The Chiang Mai Restaurant Association has told Thai media that restaurants in the town have reduced from nearly 12,000 to only 2,000 due to government incompetence.
The Association criticize mixed messaging from authorities after the Chiang Mai Covid Response Centre released an infographic saying that as a ‘red’ province there will be no dining allowed in restaurants and all restaurants were to be closed at 8pm.
Because the virus, obviously, know the difference between 7.30pm when it is safe to eat and after 8pm when it becomes deadly.
This announcement contradicted previously stated government announcement that such strict measures were reserved for ‘deep red’ provinces. Chiang Mai’s residents and restaurant operators had previously been told that restaurants must close by 11pm and stop serving at 9pm.
This caused many restaurant operators to question whether Chiang Mai had been designated a ‘deep red’ province or whether the strict dining regulations were only for Chiang Mai.
They must have also questioned the sanity and motives of those in authority who are randomly imposing such pointless restrictions upon their lives and businesses.
The restaurant association told CityNews that Chiang Mai province used to have nearly 12,000 restaurants, the most in any Thai city after Bangkok.
Since government ‘safety measures’ have now shattered their economy, only around 2,000 now remain.
Of the 80,000 people who used to work in the province’s restaurant industry, under 16,000 are still working. The 12,000 restaurants were estimated to have generated around 50 million baht per day; today this figure has dropped to 10 million baht per day.
The association has asked authorities to only use one voice in releasing information as contradicting and confusing information is only going to cause more panic and confusion.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce Chiang Mai has announced that it is in negotiations with various financial institutions to ask them to reduce interest and find ways to help alleviate pressure on families who are struggling at this time.
The province has lost around 70 billion baht in revenue since the government started interfering in their lives over a virus with a 99.6% survival rate.
