Tourists forced to shell out excessive prices for prawns in Phuket

Photos and reports of ‘6 Restaurants’ went viral on Chinese social media about the unhappy experiences of several holidaygoers, who tucked into prawns costing Bt300 per 100 grams (Bt3,000/kg).
The report mentioned that “the cost of prawns menu is as high as 1,000 Yuan” - about Bt5,000 - and that “if the customer refuses to pay the bill, they would be threatened by the restaurant’s staff”.
The Phuket Tourist Police and local branch of the Ministry of Commerce sent undercover officers to the restaurant on Taweewong Road and ordered its “garlic prawns” dish.
They were served 10 prawns, for which they were charged Bt2,700 - in line with the menu, which displayed the prices of prawns as Bt300 per 100 grams.
Their 10 prawns should therefore have weighed 900 grams but were found to only be 500 grams.
One man from the restaurant, Kanyanat Chukeaw, has been charged with defrauding consumers and was taken to Kathu Police Station for questioning.
Yaowapa Ponkeha, from Phuket’s Ministry of Commerce branch, says the restaurant has been the subject of complaints since October last year for not putting prices on its products.
“That was the first report we received about this restaurant,” she said. “They were arrested for not putting price tags on their menus last October. We warned them and they didn’t follow our insuructions.”
Anyone who spots irregularities in restaurant prices is invited to contact the Tourist Police on its helpline, 1155.