Saucy coffee shop PR stunt backfires

Police are considering pressing charges against the owner of a coffee shop in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district, who posted a video clip and photos of two models wearing not much more than a barista apron and underwear while serving coffee to customers.

The photos and video clip, meant as an advertisement to attract more visitors to the coffee shop, have been widely shared on Thai social media with many criticising the move as a PR stunt.

Police said they had already summoned the coffee shop owner and the models to report to police late on Sunday.

https://www.facebook.com/KreauSahapat/videos/2036202213086464/

Officers said the image could be a violation to the Computer Act because the images were uploaded to a computer accessible by the public. Violations are punishable with a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht.

The coffee shop owner Prasong Sukkorn said he posted the ad with the intention of being ‘sexy’, not lewd or tarnishing to the image of Thai society.

The 50-year-old owner of Coffee On Day near the Kasempol intersection in Tambon Plu Ta Luang, said the idea stemmed from an offer from a model to help promote the coffee shop in exchange for free coffee.

But police say, even though the owner said he had no ill intention and had already removed the clip and photos, the offence had already been committed.