Rakchanok and Sahaswat visited the 12-million-baht canteen at the Ministry of Labor for lunch and submitted a letter to Labor Minister Trinuch, demanding progress on the Social Security Board election. The Deputy Permanent Secretary led the reception before a dispute erupted after 'Ice' made an offhand remark.
On 26 February 2026 at the Ministry of Labor, Ms. Rakchanok Srinok, a prospective party-list Member of Parliament (MP) from the People's Party, accompanied by Mr. Sahaswat Khumkhong, a prospective MP for Chonburi Constituency 7 from the People's Party, and Ms. Thanaporn Wijan, a prospective party-list MP from the People's Party, came to follow up and demand the election of the Social Security Committee, or Social Security Board. They stopped at the Ministry of Labor canteen, ordered stewed pork leg with rice, green curry, and stir-fried preserved radish, and ate amid numerous media reporters covering the event.
Ms. Rakchanok said the food was delicious and reasonably priced but the portions were large so she ate little. She had never seen the canteen's condition before the renovation, which now looked good. She did not comment on whether the renovation was good or bad. The space belongs to the Ministry of Labor, so the budget should come from public funds, not the 12 million baht from the Social Security Fund, which belongs to insured persons. Mr. Sahaswat added that although there was an attempt to say the renovation was to accommodate insured persons coming to contact the government, the actual number using it and the appropriateness remain questionable.
After trying the canteen services, they submitted a letter to Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labor, requesting a halt to revising the Ministry of Labor’s regulations on the criteria and procedures for electing employer and insured representatives to the Social Security Committee. They urged an election within 45 days from the expiration of the previous board’s term on 13 February 2026. They also asked for clarification on public concerns regarding investment risks involving SKYY9 building, EA securities, and STARK. Ms. Buppha Ruangsud, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Ms. Malakalarn Hopratum, Inspector General of the Social Security Office, and Mr. Maitri Khunthong, Director of the Legal Division of the Social Security Office, represented the ministry to receive the letter and explained delays in releasing public consultation results on the new election regulations and whether the ministry would proceed under the new or previous regulations used in the 2023 election.
The reporter reported that Ms. Rakchanok and Mr. Sahaswat asked about the schedule for releasing the public consultation results, as several days had passed without progress, and expressed doubts about whether the feedback would be altered. Ms. Malakalarn promised to provide the raw data on 27 February and to make it public on 6 March. The Social Security Office’s explanation faced repeated challenges for lack of clarity and evasive answers. Ms. Rakchanok inadvertently said, "Asking a cow and getting a buffalo's answer," which caused the meeting to break up. The Deputy Permanent Secretary showed displeasure and immediately left the interview, followed by the Social Security Office team who had come to provide explanations. ."
