Dine-and-dash: Fake cop shirks 1,500 baht bill from Michelin-starred Jay Fai

Bangkok’s culinary Michelin-starred hotspot, Jay Fai, fell victim to a brazen food theft, leaving locals and tourists stunned as a fake cop vanished after downing a delectable 1,500-baht feast.

The Samranrat Police Station is hot on the trail of the impostor but with no affiliation to their force.

Colonel Tossapon Ampaipipatkul, the superintendent leading the investigation, reassured that the police would nab the culprit without fail. However, the audacious thief managed to pull off a daring heist right under the noses of the renowned street-food chef, Jay Fai, and her team.

The escapade unfolded when a customer, masquerading as a police inspector on urgent duty, bypassed the queue and ordered a sumptuous takeaway without parting with a single baht. Jay Fai’s daughter, who bravely confronted the con artist, described him as a middle-aged man of modest stature, cunningly exploiting his disguise to whisk away the prized crab meat omelette and Pad Kaprao.

Lamenting the absence of security cameras, Jay Fai’s daughter disclosed the rarity of such incidents, though some patrons have also attempted to escape paying their dues. With over three decades of culinary excellence, Jay Fai’s streetside eatery has become a fixture in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district, attracting a flurry of patrons, including Michelin Guide aficionados, reported The Nation.

Despite the setback, Jay Fai’s gastronomic prowess continues to draw crowds, with queues stretching beyond 200 during peak hours.

In related news, a restaurant owner in Chon Buri province is seeking justice after 20 customers refused to pay a 15,000 baht bill for food and drink. The customers claimed the cuisine was poor despite enjoying the abode’s ambience for over four hours.

In other news, a violent storm recently wreaked havoc in the province of Loei, with fierce winds throwing a person more than 3 metres away from a seafood restaurant. The intense weather event occurred on Tuesday, February 27, causing extensive damage to multiple areas in the Phu Ruea district. Security camera footage captured the moment the restaurant’s steel doors buckled under the wind’s force, slamming into an individual.