Current and former servers at Boda have filed two lawsuits accusing ownership and managers at the Thai restaurant on Congress Street in Portland of a slew of unlawful practices.

Boda server Jacob Michaud and former 15-year server Amber Ahlsen named Bangkok Thai Enterprises Inc., doing business as Boda, as the defendant in their suits, which were first filed in state court in March. The suits also list Boda owners Danai “Dan” Sriprasert and Nattasak “Bob” Wongsaichu, and managers Kage Harrigan and Maximillian Clark in their statements of facts.

The suits claim the business violated the Maine Whistleblower’s Protection Act, Maine Human Rights Act, and various federal laws. Retaliation claims in the suits have been moved to federal court.

Michaud and Ahlsen allege that managers and non-service staff were paid from the service employees’ tip pool.

“The state and federal government have said for as many years as I can remember that tips from customers belong to the servers, and that’s a black-and-white rule,” said attorney Jeffrey Bennett of Legal Ease, who is representing the plaintiffs. “Management at Boda … decided it’s appropriate for them to take tips from the tip pool and compensate management, which is blatantly unlawful.

“When the employees raised this issue with the two owners of Boda, they were met with retaliation,” Bennett said. “They were told if they pursued their claims, the restaurant would close and go out of business, because it’s that financially fragile. They were told a variety of things in order to intimidate and silence them.”

Among the dozen other unlawful practices listed in their suits, Michaud and Ahlsen also claim that Boda leadership changed pay rates without notice; failed to provide earned paid leave; permitted unsafe working conditions that exposed staff to natural gas and propane hazards; knowingly sold spoiled rice “in order to save costs;” and retaliated against employees for complaining.

“These lawsuits are completely meritless,” said attorney Steven Silver of Littler Mendelson P.C. , who is representing Boda in the matter, noting that Boda is denying all allegations in the suits. “This is spearheaded by a former server who is upset because she wasn’t getting the schedule she liked and the owners would not give her a loan when she requested.

“Bob and Dan, the owners of Boda, are pillars in this community,” Silver added. “They’ve always paid their employees fairly and legally. These are the exact type of business owners we want in this city, and this is a complete shakedown.”

The suits state that in early 2025, Michaud and Ahlsen met with owners and managers to complain about the alleged unlawful practices and violations. The servers also filed complaints with the Maine Department of Labor.

Michaud and Ahlsen’s suits claim they subsequently “faced backlash and retaliation” for their complaints, and that the offending practices continued. Ahlsen quit her position in July 2025 after “workplace conditions became so hostile and intolerable that (she) was forced to resign,” her suit states.

The plaintiffs seek punitive and compensatory damages, including front and back pay and emotional distress. The defendants have filed a motion to dismiss, which is pending.

“It’s really unfortunate that the owners of Boda are going through this,” Silver said. “It is very costly to defend litigation. This is a small business with low margins. If the goal of these individuals is to shut down Boda, they might achieve it, and that would be a real loss for the city of Portland.”