Bar manager shaves 18 y.o. woman’s head then hands her to police over $1800 unpaid bill: ‘Acted out of anger’

An 18-year-old woman at a bar in Bangkok’s Pinklao district allegedly tried to leave without paying a large tab on Aug. 25. The whole encounter was caught on video after staff reportedly stopped her before she could leave.

Inside the bar, the confrontation took an unusual turn when a bartender was filmed running an electric razor over the customer’s head following the dispute over the 60,000 baht bill, roughly $1,812. According to the New York Post, the woman had reportedly used a fake ID to enter the venue and was known in the Pinklao area for allegedly skipping bills at other bars and restaurants.

Footage of the incident shows her agreeing to what’s being described as a “hair purchase contract” before the shave started. A man off camera can be heard telling her, “I am not taking advantage of you. This is the market rate. I will attach this for you. I am adding extra for this as well. Okay?”

The price of an unpaid tab

Staff reportedly caught her before she left. Unable to pay, she agreed to have her head shaved rather than be handed over to police. Her shoulder-length hair was reportedly set to be donated.

The article says the incident has drawn divided opinions. The recording also raises questions about what a person filmed during a public confrontation can meaningfully agree to while facing the prospect of police involvement. Chalida “Ton Or” Phalamat, who runs Thailand’s Be One Foundation, a nonprofit that works on child abuse cases, said the bar’s response went further than it should have.

“They contacted me to apologise and admitted that the manager had acted out of anger and impulsiveness,” Chalida said, adding that the venue has offered to reach out to the woman’s family. “They also said they would contact the victim’s family to discuss compensation.”

Phalamat also questioned the legal basis for the arrangement. “I sympathise with them and understand that they need to make a profit, but the way they handled this was clearly unlawful. A hair purchase contract made under duress is void, and shaving someone’s head against their will can amount to assault, coercion and unlawful detention,” she said.

Chalida said Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security had been asked to investigate. She also urged bar and restaurant owners dealing with unpaid tabs to use legal channels rather than settle matters on the spot.

The report does not state whether official action has been taken against the bar or its manager.