Beware the bill dodger: Thai rescue warns Bangkok eateries of Thai man’s seizure scam

A Thai rescue foundation issued a scam warning to restaurants and bars in Bangkok, urging them to remain vigilant for a Thai man who has been repeatedly feigning seizures after meals to avoid paying his bills.

The rescue team, stationed in the Phattanakarn, On Nut, Srinagarindra, and Suan Luang neighborhoods of Bangkok urged the media to highlight the Thai man’s scam among restaurants in the surrounding areas.

The rescue team explained that the Thai man, whose identity has not been revealed, dines at a restaurant or bar and pretends to suffer from a sudden seizure upon finishing his food. He’s employed this deceptive tactic multiple times, managing to avoid payment until rescuers became familiar with his antics.

Kittipong, a rescuer from the San Klong Ruamkatanyu Foundation, revealed to Channel 7 that he last encountered the man last year. The man usually visited the restaurants and bars alone at night and ordered food and drink at a total of over 2,000 to 3,000 baht.

Upon receiving the bill, the man would simulate a seizure, lying on the ground or feigning unconsciousness. Restaurant owners or staff, believing it to be a genuine emergency, would seek help from rescue teams, giving the man an opportunity to flee during the chaos.

Kittipong highlighted that the rescuers eventually recognised the feigned symptoms, yet they sometimes found it difficult to decline requests for assistance from restaurants. He lamented that such instances wasted valuable time that could have been devoted to aiding individuals in genuine emergencies.

According to Kittipong, many restaurants failed to report these incidents to the police. Even when they did, the penalties imposed were insufficient to deter the man from repeating his scams. Police officers merely advised him to desist from his actions.

The rescuer emphasised that there was little the rescue team could do beyond cautioning food establishments to be wary of this individual. Due to the leniency of legal repercussions, allowing him to continue his scams.