Moreover, the armed forces emphasized their commitment to fair competition, ensuring the selected trays met the essential durability and safety standards required for military operations. However, this assurance failed to placate critics during the recent parliamentary session on the annual budget.
Mr. Wiroj sharply critiqued the procurement, noting that while the army’s trays might be slightly more spacious than ordinary models, they were in no way aligned with the actual meal requirements of the soldiers. He humorously likened them to “ritual offerings” rather than practical dining solutions.
He went on to suggest that the military would be better served by diverting more funds towards improving the quality of soldiers’ meals, rather than splurging on overpriced mess trays. The lawmaker also raised suspicions about whether the winning bidder was a licensed kitchenware supplier or merely an intermediary—a practice not uncommon in military procurement—whose plan was to source the trays from established brands.
In essence, the conundrum, peppered with both humor and scrutiny, has not only highlighted fissures in military procurement practices but also offered a deliciously ironic twist: budget-friendly, high-quality mess trays from trusted brands are merely a click away for the average consumer.
This is just another example of corruption in the military procurement process! Someone’s lining their pockets with taxpayer money.
Totally agree. The whole system needs a complete overhaul. How can they justify such a huge price difference?
Maybe it’s not corruption but just incompetence. Could be that they’re just really bad at negotiating prices?
Larry D, could it be because the army’s trays are of better quality? The article did say they’re thicker and more durable.
James K, even if they are better quality, the price difference is too big to ignore. Something smells fishy.
How convenient that suddenly these companies have promotions on the exact same trays. Feels like they’re just trying to capitalize on the publicity.
Samantha, maybe they’re actually doing us a favor by showing how much we’re being ripped off?
Promotions or not, the army needs to answer for wasting public funds. This is unacceptable!
Honestly, what’s the big deal about a tray? It’s just a piece of metal.
Edward, it’s about what the trays symbolize. Wasting money on trays implies deeper issues in military spending habits.
Sue Kim, okay, but are we really surprised? Corruption in government is as old as time. Not gonna lose sleep over some trays.
Support our troops by ensuring they get quality equipment, but this is crazy. The army should be accountable for every baht spent.
Did anyone consider that these trays might have extra features we’re not aware of? Military equipment often has hidden specs.
Tom W, hidden specs like what? A tray is a tray. It holds food, nothing more.
Ana Lopez, ever heard of military-grade? There could be specific standards that make them more expensive.
I don’t care about pricing, if soldiers get good quality equipment, it’s worth it.
Camilla, it’s not just about the soldiers. It’s about how taxpayer money is being spent. Efficiency is key.
If it’s that cheap for civilians, it should be even cheaper for the army buying in bulk. What gives?
Lenny, exactly! Bulk purchasing usually means discounts, not inflated prices.
Jenny Lee, there has to be more to this story. Investigations need to happen.
The whole procurement system is rigged. Too many intermediaries driving up costs.
Wiroj is right to ask these questions. Military budgets need transparency.
Dev Patel, sure but the military also has secretive operations. Transparency has its limits.
What about the soldiers’ meals? Shouldn’t that be the priority before fancy trays?
Ming Chen, exactly what Wiroj suggested. Better quality meals would be a more worthwhile investment.
This whole scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. I bet if we dig deeper, we’ll find even more wasteful spending.
At least Seagull and Zebra are giving us options. Maybe their trays are better for civilians anyway.
Can’t believe we’re arguing over trays when there are bigger issues at hand. It’s ridiculous!
Nina K, sometimes it’s the small issues that reveal the bigger problems. This could be a sign of broader issues.