Eat and Run
What happens when a customer refuses to pay at a Thai restaurant? This lesson looks at a growing problem in Thailand, where some foreign tourists finish their meal and then refuse to pay, either by complaining about the food or by claiming they have no cash. You’ll also hear real stories about getting stuck without cash and with a dead phone battery, and how to show you mean well. Along the way, you’ll learn words for complaints, honesty and cheating, and the difference between criminal and civil cases in Thai law.
Thai Vocabulary:
ปนเปื้อน (bpon bpʉ̂an) – Contaminated
ร้องเรียน (rɔ́ɔng rian) – To make a complaint
บริสุทธิ์ใจ (bɔɔ-rí-sùt jai) – Sincere / With honest intentions
ฉลาดแกมโกง (chà-làat gaem goong) – Cunning / Clever but dishonest
หัวหมอ (hǔa mɔ̌ɔ) – Using cleverness to dodge the rules
ฉ้อโกง (chɔ̂ɔ goong) – To defraud
คดีอาญา (khá-dii aa-yaa) – Criminal case
Hear these words used in real situations, and share what you would do in the comments!