Employees of a Japanese restaurant in a Pattaya mall aggressively tried to cover up a small fire that broke out, but injured no one.
Staffers at Aka on the fifth floor of Central Festival Pattaya Beach extinguished the blaze before firefighters arrived Feb. 21, but smoke billowing from the yakiniku joint drew a crowd of onlookers and amateur photographers looking for their 15 minutes of viral online fame.
Employees weren’t having any of it. Even as mall security cordoned off the area, they papered over windows and waiters sprung on anyone, including reporters, taking photos or videos.
Customers who fled the restaurant said they believed a fire broke out at one of the grills in the barbecue and hotpot eatery. It couldn’t be confirmed, however, due to the restaurant’s fervent attempt to keep it out of the public eye.
