Latest news with #DepartmentofInternalTrade
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Bangkok's Jay Fai restaurant fined over hidden pricing for 'VVIP crab omelette'
BANGKOK: Michelin-starred chef Jay Fai was fined 2,000 baht (US$60) after an uproar on social media over a crab omelette she charged a YouTuber 4,000 baht for, even though the listed price was just 1,500 baht. This comes after the YouTuber, Peachii, posted on her X account on Aug 15 that she was shocked by the bill after dining at the popular restaurant in Bangkok. She had ordered the dish with a listed price of 1,500 baht and was told only later the crab meat was premium. She argued she had not been informed or asked in advance if she wanted the premium option. On Aug 18, Thai Commerce Minister Jatuporn Buruspat announced that he would have the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) investigate why Jay Fai's restaurant charged a customer 4,000 baht for a crab omelette when the listed price was 1,500 baht. A friend of Peachii, who had dined with her at Jay Fai's had attempted to explain the price discrepancy. Dr Pattarapha Chadit, a regular patron of the eatery helmed by Supinya Junsuta, better known as Jay Fai, explained that the 4,000-baht price was for a special dish Jay Fai would cook with premium crab meat only for 'VVIPs' or regular patrons she knew well. It was Dr Pattarapha who had taken Peachii and her friend Martha to dine at Jay Fai's that day and who had ordered the food for the three. Dr Pattarapha explained that Jay Fai recognised her patrons and remembered what kinds of dishes she used to cook for them. Because of this, she cooked the special crab omelette for her without asking. 'I didn't explain this to my friend, so a misunderstanding occurred,' Dr Pattarapha said. 'It was just special cooking for familiar patrons or VVIP customers.' After Dr Pattarapha came forward with her explanation, Peachii made new posts on X saying she understood the situation. 'The jigsaw puzzle of the 4,000-baht crab omelette is now complete,' she posted. Peachii explained that she was initially confused because the menu price was 1,500 baht and a waiter had not asked her if she wanted a special option. The confusion was compounded by the fact that when they paid the bill, Dr Pattarapha couldn't explain the price difference either, as she always paid without checking the listed prices. Peachii said Dr Pattarapha promised to seek an explanation from Jay Fai and found out it was a 'VVIP price' she served only for her regular patrons without asking. Meanwhile, officials from the Office of the Consumers Protection Board, the DIT, and the consumer protection police division questioned Jay Fai at her shop on Aug 20. A DIT officer, said the investigators found that the menu listed the crab omelette at 1,500 baht without stating the 4,000-baht option. As a result, officials fined Jay Fai 2,000 baht for not publicly stating the food prices. The officer added that the restaurant was ordered to add the 4,000-baht option to the menu, and the shop agreed to comply with the DIT's regulations. Jay Fai is a culinary icon in Thailand known for her meticulous cooking and trademark ski goggles, which protect her eyes from the heat of her charcoal stoves. Her restaurant received one Michelin star in Bangkok's inaugural Michelin Guide in 2018 and has maintained it ever since, transforming her from a local legend into a globally recognised chef. - The Nation/ANN
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Bangkok's Jay Fai restaurant fined over hidden pricing for ‘VVIPs' after YouTuber complaint
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Jay Fai is a culinary icon in Thailand known for her meticulous cooking and trademark ski goggles. BANGKOK - Michelin-starred chef Jay Fai was fined 2,000 baht (S$80) after an uproar on social media over a crab omelette she charged a YouTuber 4,000 baht for, even though the listed price was just 1,500 baht. This comes after the YouTuber, Peachii, posted on her X account on Aug 15 that she was shocked by the bill after dining at the popular restaurant in Bangkok. She had ordered the dish with a listed price of 1,500 baht and was told only later the crab meat was premium. She argued she had not been informed or asked in advance if she wanted the premium option. On Aug 18, Thai Commerce Minister Jatuporn Buruspat announced that he would have the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) investigate why Ms Jay Fai's restaurant charged a customer 4,000 baht for a crab omelette when the listed price was 1,500 baht. A friend of Peachii, who had dined with her at Jay Fai's had attempted to explain the price discrepancy. Dr Pattarapha Chadit, a regular patron of the eatery helmed by Ms Supinya Junsuta, better known as Jay Fai, explained that the 4,000-baht price was for a special dish Jay Fai would cook with premium crab meat only for 'VVIPs' or regular patrons she knew well. It was Dr Pattarapha who had taken Peachii and her friend Martha to dine at Jay Fai's that day and who had ordered the food for the three. Dr Pattarapha explained that Jay Fai recognised her patrons and remembered what kinds of dishes she used to cook for them. Because of this, she cooked the special crab omelette for her without asking. 'I didn't explain this to my friend, so a misunderstanding occurred,' Dr Pattarapha said. 'It was just special cooking for familiar patrons or VVIP customers.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 18 persons nabbed and 82 vapes seized in HSA ops in Raffles Place and Haji Lane Singapore Woman trapped between train doors: Judge rules SBS Transit '100% responsible' Life 'Loss that's irreplaceable': Local film-makers mourn closure of indie cinema The Projector Singapore COE premiums up in all categories except motorcycles; Cat A price climbs 2.5% to $104,524 Singapore Nearly 2 years' jail, caning for man caught with at least 100 sexually explicit videos of children Singapore MyRepublic's policy of not imposing download speed limits to stay after takeover: StarHub Singapore Staff member found with active TB after screening at 2 pre-schools; no children diagnosed so far: CDA Singapore Grab users in Singapore shocked by fares of over $1,000 due to display glitch After Dr Pattarapha came forward with her explanation, Peachii made new posts on X saying she understood the situation. 