Pattaya restaurant owner criticised for beating her employees

A Thai customer and netizens condemned the owner of a BBQ restaurant in Pattaya for brutally punishing her employees with beatings.

A customer at the restaurant witnessed the owner’s punishment on her staff and shared a video of the incident on social media. In the video, the female restaurant owner is seen beating a male staff member wearing a red shirt with a wooden stick. The owner struck the man 11 times in front of other staff members and customers.

The video quickly went viral, grabbing the attention of several Thai news agencies, prompting reporters to seek more details on the punishment.

The customer, who shared the video, told PPTV HD that the male employee and five others were punished because they were late for work.

The punishment stirred controversy on Thai social media. A great number of Thai netizens disagreed with this method of punishment, stating that it violated human rights.

Some argued that while some workers deserved punishment for repeated rule violations, others disagreed, suggesting that repeated wrongdoing should result in a salary cut or job termination.

The restaurant owner, 33 year old Yuwadee Boonsarn, later clarified the situation with several media outlets. Yuwadee clarified that beatings were the prescribed punishment for employees who arrived late to work. She added that this disciplinary measure was a rule unanimously agreed upon by all staff members at the restaurant.

Employees defend boss

Yuwadee stated that she used to deduct five baht per minute from late employees’ salaries but some employees almost lost their entire income due to this rule.

She then started to punish them with a week to two-week suspension but the employees struggled to pay their bills. Eventually, they agreed to accept beatings as punishment for being late.

Yuwadee emphasised that she sought her employees’ consent for this punishment and they agreed without anger. Everyone involved signed an agreement, including Yuwadee, who stated she would also be subject to the same punishment if she arrived late.

An 18 year old male employee in the video, Pacharapon Sidapromp, told PPTV HD that he was not angry at Yuwadee. He wanted netizens to understand that he and others agreed on the punishment.

Another employee, 22 year old Nattawadee Komonwanit, defended Yuwadee as a kind employer who chose physical punishment over financial deductions. She urged netizens not to criticise Yuwadee, saying they worked together like family members.

However, despite Pacharapon’s acceptance of the punishment, his mother, 37 year old Anong, disagreed with the punishment and reported the matter to the Mueang Pattaya Police Station.

Yuwadee later announced the cancellation of the punishment, opting instead to deduct employees’ salaries. She explained that she previously chose beatings out of concern for her employees’ income but she would no longer involve herself in the matter.

Nevertheless, deducting employees’ salaries for lateness still violates Thai labour laws under Section 76 of the Labour Protection Act. Employers who fail to comply with the law may face imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.