Photos reveal Supachai actively working in rice paddies, planting organic rice, and engaging with communities to hear their problems even before becoming a minister, reflecting her deep and genuine understanding and refuting claims that she develops policies from an ivory tower.
On 20 January 2026, reporters reported that following both criticism and support on social media regarding Mrs. Supachai Suthampan, Minister of Commerce and economic team member of the Bhumjaithai Party, responding to Ms. Sirikanya Tansakul, a People’s Party prime ministerial candidate, about rice export stockpiles of 100 tons, social media circulated photos of Supachai during her tenure as CEO of Dusit Thani. She developed organic rice free of contaminants supplied to five-star hotels, engaged with communities to listen to their issues, and worked planting rice in Huai Thap Than District, Sisaket Province, with plans to expand to many other communities. These images reflect her profound and practical understanding gained from engaging with villagers even before becoming a minister, demonstrating she is a genuine practitioner, not just a policy-maker isolated in an office.
While serving as Minister of Commerce in Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government, Supachai has played a crucial role in promoting Thai rice exports. She previously stated that over the past two months she has focused heavily on rice matters, negotiating sales of 500,000 tons to China and 100,000 tons to Singapore, raising rice prices from the lowest to the highest in the global market. Her goal is to increase farmers’ income by encouraging cultivation of higher-value crops before the government supports market development.
