Bangkok’s Chinatown street food stalls, gold shops see worst trade in years

14 Sept 02:49 Key points summarised by AI

Bangkok's Chinatown, once bustling, is now quiet as the COVID-19 pandemic and a 9 pm curfew severely impact businesses, forcing many street food stalls and restaurants to open earlier to cover expenses.
Many businesses, including food stalls and dessert shops, report significant income drops, with some experiencing their worst trade in over two decades, surpassing impacts from political protests or floods.
The Thai Restaurants and Street Food Association warns that many smaller establishments are closing due to unsustainable costs, predicting 60% of stalls and restaurants could cease operations in Q3 if the government doesn't control the situation.
Gold shops in Chinatown are also deeply affected, with some major groups closing branches and experiencing almost no customers, despite efforts to expand online trading channels.
Industry associations predict a long recovery for Thailand, urging the government to accelerate mass inoculations and procure more efficient vaccines and medication to combat the rising number of infections.

New home loan scheme aims to boost property sector with Bt125 billion

20 Oct 11:38 Key points summarised by AI

The Cabinet approved a new Bt50-billion 'A House for Each PLUS' home loan scheme from the Government Housing Bank, offering up to Bt3 million with 40-year repayment terms for low- and middle-income earners.
This initiative aims to significantly boost the property sector and national economy, projecting to generate Bt125 billion in economic activity and create jobs.