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Foreign Woman Leaves Restaurant Unpaid in Phuket

A foreign tourist in Phuket has drawn criticism after refusing to pay part of a restaurant bill at New Break Taek in Chalong, sparking a local media stir. The incident involved an 80 baht dispute over a strawberry smoothie the customer found unsatisfactory. Shared on Thai social media, the footage shows a heated exchange leading to the customer's partial payment and departure.

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Background discussions reveal the tourist, accompanied by her daughter and a Thai babysitter, ordered shrimp satay, a pineapple smoothie, and later requested a sugar-free strawberry smoothie. The total bill amounted to 455 baht. Following a complaint about portion size and taste, the restaurant offered to remake the drink, but she declined and paid only 375 baht for the satay and pineapple smoothie.

The incident has prompted a wave of online reactions, especially among local business operators in Phuket. Some suggest pre-payments, while others call for stricter legal measures against non-paying customers. Restaurant employees shared concerns about covering unpaid bills per policy, though management later absolved them after reviewing CCTV.

Looking ahead, local businesses are advised to exercise caution with foreign tourists, with some suggesting changes in billing practices. Meanwhile, this dispute marks a first for the long-standing restaurant, which prides itself on a 20-year history without similar issues.

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image.png  Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Thaiger · 22 May 2026

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jippytum Platinum Member

jippytum

Advanced Member
3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Would like to know if the drink was finished or not.

not finlshed. There was an offer to remix the frink

richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

Advanced Member
1 minute ago, jippytum said:
3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Would like to know if the drink was finished or not.

not finlshed. There was an offer to remix the frink

... and maybe by that time they'd finished the other items and didn't want a 'remake' etc...

I'd have just paid and left - But can fully understand why someone else wouldn't, a lot of the Thai's I know would also contest this bill if the smoothie was awful and they returned it.

Yagoda Star Member

Yagoda

Advanced Member
9 hours ago, roo860 said:

Deffo a Yank, world's worst for complaining.

We dont complain over $1.

Keeenok Powell Silver Member

Keeenok Powell

Advanced Member
10 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I dont now, Ones I do I know them, most of 7/11 stuff I cannot eat now mainly because of the high sodium content, My wife is doing her best to keep me alive,

Good strategy ,some of us are worth more alive.

norsurin Gold Member

norsurin

Advanced Member
On 5/25/2026 at 12:19 PM, Sir Dude said:

So many cheap Charlie tourists here now. What? you argue over an 80 baht drink... trailer park trash. No wonder Thais say all sorts about cheap tourists (I could quote the Thai phrase for it, but won't)... just a joke and a silly nasty entitled bitch.

KI NOK..bird<deleted>

ChipButty Star Member

ChipButty

Advanced Member
18 hours ago, mijens said:

Did you went to a clinic or hospital after that horrible incident?

I was already in hospital, wired up to the monitor,

PJ71 Platinum Member

PJ71

Advanced Member
On 5/25/2026 at 5:37 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Plenty of expats and Thai families have nannies here - it’s completely normal and has nothing to do with entitlement.

It's not completely normal Dicky Boy, what sort of % would you expect it to be?

I've lived on fancy moo baans and in rural thailand and barely seen a handful of nannies, so it's not normal.

PJ71 Platinum Member

PJ71

Advanced Member
17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Our favourite Pad Krapow place dropped in quality recently - poor chicken, clearly cheaper ingredients. We gave feedback twice, nothing changed, so now we simply don’t order from them anymore. That’s how businesses lose customers.

Do you think they care?

mijens Apprentice Member

mijens

Member
20 hours ago, off road pat said:

Bad Strawberries, Bad Milk. She asked for sugar-free !! Maybe they put sugar out of habit in the kitchen.

I had it numerous times that there was bad coordination between the waiter/waitress and the kitchen.

MSG added, when clearly asked for no MSG. (Mai sai Pong Charot, Na khrap)

Very spicy when clearly asked for no Spicy (Mai Phet, na khrap)

She drank it so couldn't be that bad. BTW, never had a strawberry smoothie with milk in LOS, happy with the icy ones

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