F&B group asks premier to ease Covid measures

>>The Restaurant and Goods Product Association (RGPA) has asked Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to ease Covid-19 restrictions on restaurants, including the lifting of the ban on dine-in services.

RGPA president Pasinee Pitaknilpradap said she had written to the PM to inform him of the plight of food and beverage operators caused by the restrictions imposed by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

The government has increased its Covid-19 controls, widening restrictions in “dark red” maximum- and strict-controls zones.

In dark-red provinces, including Bangkok, restaurants can open for takeouts only until 9pm.

Dining-in is allowed until 9pm in red zones and 11pm in orange zones, with no sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. In red zones, restaurants can take orders for takeout until 11pm.

The restrictions have hurt operators with income declining by more than 50% and hundreds of thousands of employees also affected, Ms Pasinee said.

The association wants Gen Prayut to come up with relief measures to help operators by allowing restaurants and eateries to provide dine-in services for customers; exempting and reducing income taxes, signboard tax, and building and land tax; reducing electricity and water fees, and slashing employers’ contributions to the Social Security Fund (SSF).

As for relief measures for employees, the RGPA asked the government to compensate employees’ lost income at a rate of 50% of their salaries, and extend the period of 2% contributions to the SSF.