Pattaya restaurant turns secondhand shop amid recession

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Jenpana Thongpoon, owner of 20 Baht Jenpana on Soi Sophon Cable, has seen revenue fall 80 percent over the past year, so he’s replaced cook-to-order meals with secondhand clothing and home products in order to survive the latest coronavirus shutdown.

A Pattaya restaurant has replaced cook-to-order meals on its menu with secondhand clothing and home products in order to survive the latest coronavirus shutdown.



Jenpana Thongpoon, owner of 20 Baht Jenpana on Soi Sophon Cable, has seen revenue fall 80 percent over the past year as Pattaya’s economy collapsed amid the disappearance of foreign tourists, months of bar closures and the exodus of workers from the city.

Jenpana sells stir fried Thai basil with minced pork and a fried egg or Thai-style omelet at 20 baht per box to help the unemployed.

Before the pandemic, Jenpana’s operation spread over two shophouses, one selling rice and the other cook-to-order meals. With far fewer customers in the city – and those who remain here eating at home more – he stopped the cook-to-order business and filled the shop with secondhand items he can sell cheap to Pattaya’s struggling population.


Jenpana’s food has never been expensive, with most meal boxes selling at 25 baht. He’s now cut that price to 20 baht to help the unemployed.

He admitted he’s not making much money, but at least the business remains open.

Jenpana Thongpoon’s 20 Baht Jenpana cooked-to-order restaurant is now a secondhand goods store, reselling items he bought from unemployed residents.



Next door, rental rooms in Soi Sophon, formally 4000 baht per month are now 2000 baht.