A few years ago, the viral Thai Hot Guys (สถานีมีหอย) restaurant in Bangkok made headlines when it was announced that the team would be making a special appearance at Privacy Club on Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. The news sparked an uproar among Malaysians, with former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s son criticising the venue for hosting the event, calling it an insult to his grandfather’s name.
Although the appearance at Privacy Club was cancelled, the owners, Dee and Wow, were later invited to an exclusive meet-and-greet session with Malaysian fans during the Tastefully Food Expo. It’s been a while since we last heard from this controversial eatery, but it appears they’re going viral once again following reports that they’ll be opening an outlet here in Kuala Lumpur. Here’s the story:
Let’s recap. If you’re unfamiliar with Thai Hot Guys, it’s a restaurant in Bangkok best known for its male waiters who serve customers while dressed in lingerie. In addition to taking orders, the muscular staff also perform dance routines to entertain diners. Over the weekend, owners Dee and Wow announced on Facebook that they would be relocating their restaurant to a new area in Bangkok.
While waiting for updates on the move, they also revealed plans to expand their business to Kuala Lumpur in the near future. Given how Malaysians reacted to the previous announcement about the Thai Hot Guys’ appearance in 2023, the news has once again sparked strong reactions from netizens. Many expressed disapproval, arguing that a restaurant with male servers in lingerie operating in Kuala Lumpur would be highly inappropriate. Others believe that the business would not receive a licence to operate in Malaysia.
Following the backlash, Dee and Wow took to Facebook once again to clarify that they have no intention of bringing the same concept to their Malaysian establishment. “We love Malaysia and we do not INTEND to operate a ‘dancing’ restaurant in KL. That concept will remain in Bangkok, Thailand, for customers to enjoy, but rest assured, this will not happen in Malaysia. The KL concept is to bring famous, authentic Thai food around the world, as it has always been Dee’s dream to open restaurants overseas,” the models-turned-business owners wrote.
The pair added that they respect Malaysian culture and have no intention of causing any offence or harm to the country. It’s a good thing Dee and Wow have clarified the misunderstanding surrounding their plans to open a restaurant in Malaysia. If everything goes smoothly, we look forward to seeing what they’ll serve up for their Malaysian customers.
