Thai officials raid Chinese-run restaurants in currency investigation

Thai immigration police and officials from the Labour and Business Development developments raided several Chinese-run restaurants in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district yesterday, to find out whether any are refusing to accept Thai baht currency, insisting on Chinese yuan for payments, as claimed by a Bangkok-based Chinese influencer.

While there, the authorities discovered that six Chinese nationals working in five eateries have overstayed their visas and have no work permits, but none of the establishments were found to be refusing to accept Thai baht in settlement of food bills.

The six illegal immigrants are being held in custody pending charges against them and deportation.

Meanwhile, the Chinese influencer, who blew the whistle on alleged rejection of Thai baht by Chinese-run restaurants, said on his “Jaidee Bing” web page that he is unperturbed by widespread criticism from Chinese netizens for his exposure, which they allege to be fabricated.

In his post, he claimed that the Chinese restaurant that he visited accepted Chinese yuan payments via the Alipay and WeChat payment platforms and had no QR Code or Thai bank account for payment in baht, making him to pay an extra of 50 baht to settle his food bill of 325 baht.

He claimed that, when he asked to pay in Thai baht, the owner claimed he had no small change, which he regarded as unfair and exploitative.

The young Chinese influencer said such practices by the restaurant’s owner must be against the law and demanded that all foreign entrepreneurs abide by Thai law and pay taxes.

He also said that he did not mean to paint all Chinese living in Thailand in negative light, but wanted to point out that the one particular eatery in Huai Khwang area did not do the right thing, adding that he is not afraid of a backlash from Chinese people in Thailand because he did the right thing.