A video showing the questionable hygiene practices of a famous chicken rice restaurant on Banthat Thong Road was shared by a customer.

 

The video, which quickly went viral on social media, exposed the staff’s method of cleaning glasses and straws used by patrons by dipping them into a bucket of water before arranging them on a shelf for new customers to use.

 

The alarming video prompted a flurry of online comments, with many expressing their disgust and concerns over the potential spread of diseases such as hepatitis B, C, E, and Covid-19. The original poster, who chose to remain anonymous, shared the footage in the We Are Consumers Facebook group, sparking a debate on the standards of cleanliness and safety in eateries.

 

The two-clip video, which some viewers may find disturbing, shows an employee submerging used glasses and straws in a bucket of water. Afterwards, another worker retrieves the glasses, removes the old straws, and places them on a shelf, ready for another customer to use. This practice raised questions about the effectiveness of such a cleaning method and the risks it poses to public health.

 

Social media users were quick to criticize the restaurant, with some suggesting that such practices would have led to legal action in other countries. Others shared their precautions, such as refusing glasses from restaurants, using only plastic-wrapped straws, or bringing their own drinking containers to avoid any health risks, reported KhaoSod.

 

The owner of the post expressed that their intention in sharing this experience was not to shame, but rather to raise awareness about cleanliness and hygiene in society, emphasising the responsibility everyone has in maintaining their health. The viral nature of the post demonstrates the power of social media in spotlighting health and safety concerns in everyday settings and underscores the need for restaurants to adhere to strict hygiene standards to protect their customers.

 

By Nattapong Westwood

Caption: Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-02-23

 

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6 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

cleaning glasses and straws used by patrons by dipping them into a bucket of water before arranging them on a shelf for new customers to use.

 

ewww

 

on the other hand they are making good with single use straws.

I never use a straw.

No health dept or oversight here.  Many of these places, even higher end could are uneducated or careless about proper hygiene.  Leaving raw meats sitting in the hot sun for hours or even days.  No hot water to clean utensils. 

Literally sickening.

This is the main reason I never eat food from street vendors. The food is very unhealthy, prepared in the street and the utensils are covered in germs. Who in there right mind wants to eat in the street with cars belching smoke and pollution.

1 minute ago, WhatMeWorry said:

Who in there right mind wants to eat in the street with cars belching smoke and pollution.

 

i like to call it kao phad diesel. 

27 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

i like to call it kao phad diesel. 

Is that a new local weed strain?

In many a thai restaurant that has it's washing area in the open air, one can see how they just dip the dirty dishes in a large cauldrons of water. If one looks closely in the kitchen, you may never again eat out.

Street food muck, as beloved by tourists and tik tokers, low quality food full of sugar, salt and msg cooked in nasty, sometimes very old palm oil. Never mind the rats and cockroaches running about and piles of dirty plates and cups festering in the sun 😆 Street food is as trendy as a 7/11 toasted sarnie.

Im amazed ive never got sick ( from food) in my 6-8 months in Thailand that i know of.   I did get what was like food poisoning, but i think it was feim swimming in some lake near Udon Thanni.  I went for a longish swim and think that i swallowed a bit to much lake water.  5 hours later my 10 hour intestine cleansing began.  I did eat some pizza a couple hours before.   Just know it was a bad night.  

22 minutes ago, Elkski said:

Im amazed ive never got sick ( from food) in my 6-8 months in Thailand that i know of.   I did get what was like food poisoning, but i think it was feim swimming in some lake near Udon Thanni.  I went for a longish swim and think that i swallowed a bit to much lake water.  5 hours later my 10 hour intestine cleansing began.  I did eat some pizza a couple hours before.   Just know it was a bad night.  

I do get sick every time I am in Thailand, and I don't even eat street food.

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

This practice raised questions about the effectiveness of such a cleaning method and the risks it poses to public health.

Not even hot water, this is a typical practice, especially in street venues and small roadside shops.

Why the surprise.

Who thinks night markets and venues like that ever use methods of sterilising crockery and utensils hygienically?

11 hours ago, WhatMeWorry said:

This is the main reason I never eat food from street vendors. The food is very unhealthy, prepared in the street and the utensils are covered in germs. Who in there right mind wants to eat in the street with cars belching smoke and pollution.

Locals.

Not to mention all the stray cats and rats hovering around many very popular thai restaurants. One may assume the stray cats are not doing their job.

Nothing new… this is a common practice in noodle shops and Restaurants.

It’s is impossible to get hep B and Hep C from unhygienic practices. Hep C can only be transmitted from blood to blood. Hep B can be transmitted from blood to blood or sexual fluid. The only hepatitis that can be spread from unhygienic practices poo to mouth spread by not washing your after you defecate is Hepatitis A. 

49 minutes ago, Tarteso said:

Nothing new… this is a common practice in noodle shops and Restaurants.

 

 

That what I was thinking, it's always been that way throughout the country.

 

All the street vendors do it and many of the temporary and permanent shops.

