No more plastic containers allowed for Thai PM's food

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday ordered his men to no longer use plastic or foam containers while serving him food.

Prayut said that he unknowingly ate some "pad kaprao moo sab khai dao" (fried basil leaves with minced pork, egg and rice) in a black plastic container prepared by his men while travelling on Wednesday to Sukhothai and Phitsanulok provinces. These provinces are flooded due to tropical storm Podul.

He said he ordered his men never to do so again, according to Xinhua news agency.

Prayut's comments apparently followed prompt reaction on social media to the evident use of the plastic container for his food in spite of his government's publicized campaign against the use of plastic or foam vessels and plastic bags to protect environment from undegradable waste.

Government spokesperson Naruemon Pinyosinwat posted on her Facebook page on Wednesday a clip of the Prime Minister eating food from the plastic container while on his way to the flooded area and commented it was his first meal of the day.