Thai night club converts to noodle bar to survive economic slump caused by coronavirus pandemic

  • 4 years ago
A night club owner had to transform his pub into a noodle house to survive through the pandemic.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, bars and entertainment venuers were the first ones that were ordered to close by the Thai government.

Pongsakorn Laokittisak, 37, from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, had sold his precious amulet collections to support his employees and help the locals during the economic downturn.

He has kept his employees and ordered them to cook food to distribute to the needy locals in the early state of the lockdown.

However, the pandemic has lasted longer than he expected so he decided to turn his night club business into a noodle shop.

Footage shows the business after it has now turned into a food shop crowded with a different kind of customer.

The owner said he could no longer wait for the government to reopen his pub because his money will run out before long.

He said: "I do not want to dismiss my employees because this period is hard for many locals, especially the people that are unemployed.

"However, without any income I could not pay their salary for much longer. Luckily that the government is now allowing restaurants to reopen and I think this is our way out."

Despite the need for money, the generous owner still sells the noodles in a cheap price. He also gives out some of his amulets to customers as a gift if they have reached the threshold amount of order.

He added that giving away the amulet is to support the locals' sentiment during this hard time.

He said: "Money and food might keep people carrying on with their physical need but some people also need something to hold on especially in this hard time so I give some amulet for them to support them spiritually."