Thai restaurant owner gives away free meals to people affected by COVID-19 downturn
A kind restaurant owner is giving free meals to people affected by the coronavirus downturn in Thailand.
Pannapaporn Pimpisarn cooked the extra food at her restaurant to provide for locals during the spread of Covid-19 in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.
Large parts of the country rely on tourism but visitor numbers have plunged and a travel ban on entrants has been introduced - causing hardship to many residents whose income came from holidaymakers. Lock downs have also caused panic buying.
Footage from Sunday morning (March 22) shows how food was put in bags in front of the restaurant ready for the needy to pick up.
The owner said she wanted to help people during the difficult time.
Pannapaporn said: "Many people lost their jobs after the coronavirus started spreading and some also have to take care of their family. That's a big burden.
"I just wanted to hand them a little help as I own a restaurant and cook large quantities of food. I have started adding more and giving the extra bits away.
"This campaign is to support those who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, either because they have been sick or they can't work or they have lost their income.''
Pannapaporn added that the feedback was good and that some of her customers also wanted to support her with money to carry on the campaign.
She said: "I started with only 30 sets of food and it received a lot of interest from residents so today I prepared 200 sets of food.
"I was also contacted by the customers who said that they wanted to give money to the restaurant to help with the cost of this campaign.
"With this much support I think I will carry on the campaign as long as I could to help the needy in the community.''
Pannapaporn Pimpisarn cooked the extra food at her restaurant to provide for locals during the spread of Covid-19 in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.
Large parts of the country rely on tourism but visitor numbers have plunged and a travel ban on entrants has been introduced - causing hardship to many residents whose income came from holidaymakers. Lock downs have also caused panic buying.
Footage from Sunday morning (March 22) shows how food was put in bags in front of the restaurant ready for the needy to pick up.
The owner said she wanted to help people during the difficult time.
Pannapaporn said: "Many people lost their jobs after the coronavirus started spreading and some also have to take care of their family. That's a big burden.
"I just wanted to hand them a little help as I own a restaurant and cook large quantities of food. I have started adding more and giving the extra bits away.
"This campaign is to support those who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, either because they have been sick or they can't work or they have lost their income.''
Pannapaporn added that the feedback was good and that some of her customers also wanted to support her with money to carry on the campaign.
She said: "I started with only 30 sets of food and it received a lot of interest from residents so today I prepared 200 sets of food.
"I was also contacted by the customers who said that they wanted to give money to the restaurant to help with the cost of this campaign.
"With this much support I think I will carry on the campaign as long as I could to help the needy in the community.''