It seems famous Bangkok chef Jay Fai is in hot water.
The restaurant owner has been fined following a complaint by a YouTuber, who had said that she had to pay a much higher bill for a dish at the eatery.
It all started when YouTuber Peachii headed to Michelin-starred food joint for a meal.
But the London-based YouTuber left with an unpleasant surprise — a 4,000 baht (S$160) bill for a dish listed on the menu as just 1,500 baht, Bangkok Post reported.
Sharing her experiences on social media platform X last Friday (Aug 15), Peachii said the restaurant had justified the higher price by mentioning that the crab used came from a “better source”.
However, she noted that she had not requested for the premium version of the dish.
Her dining companion Pattarapha Chadit had attempted to address the confusion.
Chef Jay Fai, whose real name is Supinya Junsuta, had recognised Peachii’s dining companion, a regular patron, and went on to cook dishes prior to asking.
Pattarapha added: “I didn’t explain this to my friend, so a misunderstanding occurred. It was just special cooking for familiar patrons or VVIP customers.”
Peachii’s complaint eventually went viral.
Thai Commerce Minister Jatuporn Buruspat then announced on Aug 18 that the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) would investigate the case further, reported Bangkok Post.
Authorities from the DIT, along with officials from the Office of the Consumer Protection Board and the consumer protection police division, headed down to the restaurant on Aug 20.
Chef Jay Fai was subsequently fined 2,000 baht for not displaying the price tag for a special version of its crabmeat omelette, the Thai publication said.
The 4,000-baht menu item has since been added to the menu, in response to DIT’s regulations.
Officials are also checking the cost of ingredients used at the restaurant to determine if it is overcharging customers.
In Thailand, overcharging carries a fine of up to 140,000 baht and, or a jail term of up to seven years.
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amierul@asiaone.com
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