Former Thai Pop Star Sues Singapore Airlines Over Satay Skewer Injury

Former Thai teen pop star Briohny Smyth, 44, has filed a lawsuit against Singapore Airlines, alleging she suffered vocal cord injuries after accidentally swallowing a sharp wooden fragment from a chicken satay skewer served during an in-flight meal. The incident occurred on a Singapore Airlines flight to Los Angeles, where Smyth was seated in business class. According to the lawsuit filed in a Los Angeles federal court on July 24, the wooden splinter broke off the skewer while Smyth was eating. The fragment became lodged in her throat, causing "immediate pain" and violent coughing. She eventually expelled a jagged wooden shard measuring approximately 3.8 centimeters, the lawsuit stated. Following the incident on July 28, 2024, Smyth reported ongoing throat discomfort, vocal fatigue, hoarseness, and pain when speaking or singing for extended periods. An ear, nose, and throat specialist identified scarring and trauma to her vocal cords consistent with an injury caused by a sharp foreign object. The lawsuit claims Smyth was "consuming the meal as intended" and was not responsible for the injury. Smyth, who rose to fame in Thailand in the late 1990s and early 2000s, is now a yoga instructor and wellness educator based in the United States. The complaint describes her as a "professional singer, performer, wellness educator and public speaker," emphasizing that her voice is essential to her career. Smyth is seeking damages for bodily injury, loss of earning capacity, professional harm, and emotional distress, including anxiety related to eating and flying. Singapore Airlines has not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit. Information Source: Khaosod English