'The jigsaw puzzle of the 4,000-baht crab omelette is now complete,' she posted. Peachii explained that she was initially confused because the menu price was 1,500 baht and a waiter had not asked her if she wanted a special option. The confusion was compounded by the fact that when they paid the bill, Dr Pattarapha couldn't explain the price difference either, as she always paid without checking the listed prices. Peachii said Dr Pattarapha promised to seek an explanation from Jay Fai and found out it was a 'VVIP price' she served only for her regular patrons without asking. Meanwhile, officials from the Office of the Consumers Protection Board, the DIT, and the consumer protection police division questioned Jay Fai at her shop on Aug 20. A DIT officer, said the investigators found that the menu listed the crab omelette at 1,500 baht without stating the 4,000-baht option. As a result, officials fined Jay Fai 2,000 baht for not publicly stating the food prices. The officer added that the restaurant was ordered to add the 4,000-baht option to the menu, and the shop agreed to comply with the DIT's regulations. Jay Fai is a culinary icon in Thailand known for her meticulous cooking and trademark ski goggles, which protect her eyes from the heat of her charcoal stoves. Her restaurant received one Michelin star in Bangkok's inaugural Michelin Guide in 2018 and has maintained it ever since, transforming her from a local legend into a globally recognised chef. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Michelin-starred crab omelette eatery fined B2,000
The Michelin-starred Raan Jay Fai restaurant in Bangkok has been fined 2,000 baht for failing to display a 4,000-baht price tag for a special version of its famous crabmeat omelette, the Department of Internal Trade said on Wednesday. Department officials as well as consumer protection officials and police went to the restaurant on Mahachai Road in Phra Nakhon district to verify a recent complaint by a Thai influencer who said her group was charged 4,000 baht for the dish even though the menu clearly showed only a 1,500-baht price. The complaint went viral online and was viewed 8 million times. Officials confirmed that only the standard price for the omelette dish was shown and there was no sign anywhere of a 4,000-baht version, which was said to contain higher-quality crabmeat. The restaurant was fined 2,000 baht under the Prices of Goods and Services Act, which requires prices of products and services to be clearly displayed. The maximum fine is 10,000 baht. It was reported that the owner agreed to improve her menus, while the affected party did not seek a refund or any compensation. Jay Fai is owned and still operated by Supinya 'Jay Fai' Junsuta, 82. She won her first Michelin star in 2017 and has retained the award ever since.
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Bangkok Post
Influencer explains dispute over B4,000 crab omelette
Popular YouTuber PEACHII has explained in further detail how she was billed 4,000 baht for a crab omelette priced at 1,500 baht on the menu at a famous Michelin-starred restaurant in Bangkok. The incident is being investigated by the Department of Internal Trade. PEACHII said on her X account on Tuesday that she had dined at the restaurant, Raan Jay Fai, with two companions, one a "senior friend" who regularly dined there and placed all the orders. Staff had asked only about meat preferences - pork, chicken or seafood - but made no mention of any special menu or premium crabmeat omelette. While waiting, the group discussed the price of the crabmeat omelette, recalling how it had risen from a few hundred baht some years ago to the current 1,500 baht shown on the menu. When the bill arrived, they found to their astonishment they were charged 4,000 baht for the omelette. When questioned, a staffer explained the omelette contained crab meat from a 'better source' than the standard 1,500 baht version. When asked why the dish had been prepared as a 'special', she was told to ask chef Jay Fai herself. PEACHII added that the conversation was polite and not argumentative. She said this practice was unfair to customers, both regular and new, who should have the right to choose for themselves whether to order the standard or special version, with prices clearly stated. The lack of transparency could cause confusion. This was why she shared her experience on X, and it quickly became a viral topic online. Later, her senior friend asked Jay Fai directly and was told the 4,000 baht charge reflected a 'VVIP' dish prepared especially for loyal customers, with no intent to deceive or inflate the price. (continues below) PEACHII said she was left feeling confused, as she had never before encountered such a practice at a restaurant. Normally, staff should confirm with customers by asking, 'Same as before?' so that diners were aware of any differences in price or portions. She stressed that she would have been happy to pay for either version had she been informed of the price in advance. Her post, she added, was simply to share her experience and not to demand compensation. Her post attracted more than 8 million views in just 13 hours. Daily News Online quoted the "senior friend" as saying in an interview that Jay Fai's intention had been only to serve a VVIP dish to a loyal and familiar customer. PEACHII, unaware of this, had criticised the practice. The friend expressed regret that Jay Fai had been disheartened by the misunderstanding.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Thailand's DIT enforces pricing transparency rule for restaurants
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) in Thailand has implemented a new rule requiring restaurants to display their prices clearly, with non-compliance potentially resulting in fines of up to Bt10,000 ($306.9) under Section 40 of the Price of Goods and Services Act 1999. It has issued a reminder to all dining establishments to follow the guidelines in the Central Committee on the Price of Goods and Services Notification No 68 (2025), which pertains to the proper display of prices for goods and services. The Nation reports that under these regulations, restaurants are obligated to present prices in a manner that is accurate, clear and comprehensive, allowing customers to easily assess and compare costs before making any purchase. This initiative aims to reduce confusion and prevent billing errors. The guidelines specify that prices must be prominently visible and can be displayed in various formats, provided they are shown per unit by using Arabic numerals. While additional languages may be included, food items need to be listed in Thai. Any extra charges, such as service fees or value-added tax, must be indicated alongside the displayed prices. The DIT has also clarified that the prices shown must reflect the actual selling price, except in instances where the price charged is lower than what is displayed. In March 2025, Loob Holding, owner of Malaysian tea beverage chain Tealive, unveiled its plan to open 80 outlets in Thailand by 2035, and signed a licensing agreement with Restaurants Development "Thailand's DIT enforces pricing transparency rule for restaurants" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
