Phuket restaurant owner says second dine-and-dash in a month forced one-day closure
A Phuket restaurant owner says a second dine-and-dash incident in a month, involving a group of 12 diners, forced the business to close for a day.
The owner of Brasserie Phuket in downtown Phuket says a second non-payment incident within a month has left the restaurant frustrated after a group of 12 customers allegedly left without paying.
According to the source, the group ordered a large amount of food before fleeing, overwhelming staff and prompting the business to close temporarily for one day so employees could recover morale.
The owner said a police report had already been filed over an earlier similar incident, but that case made no progress because only photographs of the alleged perpetrators were available.
The source said the case reflects a wider problem in tourist areas in Thailand, where restaurants can face losses from dine-and-dash incidents. It added that legal experts describe non-payment for food as a serious issue, but one that is often treated as a civil contractual dispute, with police typically acting as mediators.
According to the source, taking legal action for damages can require costly and time-consuming court proceedings, leading many businesses to absorb the losses instead of pursuing the matter further.
The source said calls are growing for agencies to strengthen protections for businesses and set appropriate penalties in order to help protect Phuket's tourism image.
