Food Panda scurry to repair damage after widespread social media boycott calls

[webfact]

Picture: Sanook

 

Food Panda the delivery firm desperately tried to repair the damage caused to their business by a trending hashtag calling for a boycott. 

 

"#banfoodpanda" went ballistic after reports that one of their staff was sacked for attending anti-government protests. 

 

This perhaps shows the extent of resentment against the government at this time as much as bitterness towards the delivery firm, suggest ASEAN Now.

 

By removing an employee the firm was seen as aligning with the government producing a million person backlash. 

 

In a long and winding statement the company mentioned the controversy and seemed to say that no rider had been sacked. 

 

They attempted to say they believed in free speech and were there for all their customers.

 

They insisted they were not in the business of limiting dissent that was not violent. 

 

They said they were "creating careers for everyone without discrimination"

 

"We are always by your side" the management suggested.

 

Sanook said this did little to stop the boycott calls being made on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

One small post they itemised suggesting that accounts should be closed and people should switch to Grab had nearly 500 likes. 

 

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[Geoffggi]

Food Panda are a food delivery service and should keep out of politics altogether, serves them right if they loose custom

 

[NCC1701A]

well they did publicly call their employee a terrorist and vowed to help the government track him down which of course means a long prison sentence. 

 

he was doing the really bad no no thing so they are sort of stuck.   

[Sticky Rice Balls]

No money--no honey! delivered that is.....for my tea

[mtls2005]

Hate to kill an endangered species but Food Panda is dead to me.

 

 

Management should focus on delivering food, and not sucking up to the regime.

 

If it's not about food delivery put a sock in it.

 

 

 

 

[BobinBKK]

You can't put the toothpaste back into the tube... 555

[steven100]

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

attending anti-government protests. 

yes ......  employees should concentrate on their work and support the company that pays them,  not go around getting into politics.  

[mtls2005]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

yes ......  employees should concentrate on their work and support the company that pays them,  not go around getting into politics.  

If only prayut had taken your advice...

 

but no, he had to go around getting involved in politics, instead of concentrating on his work.

 

 

 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

26 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

well they did publicly call their employee a terrorist

I'm being terrorized by their YouTube ads. Every damn video. Dear God. I can't even order them out here if I wanted to.

[dddave]

I think it's reasonable for a company to not allow employees to display branded company apparel or logo'd equipment at any kind of public demonstration but it's also obvious that "Food Panda" completely over-reacted.   I hate to see an organized boycott though as the persons hurt most by it will be the drivers who are barely eking out a living as it is. 

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

They attempted to say they believed in free speech and were there for all their customers.

Yes, very true. Indirectly saying that no feelings is left for the employees. All is all, and there is nothing more.

[mtls2005]

9 minutes ago, dddave said:

I think it's reasonable for a company to not allow employees to display branded company apparel or logo'd equipment at any kind of public demonstration 

Uhm, yeah, as long as you've advised them of the "rules". And not some vague wording in a 20 page T & C.

 

Issue an internal memo, have meetings with them, train them on the rules. And with the first infraction try not to go full-on dictator on them by defaming them, issue a warning. The next infraction results in a temporary suspension (5 days?). The third, permanent suspension.

 

Or just lose your cool and blow your business to heck.

 

Honestly, this stuff is management 101, and not really complicated.

 

 

 

And are they really "employees"? I don't know. Are they part of the social security safety net?

 

[ikke1959]

It shows how sick the people are of this Government.. Any one who seems to support it will be banned, and it started with Foodpanda.. a warning for other businesses, don't support the Government

[ArcticFox]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes ......  employees should concentrate on their work and support the company that pays them,  not go around getting into politics.  

A Statement From The Office Of The Prime Minister:
"Employees should concentrate on their work and support the company that pays them,  not go around getting into politics."

Now get your butt's back to work!

#Satire_off

[TimBKK]

2 hours ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

I'm being terrorized by their YouTube ads. Every damn video. Dear God. I can't even order them out here if I wanted to.

If you are an AIS subscriber they have an offer for YT 

premium for 159b, less than 5 USD per month.  

