Meat Company Faces Salary Delays, Cites System Errors

Former employees of a popular meat restaurant chain have come forward to report issues with incomplete and delayed salary payments, which they had previously reported to authorities without resolution.

The controversy has drawn attention to 'Nuea Tae' company, co-founded by former singer To Silly Fools. He has now made a public statement regarding the ongoing salary payment issues.

A popular social media page shared chat logs showing employees negotiating for their May and June salaries, with some receiving only 6% of their pay, leading to financial hardship.

Dozens of employees from 'Nuea Tae' filed a complaint with the Department of Labor, reporting that the company had withheld salaries for up to two months, making partial payments ranging from 3% to 30%.

Reports emerged of strict company policies, including termination for three consecutive days of absence, which employees felt were designed to force resignations due to the inability to commute without pay.

The company offered daily cash payments of 150 Baht to employees who came to work, but this was only provided for a few days before reverting to the previous payment issues.

Public speculation linked the restaurant chain to former singer To Silly Fools' 'Nuea Tae' brand, which had previously received positive customer feedback and expanded significantly.

The management of 'Nuea Tae' released a statement acknowledging the issues, admitting to financial liquidity problems over the past six months due to internal system errors, not reduced sales.

The statement detailed that errors in internal cost calculation and recording led to actual costs exceeding projections, resulting in long-term accumulated losses and impacting cash flow.

The company is undertaking a system overhaul for accounting and management, apologizing for the delays and distress caused to employees and their families.

Management is actively seeking funds to improve liquidity and has promised to pay all outstanding salaries as soon as possible. Temporarily closed branches are set to reopen.

Social media pages and netizens reacted to the news, with some expressing hope for resolution and others sharing past experiences with the restaurant's service and taste.

Publicly available financial data showed 'Nuea Tae' had reported profits for the past three years, with revenues increasing significantly, raising questions about the sudden financial crisis.

To Silly Fools posted on his 'Kam To To To' page, questioning the whereabouts of the 'Nuea Tae' admin, hinting at further developments.

Co-founder and executive Nopasoon (Tan) provided a detailed interview, reiterating that the cash flow issue stemmed from calculation errors, not declining sales, and that the company had always prioritized employees.

Tan highlighted the company's history of prioritizing employees, even during the COVID-19 crisis, by securing funds to pay salaries on time and personally assisting employees in need.

The situation is reportedly improving with new capital injection, and the company promises full payment of outstanding salaries within the current month.

Tak Pharanyu made a social media post referencing the situation, humorously suggesting a return to music for To Silly Fools.

A past interview revealed To Silly Fools' philosophy on business, emphasizing integrity, quality, fairness, and prioritizing personal well-being and ethical practices over pure profit.

He stressed the importance of using 'clean' money, avoiding interest-based loans, honest advertising, and fair internal compensation, valuing a positive work environment over solely financial incentives.

The resolution of the current issues and the future of 'Nuea Tae' remain to be seen as the company works to stabilize its operations.