Same thing, had meal at coffee club in Patong and asked for toilet and they said use nearby hotel and reception never blinked an eye so was a little surprised, just about every bar has a free toilet so there is really no excuse, plus large shopping centres have free toilets.
That’s one expensive mistake he won’t make again! Smart enough to have money to afford but not smart enough to grab keys from fallen bike or memorise/take photos of number plate.