BANGKOK, August 24 — The supplier behind the crabs served in Raan Jay Fai’s now-infamous crab omelette has come forward to apologise for selling the crustaceans at an eye-watering price.
In a candid social media post, the supplier expressed regret for selling the premium crabs that ultimately led to a viral controversy.
“I’m sorry for selling crabs to Jay Fai at such a high price,” the post began, followed by a message aimed at defending the Michelin-starred restaurant and its legendary owner, Supinya “Jay Fai” Junsuta.
The drama kicked off when London-based Thai YouTuber Peachii shared a video of her visit to the Bangkok hotspot, where she was charged 4,000 baht (RM520) for the signature crab omelette — despite the menu listing it at 1,500 baht.
The complaint quickly went viral, sparking a wave of online fury.
However, the supplier, who sources the crabs for Jay Fai, is now stepping up to explain the situation and take responsibility for the price hike.
The supplier pointed out that the restaurant had always paid a fair price for the high-quality, small-scale crabs sourced from local fishermen.
“These high-quality crabs are sourced directly from small-scale, local fishing operations. They’re caught daily without preservatives and without harming the environment. The amount caught per trip is very small compared to larger fishing operations,” the post said.
The supplier emphasised that to get just 1kg of crab meat, up to 10kg of crabs are needed. Prices fluctuate depending on the season, and some days, the fishermen may return with very little catch.
“If no one buys the crabs at a higher price, the fishermen will lose money,” the post explained.
Jay Fai, however, has always been willing to buy at a premium, without haggling. The supplier added, “She knows the effort behind each crab and pays accordingly, which helps everyone involved earn a fair wage.”
The supplier also took the opportunity to highlight how difficult it is for a Thai street food icon like Jay Fai to reach global recognition.
“It’s not easy to have a Thai figure who brings recognition to the country, elevating Thai street food to a global level,” he said.
He also emphasised that Jay Fai is fully aware of the pricing mistake and is ready to correct it. “But if you want to completely crush her reputation, I don’t think that’s fair.”
Meanwhile, according to The Nation, Thai authorities from the Office of the Consumer Protection Board and the Department of Internal Trade visited Jay Fai’s restaurant and discovered that the menu listed the crab omelette at 1,500 baht, without indicating the 4,000-baht alternative.
As a result, Jay Fai was fined 2,000 baht for failing to clearly display all food prices. The restaurant has been instructed to include the 4,000-baht price on the menu going forward, a directive with which Jay Fai’s team has complied.