 

42 minutes ago, julsmark said:

It’s is impossible to get hep B and Hep C from unhygienic practices. Hep C can only be transmitted from blood to blood. Hep B can be transmitted from blood to blood or sexual fluid. The only hepatitis that can be spread from unhygienic practices poo to mouth spread by not washing your after you defecate is Hepatitis A. 

 

Then I would say there is a high risk of Hep A from street vendor stalls in particularly.

53 minutes ago, SingAPorn said:

Not to mention all the stray cats and rats hovering around many very popular thai restaurants. One may assume the stray cats are not doing their job.

 

 

OMG, The times I've seen them around Suriwongse and Silom.

 

Seen the size of them? Sure, the cats won't take them on.

If true Velly bad, but the Vid proves nothing, could just be rinsing them after washing them.

12 hours ago, still kicking said:

I do get sick every time I am in Thailand, and I don't even eat street food.

Lived here 20+ years. If I want food poisoning, I can get it more often from restaurant where you don't see food being prepared or dishes washed.... thinking of the Colonel and the clown. Check out how street food vendor looks, prep area, etc. I don't get sick from those places. Still kicking may have unknowingly presented the reason he gets sick every time he is in Thailand.... street food is safer than restaurants

2 hours ago, julsmark said:

It’s is impossible to get hep B and Hep C from unhygienic practices. Hep C can only be transmitted from blood to blood. Hep B can be transmitted from blood to blood or sexual fluid. The only hepatitis that can be spread from unhygienic practices poo to mouth spread by not washing your after you defecate is Hepatitis A. 

I know of a big box hardware outlet where the bathrooms are in a separate building. They have no paper or air machine to dry your hands, only a single cloth towel hanging on a hook for everyone to use. Been that way for 10 years.

15 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I never use a straw.

No health dept or oversight here.  Many of these places, even higher end could are uneducated or careless about proper hygiene.  Leaving raw meats sitting in the hot sun for hours or even days.  No hot water to clean utensils. 

Literally sickening.

 

You have highlighted the very reason many Thais use straws, as they worry that the glasses or metal cups are not washed and cleaned properly.

 

I also never use a straw, but have been chastised for not doing so on a number of occasions for the reason given above. 

The main thing that grts ke are these tree slices used ss cutting boards.  Cut up raw pork, chicken then veggies that are not going to be cooked.  We rook the 4 colored plastic cutting boards to wife's family in the village.   They couldn't understand.   Wife cooked separate for us lots of the time.  My western breakfast was amusing to the locals.  

Of course they wanted raw beef at iur wedding.   And they ate  raw fish with the ants too.  That was an interesting dish to prepare but no thanks. 

 

 

where is this video ?

13 minutes ago, john donson said:

where is this video ?

 

You can find the video here:   Source: The Thaiger 2024-02-23

Some of the worse cases of food poisonings I've had has been from 5 star hotels 

Are Thais still afraid of catching "Covid" from dirty glasses and dishes? Is this why they still wear their masks while seated at restaurants, refusing to take them off until the food arrives?

 

I certainly agree that what this restaurant is doing is unhygienic but man, move on from this Covid nonsense already. The entire world has forgotten about it and has more pressing concerns to worry about.

On 2/24/2024 at 11:31 AM, Elkski said:

The main thing that grts ke are these tree slices used ss cutting boards.  Cut up raw pork, chicken then veggies that are not going to be cooked.  We rook the 4 colored plastic cutting boards to wife's family in the village.   They couldn't understand.   Wife cooked separate for us lots of the time.  My western breakfast was amusing to the locals.  

Of course they wanted raw beef at iur wedding.   And they ate  raw fish with the ants too.  That was an interesting dish to prepare but no thanks. 

 

 

 

Eating raw beef and raw fish is amusing even to Thais and certainly to me especially at a wedding. It's "Baan nok" behavior so unless one wants to die of food poisoning or develop a serious case of parasites/bowel cancer, should be avoided at all costs. 

 

My question is, what kind of village hicks do you live amongst? Let me guess, do they eat dung beetles too? Ewww!!

You are in the wrong country to question hygiene surely 🤔

On 2/23/2024 at 8:06 PM, WhatMeWorry said:

This is the main reason I never eat food from street vendors. The food is very unhealthy, prepared in the street and the utensils are covered in germs. Who in there right mind wants to eat in the street with cars belching smoke and pollution.

 

Yeah I rarely eat from Street vendors except in tourist zones. For example, Ao Nang Krabi, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Luang Prabang, Laos, Pham Ngu Lao lane, Saigon, Vietnam. These sorts of places.

 

I would never sit down to a street vendor meal in Bangkok, as it's too hot, dirty and uncomfortable sitting outside. Better to eat inside an air-conditioned mall or an independent restaurant, which also has AC, comfortable seating and much higher hygiene standards.

The hygiene in any Thai restaurant kitchen, has been and always will be questionable, nothing is ever done by the so called health department  on checks in kitchens , not only restaurants, but  department stores that cook food   for take away, one in particular in pattaya klang  has rats running over the   sacks of rice