Called the new Chinatown of Bangkok, Pracharat Bamphen Road has Chinese hot pot restaurants and shops, but they are not doing well and some mala or shabu restaurants have shut down.
Reporters from Thai PBS recently visited the area and found that many Chinese restaurants closed because of tough competition, and the number of Chinese tourists has dropped since the COVID pandemic. The numbers have gone up slightly, but are still small compared to before COVID.
The economic slowdown in China led to fewer visitors, and Thai authorities cracking down on unregistered restaurants also contributed to the closures.
Thirapong Naewdee, a 'Win' motorcyclist, told Thai PBS that he feels the atmosphere on Pracharat Bamphen Road is lackluster this year, but Chinese tourists continue to visit the area and eat at the Chinese restaurants.
Paitoon Ngammuk, the chief officer of the Huai Khwang district, said that the number of Chinese entrepreneurs applying for licenses to open businesses, like restaurants and stores, with Thai partners has increased to 80 this year from about 60 last year.
He revealed that the district collected about 530 million baht in taxes last year and is expected to collect about 680 million this year. Two businesses linked to 'grey businesses' were closed down last year.
