Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai social media was abuzz with comment after the Amber House coffee shop and restaurant in Ubon Ratchathani posted that three cops left without paying.

 

Their bill was 200 baht.

 

Thai Rath reporters went to meet Lt-Gen Wathanyu Khaochaimaha and two subordinates, a man and a woman. 

 

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He said that they had arrived early in Ubon for the funeral prayers of a colleague who died so they went to get something to eat and drink.

 

But because they each did some ordering and thought the other had paid the bill ended up not being sorted. 

 

It has now been rectified with the coffee shop assured that it was all a misunderstanding. 

 

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Must have been a new member of staff who did not know the "(non) Billing Process" for the BIB.  I am sure the owner(s) will be grovelling round the Police station and giving the staff a stiff talking to.

I would call this Habit!!

Oh dear. Big loss of face.

 

One suspects that the coffee shop owner might be becoming acquainted with the inside of a plastic bag in the not too distant future.

a mistake??? leaving without paying??? What if common people do this, how much will they be fined than? Is taking things with no payment not called shoplifting??..... Always excuses instead of admitting it was their mistake. 

Never saw this uniforms before.

200Baht for 3 people.
Can't have been a lot.

 

Strange that everything is called here: "A misunderstanding".

Seems the coffee shop employee was the one who misunderstood.

The oldest and richest always pays the whole bill--at least that is what my Thai friends assure me with a smile. Maybe these guys couldn't decide who qualified.

Its the 'wink wink, nudge nudge, we'll catch you later' attitude by self entitled public servants, nothing new, what new is that the business owner wouldn't have a bar of it and raising a stink...

Should put a sign outside "police officers not welcomed".

How long before this place gets raided and shutdown now?

I have no problem with police getting free snacks.

But it would only be polite to offer to pay, even if payment was refused.

Bold faced lies,misunderstanding ,MY Foot..! they are lieing and should be charged with theft like everybody else that didn't pay by doing 'A runner'

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I have no problem with police getting free snacks.

 

I agree, if they stopped being as lazy less often and acting like the keystone cops as often !

1 hour ago, Edwin Cameron said:

Bold faced lies,misunderstanding ,MY Foot..! they are lieing and should be charged with theft like everybody else that didn't pay by doing 'A runner'

you really don't understand "TIT", do you champ? ????

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Amber House coffee shop and restaurant in Ubon Ratchathani posted that three cops left without paying (...)

Well, times are tough, and there are less brown envelopes to pay for dining out. ????

well I'm glad that's cleared up, always good to read about a happy ending.

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Oh dear. Big loss of face.

 

One suspects that the coffee shop owner might be becoming acquainted with the inside of a plastic bag in the not too distant future.

Fair point.

 

On the other hand I've got several Thai friends/colleagues who are not afraid of/hate the police/are not frightened of the police/ know who to contact quickly if they feel any intimidation and know there will be action taken.  

I have done this. With open restaurants, especially when stepping outside for a smoke, it is easier to make this mistake here than, say, in the US. Of course, being old and absent minded didn't help. Fortunately, it was a place I visit often, so they knew I would be back in the next day or two, and then politely pointed out my mistake. Paid with a huge tip for the inconvenience to them and a look of embarrassment on my face.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

It has now been rectified with the coffee shop assured that it was all a misunderstanding. 

for 200 baht I would have kept quiet... that's gonna cost them a lot more in the future.

6 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Oh dear. Big loss of face.

 

One suspects that the coffee shop owner might be becoming acquainted with the inside of a plastic bag in the not too distant future.

I was more inclined to think a defamation charge ….

Had the same, back in the day of my restaurant, when nine (9) government officials steamrollered in apparently checking on something. They all ordered some soft drinks while I got the permits for playing music in public places, selling alcohol, selling tobacco products, selling food as well as the staff attendance records. They then wanted to see the company registration papers etc. 

As all was ok and above the radar, they had nothing else to do and wanted to leave without payment. I stopped the second one and told him, that they would own nine soft drinks at 50 Baht each, totally 450 Baht. The senior group leader then remarked, that they would be "government officers on duty" and hence usually they never had to pay. 

I reverted that I have to pay for all those licenses and who, if not customers eating and drinking at my place, would pay for it. So, if they would give me free licenses then they could benefit of a freebie in return. 

They had to go Dutch, put the money together with an extremely unhappy face and left - never to be seen again! 

Based on what do these crooks and highway robbers think that they are beyond everything here? 

There is NO exccuse for siipping a bill.

Especially "law enfoorcement officers".

3 hours ago, timendres said:

I have done this. With open restaurants, especially when stepping outside for a smoke, it is easier to make this mistake here than, say, in the US. Of course, being old and absent minded didn't help. Fortunately, it was a place I visit often, so they knew I would be back in the next day or two, and then politely pointed out my mistake. Paid with a huge tip for the inconvenience to them and a look of embarrassment on my face.

It happened to me once at a bar in Washington Square on a Sunday night. On Monday I went up country and came back on the Friday and was presented with my 4,xxx bar bill. I paid it and apologised and they told me that they knew I would be back as it was my regular hangout.

 

Some how the phrase "Stupid boy, Pike" stuck in my head for weeks after.

It's two thing you have to learn about Thailand , first if you get taken for crime/corruption and are a official it's always a "Misunderstanding" second if you have a car accident then you blame " brakefaliure" live and learn Thaistyle.

Thailand LOM, Land of Misunderstandings. Smiles are  optional. These 3

RTP members seem to have early dementia. Glad it was settled.

Common practice, seen it a lot. A few years back there was a restaurant near Donmuang airport that was frequently visited by a high ranking officer and his buddies and cranked up a 20000Baht bill. 
The woman went to the media as they refused to pay. They were not happy. 

On 4/20/2022 at 2:32 PM, Lemsta69 said:

well I'm glad that's cleared up, always good to read about a happy ending.

That was later when they went to the massage shop for a coffee......

Saw a cop on Sukhumvit grab a snack from a vendor, munch it down and throw the wrapped on the ground. 

Had one living in our condo not paying the common fees as he considers himself an unpaid security guard.

On 4/20/2022 at 10:41 AM, RafPinto said:

Never saw this uniforms before.

200Baht for 3 people.
Can't have been a lot.

 

Strange that everything is called here: "A misunderstanding".

WHEN IT is the B I B !!!!