The owner of a restaurant in the northern Vietnamese province of Bac Ninh has been arrested after he forced a female customer to kneel and apologize for posting a bad review of his service on social media.
Nguyen Van Thien, the 47-year-old owner of Hien Thien barbecue restaurant in Bac Ninh City, the capital of the namesake province, has been held in custody, local police said on Wednesday night.
Officers also started legal proceeding against the man for “humiliating others.”
On Monday, a 27-year-old woman from the neighboring province of Bac Giang visited Thien’s restaurant to have dinner with her friends.
As the group of friends found helminths in their food, they reported the issue to the restaurant’s attendants and owner, only to receive their silence.
The woman then posted the story on her personal Facebook account.
Afterward, Thien, through an acquaintance, asked the guest to come to the restaurant to sort out the issue.
When she arrived on Tuesday evening, Thien forced her to get down on her knees and apologize for the negative review.
Police officers inspect Hien Thien barbecue restaurant in Bac Ninh City, Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, August 19, 2020. Photo: Tuoi Tre
Meanwhile, other people, who appeared to be the restaurant’s staff, stood nearby and watched the scene.
The victim appeared shaken and was crying and doing as she was asked to in the video.
At the police station, Thien admitted his wrongdoings.
Police officers are collaborating with other agencies to further clarify the case.
In response to the incident, chairman of Bac Ninh City Nguyen Song Ha has ordered the establishment of an inter-agency team to inspect food safety and the prevention of COVID-19 at restaurants and eateries in the city from Wednesday.
This article was originally published in Tuoitre