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

[webfact]

German Fights for Refund After Eating Rotten Lobster at Popular Pattaya Seafood Restaurant
Story by Albert Jack



PATTAYA: -- At 11pm on the evening of July 13 Mr Hoelderirch Wolfgang, a seventy-year old German national, took his lobster in to the Pattaya police station.

He reported to officers, via a translator, that he had been to a well-known Seafood Restaurant on Walking Street, South Pattaya, (which we are prevented from naming) and ordered the evidence in hand.

When it arrived he began to eat the tail and then noticed the legs were black and, on closer examination, he detected a foul odour, especially in the head area.

Full story: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/227227/german-eats-rotten-lobster-popular-pattaya-seafood-restaurant/#prettyPhoto

-- Pattaya One 2016-07-13

[Aachen]

What happens next?

[lostinisaan]

He asked staff to replace his rotting lobster but was refused. The reason given was that he had already had a mouthful.

​ Was he there with his ladyboy friend?

[daveAustin]

I think he's done the right thing here. Looks like he calmly took the evidence to the cops; no shouting the place down or ending up in a fist fight. I don't get the 'quality tourist' jibe. How many of us have had a really bad meal and been blatantly ripped off? It was hardly a bad somtum from a street stall. He's not got what he paid for and hopefully the cops will tell the restaurant to smarten up... but probably not.

[Cockwomble]

This is surely a job for esteemed foreign TVP

[worgeordie]

Its like that Fawlty Towers episode,when a guest wanted

a full refund for a dodgy meal, Basil offered 50%,and if

she brought the rest up in the morning would get the other

50 %. The first thing I do with a lot of food,not only,but

especially seafood is give it a good sniff before putting

any in my mouth.

regards Worgeordie

[luudee]

Another wonderful promotion for Thailand and the "Thai Way" ...

[slipperylobster]

Hey. I am offended

[colinneil]

He did the correct thing, taking the evidence to the police.

Had he spoken to the restaurant he would have been given nothing but a load of hassle.

What the police will do (if anything) will be interesting to hear.

[oxo1947]

Another wonderful promotion for Thailand and the "Thai Way" ...

Really luudee...I don't know where your from, but can you imagine walking into a police station in New York or London with some fish & chips & expecting them to leap into action because it wasn't up to standard.........Some of you guys really live in fantasy land when you dream of how a farang should be treated........ you should have been around about 150 years ago, along with Somerset Maugham when the sun never set on the Empire---being a white man then you may have got the treatment you feel you deserve now.......

.

White man served bad lobster.......150 lashes for the cook

[bodymassagemyfriend]

Another wonderful promotion for Thailand and the "Thai Way" ...

Really luudee...I don't know where your from, but can you imagine walking into a police station in New York or London with some fish & chips & expecting them to leap into action because it wasn't up to standard.........Some of you guys really live in fantasy land when you dream of how a farang should be treated........ you should have been around about 150 years ago, along with Somerset Maugham when the sun never set on the Empire---being a white man then you may have got the treatment you feel you deserve now.......

.

White man served bad lobster.......150 lashes for the cook

The thing is , in London or New York , you dont need to escalate things up to the Police to get rotten food replaced. Given that ambient honnesty is far better than in Thailand

[oxforddon]

was going to reply then read the full article .... so edited it all out .....oops

[Deli]

he can eat in the future: July 13th at 11 p.m. still to come tonight

[Pattaya28]

Well done the "customer".

But will this matter be dealt with in the "right-way" ?

I believe somewhere in the "report" we'll see the word "mis-understanding".

[Jingthing]

The staff excuse, he ate a bite, makes me wonder.

If it was rotten as the police agree, would they have just served the unmolested foul sea cockroach to another unsuspecting tourist?

I guess there are limits.

You can't serve it with a bite out of it, eh?

I admire the complaining tourist's persistence although whether he will actually get a refund is another question, and seems doubtful.

If it had happened to me, I would have probably tried to be more aggressive with the restaurant's management and been much less willing to pay for the allegedly rotten food.

[onemorechang]

This is surely a job for esteemed foreign TVP

No way to busy polishing there bums on seats or polishing there

Bat Man equipment, on there utility belts.

