KUANTAN: A dinner outing for a family at a restaurant in Balok here turned into a nightmare when their 5-year-old daughter was scalded on her back after a waiter accidentally spilled a bowl of hot tom yam soup on her.
The 9.30am incident yesterday unfolded when the family, which had pre-booked a table, was about to take their seat.
The girl’s father, who only wanted to be known as Zack, said he was at the restaurant counter to manage the booking when he heard his daughter screaming.
"She was in pain and I noticed some soup stains on the back of her body.
“I immediately brought her to the sink and washed the stain, and noticed the back of her neck was scalded," he said, adding that he immediately rushed her to a nearby clinic.
Zack said he was discussing with family members and friends on their next course of action against the restaurant operator.
The incident has gone viral on social media after the girl’s mother shared images from the incident on her Facebook page "Radia Rahum", where she claimed that a restaurant worker had spilled the tomyam soup while delivering it to a nearby table.
She said the family had just arrived at the restaurant and the victim was about to take a seat when suddenly she screamed in pain.
It is learnt that the victim is still traumatised following the incident but is in stable condition.
Meanwhile, Sara Thai Kitchen branch manager Mohd Zanafi Wahab apologised to the family over the incident.
He said he wanted the matter to be solved as there were various confusions due to allegations on social media.
The 39-year-old said he was shocked when the images began circulating on the social media, and claimed that misleading information on the issue could tarnish the restaurant's image.
"I did not notice the incident and only realised it when the family suddenly left the resturant premises in a hurry. I asked what happened and they replied that their child was scalded by tom yam soup.
"I tried to seek an apology and politely handed RM200 to the father but the money fell inside the car.
“I never threw the money at them," he said, adding that he was prepared to meet the family to ask forgiveness and clear the air on the incident.