Foodies’ favourite Thai omelette chef Jay Fai is in hot soup. The restaurateur behind the eponymously named Michelin-starred eatery in Bangkok was fined 2,000 baht (S$79) – and could possibly face jail – after a YouTuber complained about getting a 4,000-baht (S$158) bill for the eatery’s famous dish on Aug 15. It was listed as 1,500 baht on the menu.
Peachii, a popular London-based Thai YouTuber, shared on X that she had ordered the regular omelette at the listed price and was shocked when she was billed for the premium version with crab meat without being asked.
Peachii and a friend were apparently invited to a meal at the eatery by a regular patron named Dr Pattarapha Chadit. Jay Fai – whose real name is Supinya Junsuta – had recognised the customer and proceeded to cook the dishes she’d ordered previously, including the premium crab omelette, 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.”
The YouTuber’s complaint, which went viral, eventually prompted Thai Commerce Minister Jatuporn Buruspat to ask the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) to investigate.
While DTI’s director-general Wittayakorn Maneenetr said the 82-year-old Thai chef had already paid the fine on Wednesday (Aug 21), investigations are ongoing to determine if the dish was indeed overpriced, reported Bangkok Post. In Thailand, overcharging can carry a jail term of up to seven years or a fine of up to 140,000 baht, or both.
Officials have ordered the eatery to elaborate on the ingredients and other costs to determine whether prices at the eatery were reasonable, said Wittayakorn.
Read the full article here
