Pattaya teacher graduates to barista

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Lalita Pulee does a thriving business at her coffee stand beside the railway road in Khao Noi.

A former Pattaya teacher who learned a hard economic lesson during the pandemic has graduated to selling coffee for a living.

Lalita Pulee, who worked as a contract teacher, came to the realization when the pandemic hit last year that the classroom was not for her.



So when schools closed down she brewed up a new strategy to make money on something she loves: Coffee.

She opened a coffee shop on Soi Khao Noi, putting in 15,000 baht to get started. It failed, however, as there wasn’t enough traffic.


So Lalita set up shop on the side of the railway parallel road, where she could co-opt public space and not pay rent.

Lalita meticulously brews one of her coffee creations which has caught on amongst her regular clients.

At first, she was selling fewer than 10 cups of joe a day. Now she’s brewing 30.

Her mix of Arabica and Robusta beans puts off a delightful aroma that brings in passersby, despite numerous other coffee stands on the street. Another reason might be the price, just 30-35 baht a cup. Lalita also offers drinks for non-coffee lovers, such as lemon green tea, lime tea, milk and Thai tea.