Mr Wacharin shows his welfare card, but on his multiple Instagram accounts he has a different image. The adoptive mother of a male model who recently drew public criticism on social media after posting a photo of his state welfare card, which lies in stark contrast to his apparently well-to-do lifestyle, claims her son is genuinely poor. Warun Tintachat said her son was unfairly implicated by the media, and that Wacharin Tankuranant is impoverished and lives on instant noodles and eggs. And when this welfare card came around, we too wanted to use it in our daily lives because we're not rich," she said. The controversy raised doubt about how the state welfare cards are being managed and if the budget is being spent wisely.

Source: Bangkok Post October 31, 2017 21:11 UTC