Or maybe, off on special operations under cover as normal people.

[edwinchester]

Consumer protection board may be interested too.

http://www.ocpb.go.th/mobile.php

[mr_lob]

Get a Thai to admit wrong-doing? Good luck with that.

Better still, blame the Burmese fisherman who caught the crustacean. A Thai would never to such a thing....

[PMZ]

I agree with others here, Wolfgang has done the right thing, already gaining far more negative exposure for the restaurant, in a calm manner.

It also appears that the Police are doing the right thing, they have confirmed the poor look and horrid smell and have sent the lobster to be analysed by the Public Health Office and Consumer Protection Department.

Great job Wolfgang, well done.

[klauskunkel]

a well-known Seafood Restaurant on Walking Street, South Pattaya, (which we are prevented from naming)

The "Well-known Pattaya Seafood Restaurants Association", or WKPSRA, was formed especially to sue PattayOne anyway, for defaming all well-known Pattaya Seafood eateries. There you have it, no matter how you wiggle... Thai Justice Prevails!

[Jingthing]

There is no negative consequence for whatever famous restaurant that it is.

That's because under Thai law you can't publicly name a business with damaging information, even if that information is legally verifiable as true.

That's why these incidents happen frequently in Thailand without any fear from the owners that they will be hurt.

From the western POV, this is madness, but when we choose to live in and visit a country with this kind of legal culture, it's take it or leave it, isn't it?

As far a hygiene issues, compare the situation in Thailand to the USA where public health hygiene GRADES are publicly posted with large signs at the place of business! We're not in Kansas anymore.

[sahibji]

surely it is a consumer right to be given food

suitable for human consumption.

in many countries offences like this carry fines for

the offending establishments.

any decent and forward looking restaurants should not only

give refund but also a compensatory token.

unless of course you are dealing with heartless scam artists.

[jeca22]

Picture of the receipt brought to the police.

[onemorechang]

surely it is a consumer right to be given food

suitable for human consumption.

in many countries offences like this carry fines for

the offending establishments.

any decent and forward looking restaurants should not only

give refund but also a compensatory token.

unless of course you are dealing with heartless scam artists.

And there lays the problem., Amazing Thailand,

A Western run restaurant here, most likely that would happen to some extent.

or new order served to you, maybe not refund.

He should have not given in, so quick.

[jeca22]

Mobile Unit For Food Safety is all over the fish market in naklua today.

[WorldTravellerMUC]

Complaining at the restaurant may be interesting in Thailand.

I did once order a T-Bone steak in a rather higher priced restaurant which caters to expats and then got something not looking anything like a T-Bone Steak. I did ask what it was and they did say "T-Bone Steak". The manager told me then since I did insist it was not T-Bone easily identified by no "T-Bone" or any bone being present in the meat: Sometimes it has bone sometimes not!

So this is lobster! Sometimes it smell fresh - sometimes not!

Welcome to Thailand...

[Emster23]

Well, guess I'll take that restaurant named on receipt off my list of places to eat. Well played

[chrissables]

Another wonderful promotion for Thailand and the "Thai Way" ...

Really luudee...I don't know where your from, but can you imagine walking into a police station in New York or London with some fish & chips & expecting them to leap into action because it wasn't up to standard.........Some of you guys really live in fantasy land when you dream of how a farang should be treated........ you should have been around about 150 years ago, along with Somerset Maugham when the sun never set on the Empire---being a white man then you may have got the treatment you feel you deserve now.......

.

White man served bad lobster.......150 lashes for the cook

I don't know about New York, but in UK, if your meal is bad, as long as you explain to the restaurant your problem, by law you can refuse to pay. It is a civil matter.

Try doing that in walking street!

He did the right thing, walked away and dealt with the problem as best he could.

What would have done? PLease do explain and give me a laugh.

[tifino]

Hope they don't try to make him re-enact it

[bark]

Picture of the receipt brought to the police.

So Pattaya One, cannot name the restaurant; but Thai Visa can allow the Restaurant name on a receipt ? What is the difference ?