KFC Thailand in earthquake promotion apology

BANGKOK, April 12, 2012 (AFP) - KFC Thailand apologised on Thursday for a post on its Facebook page urging Thais to hurry home and monitor earthquake news with a promotional bucket of chicken as tsunami fears gripped the nation.

While people in coastal areas rushed to reach higher ground in the wake of a huge earthquake in Indonesia on Wednesday, the KFC Thailand fan page told followers to order a takeaway.

"People should hurry home this evening to monitor the earthquake situation and don't forget to order the KFC menu, which will be delivered direct to your hands," it said.

The post, which was later removed, generated a storm of outrage on Thai webpages.

"The person behind this advertisement should be fired for their lack of common sense and responsibility," said one of the dozens of posters on the subject on the Pantip web board.

A new message on the KFC Facebook page on Thursday apologised for the "mistake".

"The KFC Thailand fanpage team... would like to apologise for an inappropriate post relating to the disaster," it said.

An Indian Ocean-wide tsunami alert was issued after a 8.6-magnitude quake struck off the city of Banda Aceh and was followed by another undersea quake measured at 8.2.

The tremor prompted fears of a repeat of the 9.1-magnitude quake in 2004 that unleashed an Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 220,000 people, including an estimated 5,400 people in Thailand alone.

But no large tsunami was generated by Wednesday's earthquakes, during which five people in Aceh province died.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-04-12

Was this the Kentucky Fried Rat we hear so much about?

On one level stocking up on food in the event of a coming disaster makes sense,

but this promotion idea was daft. I don't think the one person who did this should get fired,

but a lot off lost face is deserved and coming his way.

Not only the Tsunami is dangerous. Sitting in front of the TV eating fried chicken is dangerous for your health too.

At least you know you won't starve...regardless....did i read the words lack of common sense? where are we after all? anyway,imagine being ordered to bunkers before a nuclear attack and they make this offer,pretty cool I'd say...all in all,great it didn't happen.

Come on, they're just a buncha opportunists

dont see the problem.. but then again im not one of those neo-<deleted> that get offended and cry to their mommies every single day when someone looks at them the wrong way.

those born 50 years ago had it good. Anyone complaining about something as stupid as this would get tied to a tree and left there for a night back then. no whining little girls were allowed to exist publicly without major punishment.

this is SO thai. complain about kfc promoting education on the tsunnami.. but then they leave home to go to mcdonalds and decide not to wear their helmet to keep their mullet intact.

Edited April 12, 201214 yr by Hostile17

Its Thailand you have to laugh

At least you know you won't starve...regardless....did i read the words lack of common sense? where are we after all? anyway,imagine being ordered to bunkers before a nuclear attack and they make this offer,pretty cool I'd say...all in all,great it didn't happen.

Classy operators forego comment when one of their competitors commits a gaffe like this.

KFC it´s not even edible.

maybe they should sue them in America,. Not a normal promotion. Let them pay for such a remark.,they wouldn't get away with it in the "west"

Not only the Tsunami is dangerous. Sitting in front of the TV eating fried chicken is dangerous for your health too.

I would feel sorry for the deleviery guy who got caught in the Tsunami on the way to bring you the chicken.

dont see the problem.. but then again im not one of those neo-<deleted> that get offended and cry to their mommies every single day when someone looks at them the wrong way.

those born 50 years ago had it good. Anyone complaining about something as stupid as this would get tied to a tree and left there for a night back then. no whining little girls were allowed to exist publicly without major punishment.

this is SO thai. complain about kfc promoting education on the tsunnami.. but then they leave home to go to mcdonalds and decide not to wear their helmet to keep their mullet intact.

You have a very appropriate "handle." "Hostile 17" No need to elaborate...Dude...really...get some rest...

KFC Best of a bad lot

Tasteless? Yes. Inappropriate? Probably. Offensive? Only to people who need to unclench. Storm in a teacup? Definitely.

Did they tell people not to forget the shakes.

dont see the problem.. but then again im not one of those neo-<deleted> that get offended and cry to their mommies every single day when someone looks at them the wrong way.

those born 50 years ago had it good. Anyone complaining about something as stupid as this would get tied to a tree and left there for a night back then. no whining little girls were allowed to exist publicly without major punishment.

this is SO thai. complain about kfc promoting education on the tsunnami.. but then they leave home to go to mcdonalds and decide not to wear their helmet to keep their mullet intact.

Anybody saw it? Where they keeping their normal prices or were those higher taking advantage of this urgency?

Am I alone in finding the quality of KFC in Thailand far inferior to the UK & USA?

After the Tsunami disaster of 2004 in Phuket I can understand why some people have found it offensive..that then puts the whole cheap advertising stunt into a different perspective remembering what happened then.Insensitive based on that?...Yes..

Not only the Tsunami is dangerous. Sitting in front of the TV eating fried chicken is dangerous for your health too.

Naaaaaaaaah, crossing the road to get it is faaaaaaaaaaaar more dangerous.

At least you know you won't starve...regardless....did i read the words lack of common sense? where are we after all? anyway,imagine being ordered to bunkers before a nuclear attack and they make this offer,pretty cool I'd say...all in all,great it didn't happen.

Classy operators forego comment when one of their competitors commits a gaffe like this.

To funny, classy operators stay clear of this forum and miss all the fun, i suppose...lol

This stupid marketing idea did not originate in America. Of course, they're probably laughing it off at their Thai HQ to conceal the underlying self-serving greed. Someone should be fired (or at least slapped). Is ethics part of an education in Business here?

Am I alone in finding the quality of KFC in Thailand far inferior to the UK & USA?

Nah it's just crap everywhere. As someone said earlier, it's tasteless. They tried to buy a guy out in Huddersfield, a name your price deal. He refused, for which his customers were were grateful.

Am I alone in finding the quality of KFC in Thailand far inferior to the UK & USA?

No, you are not alone. And lately the taste of the battering has become even worse.

I wonder who exactly is reading this KFC Fan page and why

Don't forget, this is the same Thailand that has had at least two schools (one year after the other) put on a s(a)port-dey parade with students dressed up as SS guard bearing the swastika and doing the "Heil Hitler" salute...

Shameless or Insensitive?

Edited April 12, 201214 yr by theanimaster

Nothing to make such a big deal over.......... I thought I left this silly SXXX behind.......

This stupid marketing idea did not originate in America. Of course, they're probably laughing it off at their Thai HQ to conceal the underlying self-serving greed. Someone should be fired (or at least slapped). Is ethics part of an education in Business here?

You're kidding right? Ethics in Thailand? What's that?

dont see the problem.. but then again im not one of those neo-<deleted> that get offended and cry to their mommies every single day when someone looks at them the wrong way.

those born 50 years ago had it good. Anyone complaining about something as stupid as this would get tied to a tree and left there for a night back then. no whining little girls were allowed to exist publicly without major punishment.

this is SO thai. complain about kfc promoting education on the tsunnami.. but then they leave home to go to mcdonalds and decide not to wear their helmet to keep their mullet intact.

yeah the girl/guy gets fired, while those complicit in causing / exacerbating the floods of last year, causing untold billions in damage and hardship, go scot-free !!

tasteless and inappropriate advertising is nothing new. It's not just a Thai thing, they probably learned about it from watching western TV and just copying what they learned.