A man in Bangkok, Thailand, is facing a 1 million baht (~S$37,990) lawsuit after posting a video expressing shock at paying 260 baht (~S$9.90) for a plate of basil chicken rice with a fried egg.
The customer said he had simply shared his experience online after eating at a food court in a hospital.
His post subsequently went viral, attracting thousands of comments before he received a court summons.
The man, identified publicly as “Mr X”, told Thai media that he had taken his child to a hospital for a medical appointment when he decided to get something to eat.
He ordered a plate of chicken pad kaprao with a fried egg at the hospital’s food court.
However, he said he was surprised when the bill came to about S$10.
Source: Social Hunter 2024 on Facebook
Mr X subsequently filmed the dish and uploaded a short video to Facebook, commenting on how expensive he found the meal.
His caption reportedly read: “Basil chicken rice with a fried egg for 260 baht, almost passed out.”
Within two to three days, the post had reportedly attracted more than 8,000 comments as social media users debated the price.
According to local news outlets, Facebook page Social Hunter 2024 first reported the incident on 20 Oct.
Mr X said he later received a court summons informing him that the restaurant owner was taking legal action against him.
According to his account, the complaint included allegations of defamation by publication and offences involving online content.
Source: Social Hunter 2024 on Facebook
The restaurant is seeking approximately S$38,000 in damages.
Mr X said his wife was also named in the legal complaint.
Lawyer Monchai Jongkrairattanakul weighed in on the dispute and said consumers generally have the right to express honest opinions about their experiences.
He explained that merely posting a genuine review does not automatically amount to defamation.
However, consumers should ensure that what they post is truthful and avoid fabricated claims, insults, or wording intended to damage a business.
He also said an online review would not automatically constitute an offence under Thailand’s Computer Crime Act simply because it was critical of a business.
Whether Mr X’s particular post crossed any legal boundaries will ultimately depend on the contents of the post and the court’s assessment.
Mr X maintained that he had only wanted to express surprise at the price and had no intention of damaging the restaurant’s reputation.
He is now consulting lawyers and preparing to contest the case.
The dispute has since sparked discussion in Thailand over the line between consumer reviews and reputational harm, as well as how businesses should respond to criticism posted online.
Also read: Man in M’sia gets sued for S$91K after writing negative review of restaurant on Facebook
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Featured image adapted from Edmond Dantès on Pexels and Social Hunter 2024 on Facebook.