German Fights for Refund After Eating Rotten Lobster at Popular Pattaya Seafood Restaurant

[Sydebolle]

The damage this story created to Thailand is in the millions of dollars already. Such stories go viral on social networks and trust me, the Germans are world masters in getting their point if they believe they are right.
And, in all fairness, it seems that the score is 1:0 in favour of the German. The not-to-be-named-seafood-place was at least kind enough to issue a (pictured) receipt to make sure, that things are in order.

Lets wait and see, how this story ends - possibly in the closure of the eatery unless, of course, there are some powerful reasons for not doing so!

[Sydebolle]

Irrespective of what Bupha Songsakulchai Sanitation Technical Officer, Professional Level Consumer Protection Chief, Pattaya and Public Health Office said, the damage is beyond control and a stinky lobster says more than whatever gizmos they used by the "Public Health Office" - first time I heard of their existence

Edited July 16, 2016 by Rimmer

[onemorechang]

This is very funny, its attracted a lot of attention.

If the restaurant was smart they could easily turn this right around in there favor, Win Win

it just requires a bit of forward thinking and a bit of spin.

The media would lap it up. everyone would go home happy.

Edited July 16, 2016 by onemorechang

[DrTuner]

I think the sin ze german did was not to go all TVF warrior and bust the noses of all those around him. Approval rates would be far higher.

[Seraphina]

Could he have asked for a hygiene inspection using the tourist police as a starting block of enquiry? It's worth knowing if this is possible.

I must admit, I have stood in a restaurant and told other guests NOT to eat there. You can't be arrested for this where I live. If the restaurant had caused a fuss, the police would have been notified and that wouldn't be good for the restaurant's reputation! I then gave the restaurant a scathing review on Tripadvisor in a way that they couldn't reply in any positive way or make an excuse. Voilà. Fait accompli.

[nausea]

Well, the name of the restaurant is open knowledge now, so the bad publicity far outweighs any face-saving. I certainly wouldn't eat seafoood at any establishment where there's even a hint of a chance of it being bad (which isn't always so obvious), having been sick through bad oysters, and believe me it is no joke (you retch till you can wretch no more, and even then you keep trying to retch). That aside, the other point here is that someone is telling porkies, either he took one bite or he ate the whole damn thing except for the legs, easy to establish I would've thought from the remnants of the meal.

[junglechef]

"It's about the quality of the food for the price and popularity. And honestly if the restaurant wants to uphold its reputation, it should not serve rotten food"

I don't think the tourist restaurants care that much about rep or repeat biz as they know most of the customers aren't potential repeat business anyways.

"I would have immediately pushed my plate to one side and told them I am not eating it as it is rotten. I would put the ball in their court and ask them what they were going to do about it."

Bet they would have done nothing, probably have said "so if your done i'll bring you your bill sir".

"if the manager says it looks fine, then I request that he take a large bite and tell me how it tastes. "

Tried similar tactics, once at a Japanese restaurant the whole staff, incl. the Chef refused because they all said they don't like Japanese food.

It's hard to reason or even to argue with people who just won't be involved.

I've received too little change and it was explained that the prices had gone up. It was pretty tense getting the correct extra change back.

"The one that really gets me, and it's happened more than once, is if you order individual meals say for 4 or 5 people. 4 meals arrive and after 10 mins you ask where the 5th is and the waitress comes back and says its sold out but no one has bothered to come and tell you so u can order something different. It happened one late evening somewhere we ate regularly and 9 yr old son was left waiting while everyone else was tucking in. Then when trying to order something else for him was told that the kitchen was now closed. They are shameless!"

Yes they are shameless, literally, as they don't feel they have done anything wrong. And on top of that to them they haven't, perhaps why your wife your wife doesn't bat an eye.

"I am not a lobster expert , so does that mean only the body can be eaten and not the tail ? If it's been frozen ?"

I am, was a Chef in Boston , it's utter nonsense! Firstly the meat is mainly in the tail and some in the claws and a taste in the legs.

Anyways one should not only realize but be use to by now that they will say anything no matter how nonsensical it is. They are not use to asking questions and in turn be questioned. If one is proved to be wrong, again no shame or remorse, just make up some other bull and the cycle continues hoping you'll tire of it soon enough.

"I don't like or eat almost any seafood, anything that comes from any water. Surely not in Thailand due to freshness issues.

Besides that if you want to pay 1860 baht for a lobster, you are fresh meat yourself in my book. Although it could be a normal price, no idea"

No idea, your right. I go to the fish market in Koh Samui at 4:30 am most mornings on my annual 2 month summer vacation there. The fisherman bring in their fresh catch to sell, can't get much fresher then that in any market in the world.

I live the rest of the year in Chiang Mai and can get fresh seafood here too, not as easily (or fresh), but since the invention of airplanes it's amazing what can be done.

But if you have no idea and don't eat seafood, or anything out of the water???, why are you even commenting?

Maybe the question is why m I even replying!!

" Also there is a question about how to prepare a frozen lobster compared to one who is alive from the tank. I am not an expert , I would never pay that much for a lobster anyway."

Not again!! Well I'm not going there again!!!

""The last time I had lobster was down in Samui..waited nigh on an hour for it to arrive at my table and soon found out the reason why...it had been barbecued to within a second of its shelf life..looked like rubber.. smelt like rubber and tasted like s..t.I Honestly wouldn't have thrown it to the cat...as it would probably have thrown it back at me!Disgusting was an understatement!"

That's because they don't catch lobsters on Samui, they ship them in from the Andaman Sea. Could have been frozen and defrosted a few times.

BUT how are you suppose to know the source, your not the Chef. Many of the commenters are saying that so and so didn't look fresh etc. I'm trained in fishery purchasing, but that's the responsibility of the restaurant.

This is the root of the problem, many restaurants here are not professional in either their actions or attitude. BUT they are charging prices that one should be getting professional service which includes proper cooking and ingredients.

[PattayaBoy]

This is not the first time This place has been in the news. The last time it was bad shrimp. Customer refused to pay so the police were called. Police looked at and smelled the shrimp and said it was spoiled but that customer still had to pay. The customer told the police he would pay for the meal if the police ate the shrimp. The police declined to eat the shrimp giving their reason he did not want to get sick. In the end customer had to chose whether to pay or go to jail.

Isn't it funny the Thais think of them selves as giving good service and their country is a great place to visit.

Anyone keeping track of how many tourist we have killed so far this year?

Beautiful. I guess this will be a "memorable" holiday for the tourist. Come back soon na khabb

I dont understand how police can even put you to jail. Its courts who do that right? I dont know here but in my country if you are suspect cops they can lock you for 48h max without cour.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[mesterm]

This is not the first time This place has been in the news. The last time it was bad shrimp. Customer refused to pay so the police were called. Police looked at and smelled the shrimp and said it was spoiled but that customer still had to pay. The customer told the police he would pay for the meal if the police ate the shrimp. The police declined to eat the shrimp giving their reason he did not want to get sick. In the end customer had to chose whether to pay or go to jail.

Isn't it funny the Thais think of them selves as giving good service and their country is a great place to visit.

Anyone keeping track of how many tourist we have killed so far this year?

Beautiful. I guess this will be a "memorable" holiday for the tourist. Come back soon na khabb

I dont understand how police can even put you to jail. Its courts who do that right? I dont know here but in my country if you are suspect cops they can lock you for 48h max without cour.

Yeah that's what he means - lock up not jail.