Bangkok restaurant owner accused of trying to slap foreign tourists

A Thai tour guide accused the owner of a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant in Bangkok of attempting to slap foreign tourists after a reservation dispute.

The Facebook user, Burapa Seiko, shared the story on the Facebook page, พวกเราคือผู้บริโภค (meaning “we are consumers”), yesterday, August 22. He introduced himself as a tour guide who provides services to foreigners travelling in Thailand.

Burapa disclosed that he visited the restaurant on Banthat Thong Road in Bangkok at about 6.30pm on Wednesday, August 21, to reserve a table for his five foreign clients. However, the restaurant did not take his reservation, stating that the foreigners must reserve the table themselves.

Burapa then informed the restaurant that he would sit and dine with the foreigners, so the restaurant gave him a queue number. The foreigners later arrived at the restaurant at 6.50pm and waited outside until 8.10pm, when their queue number was called.

Burapa and the foreigners entered the restaurant and ordered food before the customers asked Burapa to buy snacks for them from another store across the street. So, Burapa left the restaurant to go to the other store.

Unexpectedly, Burapa received a call from the foreign tourists, saying the restaurant refused to serve them food and asked them to leave. Burapa rushed back to check on the situation.

According to Burapa, the restaurant accused him of violating its rules by selling the reservation to the foreigners. Burapa insisted that he had simply booked the restaurant for them and waited with them for an hour outside the restaurant.

Netizens’ similar stories

Burapa urged the restaurant workers to check the security camera footage to prove his account but the workers refused to do so and insisted they leave the premises.

Burapa revealed that one of the foreigners rushed to speak with the restaurant owner about the incident. He guessed that the owner could not communicate in English and shouted at his foreign clients in Thai.

“What the f*ck! I’ll slap you now if you don’t leave. I’ll call the police to drag you all out!”

Burapa stated that the owner not only shouted but also raised her hand as if she was going to attack the foreigner.

The Thai tour guide stated that he and his clients left the restaurant after that and decided to share the story with the public, finding the action unfair and violent.

Many netizens shared their similar experiences at the restaurant in the comments section. One netizen said the restaurant owner did not have a service mind, while another said she and her foreign friends were kicked out of the restaurant for a similar reason.

Others pointed out that the restaurant had taken over the footpath in the area, which is considered illegal. Some suggested that the owner earned more than enough to relocate the restaurant to another spot where there would be more space for her customers.

As of now, the restaurant owner has not yet come forward to clarify the matter to the public.