Bangkok Restaurant Refuses to Serve Foreigners

[CEOCambodiaNews]

Bangkok: A Frenchman who has lived in Bangkok for 15 years has posted a video of himself on social media, being refused service in a restaurant because he is a foreigner. The reason given for not serving foreigners is related to the coronavirus pandemic.


Is this simply a reasonable way to protect local staff, or is it an indication of growing anti-foreign sentiment ? Don't forget that this is only one restaurant in the whole of Bangkok. There may be a few other restaurants who don't want foreigners as customers at the moment due to the pandemic, but is this a big deal, or is it a big fuss over nothing ?

I've posted this video as a subject for discussion among expats, not as an encouragement to disparage Thai people.It is not illegal in Thailand to refuse service to someone because of their nationality. It is probably not illegal in Cambodia either; there have been complaints that some Chinese-run restaurants and casinos in Cambodia refuse to serve non-Chinese customers for reasons unrelated to coronavirus.

Still, foreigners are seen as vectors of the virus in many countries in SEA. How should we deal with this ? How would you feel if you were refused service in a Khmer restaurant because you are not Khmer ? What about if you are Chinese ?

[Clutch Cargo]

Well, it seems to me the only thing that would keep this restauranteur happy is if Thailand was kept in a total bubble with closed borders.....including refusing to allow any of their own nationals to return from overseas. Do they ask whether their thai customers have recently returned from overseas?

[Kratom123]

Bangkok: A Frenchman who has lived in Bangkok for 15 years has posted a video of himself on social media, being refused service in a restaurant because he is a foreigner. The reason given for not serving foreigners is related to the coronavirus pandemic.


Is this simply a reasonable way to protect local staff, or is it an indication of growing anti-foreign sentiment ? Don't forget that this is only one restaurant in the whole of Bangkok. There may be a few other restaurants who don't want foreigners as customers at the moment due to the pandemic, but is this a big deal, or is it a big fuss over nothing ?

I've posted this video as a subject for discussion among expats, not as an encouragement to disparage Thai people.It is not illegal in Thailand to refuse service to someone because of their nationality. It is probably not illegal in Cambodia either; there have been complaints that some Chinese-run restaurants and casinos in Cambodia refuse to serve non-Chinese customers for reasons unrelated to coronavirus.

Still, foreigners are seen as vectors of the virus in many countries in SEA. How should we deal with this ? How would you feel if you were refused service in a Khmer restaurant because you are not Khmer ? What about if you are Chinese ?

Its because of the virus. Why would businesses of any nation refuse to serve anyone, as thats why you are in business, to make money. I had a business in Cambodia and i would go to the market to buy stuff and they would part and runaway to get away from me even though i had a mask on.

[GMJS-CEO]

Aren't foreigners restricted from going into Thailand now? I understand being hesitant with tourists, however, if people are all tested coming into the country and quarrantined (ala Cambodia) or if they are not allowing tourists in I am not sure what this accomplishes for the restaurant? They would just end up excluding expats living in Thailand and doing nothing to mitigate risk of the virus.

[angkorjohn2]

Ireland have been turning away American tourists from restaurants for the last two weeks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/worl ... ntine.html

In relation to the original article it does seem odd as most foreigners right now will be residents there so a little unfair. Hope Cambodia doesn’t follow suit

[lagrange]

Ireland have been turning away American tourists from restaurants for the last two weeks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/worl ... ntine.html

In relation to the original article it does seem odd as most foreigners right now will be residents there so a little unfair. Hope Cambodia doesn’t follow suit

The article is more about US tourists refusing to take the recommended safety measures, saying it doesn't apply to them, so local businesses are wary of dealing with them. Seems that maybe Americans are the new outcasts and we all get tarred with the same brush (no racism intended).

[Alex]

Probably an overreaction to the incidents in Rayong and Bangkok a few weeks ago, when COVID-19 positive foreigners were roaming the streets (okay, that's hyperbole) causing quite a panic.

While only a select few groups of foreigners can currently enter Thailand, they include the privileged types that think that silly little quarantine rules don't apply to them. That got many Thais angry, also because they are very familiar with that kind of attitude from their own "elites".

I haven't experienced anything like that myself (yet?), but it doesn't really surprise me either. There's a xenophobic element that cannot be denied, and such a crisis brings it out in some people.

[yong]

Hope I’m not opening a can of worms with this. As a Singapore Chinese living here if and only if I were to open a restaurant there is a very high chance I will turn down China Chinese from patronizing my establishment be it an aircon or open air shop. I may put a sign at the entrance and if they persist of coming in I will politely ask them to leave if they don’t leave I will then call my police “friend” to help persuade them.

And if they still refuse I will close my fucking shop and ask them to fuck off. Doing all these to protect my customers.

[Cowshed Cowboy]

Whatever their reasons it doesn't bother me in the slightest, you will always get the odd exception to the rule and I personally haven't experienced any discrimination from venues in my day to day life since it all started. It seems the opposite to me, anywhere I go are thankful for my custom in difficult times.

My simple rule with establishments in the service industry has always been if they can't provide the service or it is not up to my expectations I take my custom elsewhere. Their loss not mine.

[Bitte_Kein_Lexus]

Just don't go back to places that do this. Simple enough. Don't give them your money in the future. People's true colours come out in times like these. I think the thin veneer on many Thai tourist style spots has always been pretty obvious anyways.