[colinneil]

I see the Food Panda rider involved in this has been arrested for apparently burning a photo/ banner of the King.

[Mac Mickmanus]

8 minutes ago, colinneil said:

I see the Food Panda rider involved in this has been arrested for apparently burning a photo/ banner of the King.

Yes, it was caught on video , attempting to set fire to a banner/photo.

   I think that's a minimum of three years jail time for him 

[Pedrogaz]

My beef with Food Panda is the quality of their delivery drivers. Worst drivers on the road, in my opinion. I had two near miss accident situations with two of their drivers this morning on a short journey. One drove through a red light and turned right, into my lane as I was turning on a green light. I was 5 seconds into my green light, and there is a 4 or 5 second delay between changing lights....so he was 9 or 10 seconds into a red light; he didn't even look or slow down. 

[Eindhoven]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

well they did publicly call their employee a terrorist and vowed to help the government track him down which of course means a long prison sentence. 

 

he was doing the really bad no no thing so they are sort of stuck.   

Whoops...if they did that then no mealy mouthed excuse is going to cut it. Another western firm bites the dust. That's what happens when you kiss the butts of dict....whoops....fingers got carried away.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

And are they really "employees"?

The ridiculous new "gig economy". They're only employees when it suits them. Like now, when they need to be punished. But when they need help? Oh no, they're "independent contractors", to whom they could give a flying F.

[mikosan]

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Hate to kill an endangered species but Food Panda is dead to me.

 

 

Management should focus on delivering food, and not sucking up to the regime.

 

If it's not about food delivery put a sock in it.

 

 

 

 

And I would like to do the same. However, l have reservations because of the likelihood that many other riders will lose their jobs as a result of the boycott action.

[HappyinNE]

Many restaurants in Nong Khai stopped using Panda.  My son in law a Panda driver just quit and tomorrow will drive for Grab.  Tough on Panda drivers as it will take most a while to switch to Grab.  

[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

one of their staff was sacked for attending anti-government protests. 

From The Nation's "breaking news" today (and for reference);-

"A foodpanda delivery staff, who allegedly took part in an anti-government protest on Sunday, was arrested in Pathum Thani province on Monday on several charges.

Police on Monday arrested ...................... following a Criminal Court warrant on charges that included defaming, insulting and threatening the King and Queen, arson, and violation of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations, which prohibit public gathering in maximum control areas during the pandemic."

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003478

 

IMO Very "convenient" for Food Panda to save face??????

But damage done!!

Edited July 20, 2021 by Burma Bill
additional information

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes ......  employees should concentrate on their work and support the company that pays them,  not go around getting into politics.  

What they do in their private life is private... nothing to do with the company.

They own you when you're clocked in... not off the clock.

[unblocktheplanet]

We cancelled our two Foodpanda accounts today. We don't need arrogant scum sucking up to the regime. 

[Heng]

Lots of TikToks trying to get people to boycott Lotus, True, and 7-11 as well.   Good luck, kind of like trying to avoid Made in China products.   

[Benmart]

Just uninstalled FP. 

[Dart12]

Foodpanda LOVES pandemic rules.

Check their profit growth last year and a half.

Going against gov pandemic laws is going against Foodpanda themselves

Panda not even sucking up to gov.  this is capitalism on their part.

Edited July 20, 2021 by Dart12

[Jingthing]

Food Panda is not the problem.

 

They make a good safe scapegoat though.

 

Ordered from them today.

 

No I'm not buying that boycotting Food Panda is a real action of protest. It's fake. It's meaningless. It's hashtag activism.

 

Ordering from Food Panda is ordering from Food Panda because you want what they're selling. Nothing more.

 

To add. Thai politics for Thais. Expats shouldn't touch it with a 100 meter pole.

 

 

Edited July 20, 2021 by Jingthing

[MrJ2U]

Im definitely using a different delivery service.

 

The driver has been arrested and faces some serious charges.  Im sure Panda offered all the information to have him arrested easier.

 

In other countries his actions would be considered a protest.  

 

Hopefully these protests gather more steam!