Woman, 18, unable to pay 60,000 baht host bar bill, agrees to trade her hair — ends up bald
An 18-year-old woman in Thailand had her head shaved after she was unable to pay a bill of about 60,000 baht (S$2,300) at a Bangkok host bar.
The incident, which took place on Aug 25, sparked heated debate after footage of the woman having her long hair cut off and her head shaved circulated online.
She later went to Bang Yi Khan Police Station with her mother on Aug 28 to make a police report, alleging that she had been pressured into having her head shaved and had also been physically assaulted before the haircut.
The bar manager denied using violence against her, saying she had agreed to have her hair cut and signed a document before it was done.
Bill reached 60,000 baht after night of drinking
According to Thai news outlet Khaosod, the woman, identified by the pseudonym Muay, said she first became interested in host bars after seeing livestreams on TikTok.
A host bar is an entertainment venue where customers pay for drinks and the company of male hosts.
Muay said she had been speaking to a host for some time and believed they were effectively dating. She went to the bar on Aug 24 because she had developed feelings for him.
As she became intoxicated, she said the host encouraged her to buy more drinks and invite other hosts to join them.
By the end of the night, her bill had reached about 60,000 baht, which she could not pay.
The bar manager told Khaosod that Muay had ordered more than 200 drinks at 250 baht each and that staff waited for hours for her to find the money before contacting her mother.
Mother agreed to trade daughter’s hair for debt
Muay’s mother, 34, told Khaosod and Amarin TV that she initially discussed allowing her daughter to repay the debt in monthly instalments of 3,000 baht.
The bar also suggested that Muay work there as a cleaner to pay it off.
At around 10am, however, the bar proposed waiving the entire 60,000-baht debt in exchange for Muay’s hair.
Her mother agreed, but said she thought her daughter’s hair would simply be cut short.
She said she had not seen the details of the document Muay was asked to sign and did not expect her entire head to be shaved.
Muay similarly told Khaosod that she knew she was agreeing to have her hair cut, but believed only part of it would be removed or left patchy as punishment.
She alleged that before the agreement was reached, the bar owner had grabbed her arm and pushed her towards a stage during an argument.
Muay further claimed she was eventually given two choices — be physically assaulted or have her head shaved — and chose the latter because she was frightened and wanted the matter to end.
Bar manager denies assault
The bar manager denied the allegations.
He told Khaosod that neither he nor his staff had grabbed or used violence against her, and maintained that the hair-for-debt arrangement had been agreed upon with her mother.
He acknowledged that he had been tired and angry after waiting hours for payment, but said the haircut was intended as a warning to Muay not to repeat such behaviour at other establishments.
The manager also apologised over the incident and the circulation of the video.
He claimed the bar did not post the footage publicly, although it may have been shared within a group connected to the establishment before spreading online.
Had trouble paying at another host bar
Khaosod reported that this was not Muay’s first visit to a host bar.
At the first establishment she visited, she spent about 13,000 baht and eventually settled the bill.
She later ran up another bill of about 30,000 baht at a second bar but could not pay it. The establishment kept her phone pending payment.
Muay also admitted altering the year of birth shown on her identification card so she could enter host bars.
She claimed the first two establishments checked her ID, but the third did not. The third bar’s manager, however, said staff had checked the altered card and believed she was 20.
Muay said she regretted what had happened and would no longer visit host bars.
According to Sin Chew Daily, Thai netizens were divided over the incident.
Some felt the woman should take responsibility for spending money she did not have, while others said the establishment should have gone to the police rather than shave her head as punishment.
*This article was produced with AI assistance.
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