Thai cafe serves coffee on wheels to maintain social distance

By Artorn Pookasook

 

A man receives a coffee in a cart pulled by a rope as a transportation system after a cafe adopted a social distance policy for their customers amid fears of coronavirus outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A cafe in Thailand has started using a pulley system to serve coffee on wheels as coronavirus infections force businesses to practice social distancing.

 

Thailand has reported more than 300 coronavirus cases since January, but more than half were found this week alone, heightening fears of contracting the disease through physical contact.

 

To beat the fear, Art of Coffee in Bangkok has installed a rope and pulley system to serve drinks at a one-meter (three-foot) distance to limit contact between staff and customers.

 

    "I took this idea from social distancing in China. We heard that it works in curbing the outbreak of the disease and preventing new infections," said Apirak Chamraksin, the cafe's 39-year-old owner.

 

The shop has also put up a sign saying it prefers electronic payments rather than cash, so staff do not have to handle notes and coins. Many believe some of Thailand's earlier cases contracted the virus via banknotes received from infected tourists.

 

On the other end of the counter, customer Nopparattorn Promkaew waited as a cart carrying his iced coffee was pulled towards him. A bottle of hand sanitizer was placed nearby.

 

He welcomed the initiative because the distance helped eliminate physical contact, even though the shop's staff already wear face masks and rubber gloves.

 

"At first, I was a little worried about physical contact with others. But after seeing what the cafe did, I think they pay attention to customers' concerns. I'm very happy about it," he said.

 

(Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Giles Elgood)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-21

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What about the common link - customers and staff must surely both at some point touch the box the coffee is in, or the string used to transport it?

 

I keep reading articles from doctors that cloth masks offer very little protection. It is physical contact that can transmit Covid-19. Touching something infected and then wipe your face - nose, mouth, eyes, etc.

 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

A man receives a coffee in a cart pulled by a rope as a transportation system

from a non  gloved  hand

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

What about the common link - customers and staff must surely both at some point touch the box the coffee is in, or the string used to transport it?

 

I keep reading articles from doctors that cloth masks offer very little protection. It is physical contact that can transmit Covid-19. Touching something infected and then wipe your face - nose, mouth, eyes, etc.

 

exactly

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

even though the shop's staff already wear face masks and rubber gloves.

except for the photo  shoot  right?

9 minutes ago, Chazar said:

except for the photo  shoot  right?

 

Staff on the left, customers on the right... ????

3 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Staff on the left, customers on the right... ????

has  thanks  didnt  spot  it

28 minutes ago, Chazar said:

from a non  gloved  hand

So what? The virus isn't secreted through skin. I notice many people wearing gloves not using hand sanitiser because they wrongly believe the gloves protect them, yet they go around touching all surfaces and potentially spreading the virus. 

21 minutes ago, Chazar said:

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

even though the shop's staff already wear face masks and rubber gloves.

except for the photo  shoot  right?

It still doesn't stop the possibility of an infected customer touching something, then either:

The staff touch it with their protective gloves, then the gloves could transmit it onwards, even though the staff are protected.

or

An infected person touches the box, string, counter and then the next customer touches that same surface independent of the staff.

 

As an aside, my wife has to go to the bank today to fill in some paperwork.

I've told her to take her own pen, not use a bank provided pen. Also not to lean on the counter or put her arms on the bank's office chair.

The list can go on - even touching the door handle. IIRC didn't I read one bank had someone wiping the door handle after each customer touched it?

 

Actually it´s lovely to see what people are willing to do at times like this. As well as it´s warms me to see it, I just can´t help laughing at the same time. How much it helps? Nah, it doesn´t make it worse anyway. ???? 

April fool prank.

 

Live insanity.

 

It's like opening a door in a mad brain and have a peek...

 

It's really fascinating.

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

  "I took this idea from social distancing in China.

And I seen similar donkeys ears ago in the " Great Escape " when they were digging the tunnels .. So don't go large on the novelness .. It isn't .. 

Cute, but a gimmick. Drink your coffee at home.

Life is a risk, always was - always will be. 

A cafe in Italy was serving via shovel

 

Video here

 

https://www.indy100.com/article/coffee-coronavirus-shovel-italy-viral-video-9396826

11 hours ago, christophe75 said:

April fool prank.

 

Live insanity.

 

It's like opening a door in a mad brain and have a peek...

 

It's really fascinating.

From experience????  Stay away !555

20 hours ago, Chazar said:

from a non  gloved  hand

 

20 hours ago, Chazar said:

from a non  gloved  hand

Do gloves offer some magic protection from the virus? If the bare handed man 

had washed his hands thoroughly before handling the cup, then there would be 

little chance of passing on the virus. However if he had been wearing the same

pair of gloves all morning, then they may well be contaminated..

 

But I'm sure you knew that anyway......

16 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

And I seen similar donkeys ears ago in the " Great Escape " when they were digging the tunnels .. So don't go large on the novelness .. It isn't .. 

They had coffee in the great escape, wasn't that rationed in the war?

Service from a distance

 

 

"Art of Coffee" shop on the first floor of Kasetsart University’s Ngam Wong Wan parking lot is using ropes to deliver drinks to customers, in response to the need for social distance to lower the risk of Covid-19 infection.

 

 

 

 

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384608

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-22

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Server not wearing gloves.  Bare hand touching lid..   really?