Thailand’s tourism suffers a near to total shutdown from travel bans due to Covid-19, employees in the industry have been forced to improvise to make ends meet.
Air steward Kosit Rattanasopon, 37, has traded in his cabin crew uniform for a delivery rider’s jacket, ferrying food around Bangkok city on his motorbike since the Thai airline he works for grounded all flights.
Kosit makes about 1,000 baht (RM 135) per day, just enough to support his father and sister, who also cook boxed meals to sell online.
“I know things will not be the same again for at least another year, so I will have to keep doing this,” he said.
Same to another grounded airline worker, stewardess Thawanan Thawornphatworakul, 36, has transformed her living room into a hair salon with averages 2 to 3 clients per day and charging 150 baht (RM20) per cut. Thawanan said her income is nowhere near her airline salary, but somehow it helps.
“The income here helps with some expenses and pays the bills,” she said.
Those who have a jobs are among the fortunate. About 4 million Thais work in the tourism sector, and most face a year or more of lost income until a vaccine or new coronavirus treatment allows travel to return to previous levels.
Source : CNA