Pattaya police officers became mediators after a Thai bar owner accused an Australian tourist of drinking for over 13 hours and refusing to pay a bill costing 32,540 baht, or around US$980.
The 46 year old Thai woman, Meeliya, who owns a bar in the Soi Bua Khao in Pattaya, and her staff brought the Australian customer, 53 year old Thomson, to the Mueang Pattaya Police Station at about 11.30pm on Wednesday, August 12, over the unpaid drinks.
Staff told police the Australian man had arrived at the bar around 8am, before opening time, and asked to be served. Meeliya and her staff decided to open the bar specifically for him, as he was a regular customer and had previously paid without issue.
While drinking, Thomson took a liking to several female staff and bought drinks for those he favoured. He also rang the bar bell to stand rounds for the staff, which drew a large number of them to join him.
According to the staff, he later grew close to one female employee and asked her to go out with him. When she declined, he reportedly became displeased and refused to pay for the drinks.
The bar owner asked the Australian man to settle the full amount, explaining that the total was not for his own drinks alone but also for the rounds he had bought for staff throughout the day. The owner said the bill came to 32,540 baht.
Meeliya said the bar had opened at 8am to serve him and continued for about 13 hours until around 9pm, and that it also carried the cost of the drinks and the staff wages.
Meeliya said they could not reach an agreement, so she and her staff took the foreign man to the police station to ask officers to help mediate.
Investigators encouraged both sides to talk. The bar owner insisted on a total of 32,540 baht, but Thomson claimed that the charges did not amount to that figure and refused to pay the requested sum.
Officers reported that they would examine the details of the bill and the accounts from both sides before proceeding further.
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