BANGKOK – Thailand's battered restaurant sector had two reasons to celebrate Monday as the country further eased its coronavirus restrictions.
Bangkok’s many eateries, which reopened in May after being shut down for more than a month, are allowed to serve alcoholic drinks again, and there is no longer a curfew constraining late-night dining.But while restaurant owners whose slim profit margins made operating untenable without the sale of alcohol are pleased, they remain fearful that the “new normal” may not make their businesses sustainable.Thailand is a world-famous destination for eating, from its 29 restaurants holding stars in the latest Michelin Guide to street-side carts dishing out local specialties like pad thai fresh from a fiery.