A foreign woman has drawn criticism on social media for refusing to pay her bill at a restaurant in Phuket, claiming that one of her drinks did not meet her expectations. The incident took place at the New Break Taek restaurant located in Chalong on Saturday, May 23, and has since gained significant attention on Thai social platforms.
Video footage that has been widely shared online depicts the woman dining with her daughter and a Thai woman, who is presumed to be a babysitter. The clip shows them exiting the restaurant after declining to pay a portion of their 80 baht bill, with the Thai woman following them outside.
This incident has sparked outrage among local business owners, with many recalling other similar occurrences of unpaid bills in Phuket. Some proprietors have suggested that restaurants should require upfront payment, while others are advocating for stricter legal measures against customers who refuse to pay for their orders.
In response to the incident, two employees from the restaurant spoke with Thai media to clarify the situation. They reported that the foreign customer initially ordered shrimp satay and a pineapple smoothie, later requesting a strawberry smoothie without sugar. After the meals and drinks were served, the total bill reached 455 baht. However, the woman objected to the bill, stating that the shrimp portions were insufficient and the strawberry smoothie was not to her liking.
The staff reportedly apologized and offered to remake the drink to her specifications, but she refused. Following further discussion, the customer consented to pay for the shrimp satay and pineapple smoothie amounting to 375 baht but continued to dispute the charge for the strawberry drink before departing.
Initially, the staff feared they would have to cover the unpaid 80 baht themselves due to restaurant policy. However, after reviewing CCTV footage, the restaurant owner decided that the employees would not be held accountable for the cost.
The restaurant staff urged caution for other establishments in Phuket when serving customers, especially foreign tourists. They also noted that the restaurant has been in operation for over 20 years and this was the first occurrence of such a dispute.
Source: The Thaiger
