KOTA BARU: The on-going Covid-19 pandemic which hit Malaysia and other countries including Thailand, has forced many Thai restaurants in Kelantan to temporarily cease business.
These restaurants mostly located in the town area, had to close since March this year as employers and their workers, both Thai citizens, could not cross over to Kelantan following the pandemic.
Majority of these restaurants sell various types of popular Thai dishes such as tomyam, sour soup, kassod leaf curry and spicy chicken stir fry.
A Thai restaurant owner who only wanted to be known as Man said many of his Thai friends could not resume their business following the pandemic.
"It started when the Malaysian Government imposed the Movement Control Order (MCO) in March, many of my friends decided to return to Thailand.
"While at our hometown, the Thai Government implemented lockdowns to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the country and later a ban on international travel.
"These difficulties made Thai operators unable to enter Malaysia to operate their businesses and they have suffered huge losses," said the trader who operates the "Man Tomyam" restaurant here.
A survey by NST along Jalan Kuala Krai and Wakaf Che Yeh today found all shops closed.
Some premises were also covered with black nets and had their chairs placed on the tables.
There were about 50 Thai restaurants operating in the state capital previously and majority of them had opened their businesses since 2017.
Apart from Kota Baru, other districts that have many Thai restaurants include Pasir Mas, Tumpat and Rantau Panjang, all bordering Kelantan and Thailand.