Bangkok's street food hub of Chinatown comes alive as lockdown eases

By Jiraporn Kuhakan

 

Customers' protective masks hang on their ears as they eat food in Chinatown, after the government started opening some restaurants outside shopping malls, parks and barbershops during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand, May 3, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has loosened restrictions on some businesses after progress in containing the coronavirus, bringing life back to the streets, including the hawker-food heaven of Bangkok's Chinatown.

 

Thailand was the first country outside China to record a case of the coronavirus, back in January, but its daily tally of new cases has fallen to single digits for the past week, with a total of 2,969 confirmed infections and 54 deaths, as of Sunday.

 

The government has welcomed the progress with a relaxation of some lockdown rules, allowing food stalls and restaurants outside shopping malls to reopen, and allowing shops to sell alcohol for drinking at home.

 

"My stall has been closed for 40 days, because no one's been here. I've lost 70% of my income," said Taweesak Tabthong the owner of a famous Chinatown shark fin restaurant, who was happy to see a queue of customers outside.

 

Up to Sunday, restaurants and street stalls were only allowed to sell food for takeaway or delivery.

 

Customers are now allowed to eat in again but are meant to observe social distancing, with tables spaced apart.

 

Wannika Naphon, happy to be getting out for a meal for the first time in weeks, said she was confident businesses would be careful with distancing.

"I'm sure Yaowarat will return to normal with a lot of tourists soon," she said, referring to the street by which Bangkok's Chinatown is known.

 

Under the relaxed rules, outdoor markets, small shops, parks and outdoor sports facilities, barbers and pet groomers can reopen.

 

But a nighttime curfew, from 10 p.m., will remain until the end of the month so it will be some time before Bangkok's famous night life even begins to get back to normal.

 

(Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-04

 

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Chinatown "a hawker food heaven" !!  Its a dirty area with lots of scruffy little food places. Far worse than most places.  Definitely not Heaven !

16 hours ago, webfact said:

"My stall has been closed for 40 days, because no one's been here. I've lost 70% of my income," said Taweesak Tabthong the owner of a famous Chinatown shark fin restaurant, who was happy to see a queue of customers outside.

How nice.  The ruthless shark fin trade can now resume after the ruthless animal trade in China created a second virus.  No irony there.  

Anyone fancy some bat soup ?

4 minutes ago, johng said:

Anyone fancy some bat soup ?

 

That one needs to be consigned to the old jokes drawer, along with Prawits watches...

22 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

Chinatown "a hawker food heaven" !!  Its a dirty area with lots of scruffy little food places. Far worse than most places.  Definitely not Heaven !

My favorite curry spot!

 

2 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Chinatown "a hawker food heaven" !!  Its a dirty area with lots of scruffy little food places. Far worse than most places.  Definitely not Heaven !

Maybe you have not been to San Francisco. It reminds what my French friend told that when she was visiting San Francisco. She said that she could not see one white person for miles. It was all Asians and specially Chinese. 

1 hour ago, johng said:

Anyone fancy some bat soup ?

I'l pass on that thanks.

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

the old jokes drawer,

I thought it was still quite "novel" 

(novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans)

4 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

That one needs to be consigned to the old jokes drawer, along with Prawits watches...

How about Pangolin soup instead??

Most Chinatowns are a great place to spread viruses and other illness due to poor sanitary conditions. Chinatown in Singapore is an exception.

Where is Chinatown? because I want to make sure I keep a good 200 meter from it when I walk about.