Chinese restaurant in Thailand allegedly refuses baht, accepts only renminbi

A viral social media video alleging that a Chinese restaurant in Bangkok refused Thai baht and insisted on payment in Chinese renminbi has ignited a debate about foreign-run businesses and their adherence to local financial regulations in Thailand. The clip, posted by a Chinese TikTok user, recounts an experience at a noodle shop where the owner allegedly lacked Thai QR payment facilities and a Thai bank account.

“

all businesses in the country should comply with Thai law and pay taxes properly.

The user claimed the restaurant demanded payment in renminbi, increasing the bill by 50 baht. Angered and confused, the user questioned whether a business operating in Thailand could legally refuse the local currency. The incident has prompted wider concerns about whether some foreign-owned businesses are conducting transactions outside Thailand's official financial system, potentially evading taxes and violating currency exchange laws.

“

government agencies must urgently verify whether the incident actually happened.

Authorities are now examining potential breaches of several Thai laws, including the Exchange Control Act, the Payment Systems Act, and tax laws. Concerns also extend to the Foreign Business Act and anti-money laundering regulations if transactions are deliberately routed to avoid Thailand's banking and tax systems. The president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents emphasized the need for urgent verification of the incident, stating that decisive legal action must be taken if the allegations are proven true to protect trading standards and Thailand's monetary sovereignty.

“

if the allegation is proven true, he said the authorities must take decisive legal action to uphold trading standards and protect Thailand’s monetary sovereignty.