A screenshot of a social media post by a Thai tourist alleging she was charged VND100,000 (US$3.8) for an ice cream in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam.
The allegation surfaced in a post shared the same day by a Khanh Hoa-based social media page with more than 465,000 followers, which reposted and translated the tourist's account from Thai into Vietnamese.
In the post, the tourist said she and her companion were waiting to check in at their accommodation when an ice cream vendor approached them near the beach.
She said the vendor handed over the ice cream without clearly stating the price, then later indicated a cost of VND100,000.
The tourist said she was surprised by the price and tried to pay a lower amount, but the vendor refused, leading to a dispute.
She said they eventually paid VND50,000 ($1.9).
Tran Xuan Tay, chairman of the People's Committe of Nha Trang Ward, said authorities had assigned relevant units to verify the information, while Le Xuan Loc, a economic and urban planning official from Bac Nha Trang Ward, said local departments were reviewing the case.
Officials said further information would be provided after the verification process is completed.
