‘Thais Help Thais Plus’ hits restaurant sales by 50%, association asks PM to expand access

Thaniwan Kulmongkol, president of the Thai Restaurant Association, said the association had submitted a letter directly to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, asking him to consider expanding eligibility or introducing additional measures for small restaurant operators with annual revenue above 1.8 million baht, who are currently unable to join the Thais Help Thais Plus scheme.

The government launched the Thais Help Thais Plus scheme on June 1, 2026, to stimulate the economy, ease people’s cost of living and support small operators nationwide.

The Thai Restaurant Association said the measure was beneficial to the grassroots economy and helped stimulate domestic purchasing power.

However, many small restaurants that operate legally, are registered in the value-added tax system, employ workers and make social security contributions, but have average annual revenue of 2 million to 5 million baht, are unable to participate because the criteria are limited to operators with revenue of no more than 1.8 million baht per year.

Restaurants say customers walk away after learning they cannot use entitlement

Thaniwan said Thai Restaurant Association members in several areas of Bangkok and the provinces, including Banthat Thong, Yaowarat, Sam Yan, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, had reported that many customers entered restaurants and asked whether they could use their Thais Help Thais Plus entitlement.

When told they could not, the customers immediately left.

“Most restaurants accept the government’s rules and understand that the government wants to help small operators. But once the scheme actually began, many customers came in and asked whether they could use Thais Help Thais Plus. When they found out they could not use it, they immediately walked out,” she said.

Some restaurants have had to turn away dozens of customers a day, causing operators to worry about their long-term revenue outlook if the situation continues throughout the scheme period.

Sales slump, costs rise and jobs at risk

Thaniwan said restaurant operators were already facing severe economic challenges, especially in the second quarter, when average sales fell by around 30%, while raw material costs rose by about 15-20%.

A survey of Thai Restaurant Association members also found that in the first seven days after the Thais Help Thais Plus scheme began, many restaurants unable to join the programme saw a significant drop in customers.

Some restaurants estimated that customer numbers had fallen by more than 50% compared with before the scheme began.

Operators are also carrying the burden of wages, energy bills, rent and food delivery platform fees, leaving many in a situation where revenue is falling while costs are rising.

“The affected restaurants are not large restaurants. They are small restaurants whose sales are only slightly above the threshold, with annual revenue of around 2 million to 5 million baht, and they are properly registered in the tax system. If this situation continues for another four months, it could affect business operations and employment,” Thaniwan said.

Association seeks urgent government response

As of June 8, 2026, the Thai Restaurant Association was following up with the government after sending a letter directly to the prime minister, asking him to consider expanding eligibility or introducing additional relief measures for small restaurant operators affected by the scheme.

Thaniwan said the association had already submitted the letter to Prime Minister Anutin and was coordinating with government officials responsible for economic policy to explain the impact on restaurant operators that are registered for VAT but have annual revenue exceeding 1.8 million baht.

The association has also sent information to Ekniti Nitithanprapas, deputy prime minister and finance minister, asking him to consider the issue and acknowledge the impact on small restaurant operators nationwide.

The association stressed that it was not asking for large restaurants or major restaurant chains to be included in the scheme. Instead, it wants small restaurants that are in the tax system to receive fair access to support measures.

The association said these businesses employ many workers and play an important role in the grassroots economy.

“We understand the government’s intention to help small operators, but we want the state to recognise the impact on small restaurants that are in the tax system as well, so that assistance is comprehensive and fair to all sides,” Thaniwan said.

Operators say legal businesses are being disadvantaged

Supamas Kongwiwattanakul of Klong Saen Suk restaurant in Phan Thong district, Chon Buri, said that since the Thais Help Thais Plus scheme began, restaurants unable to join had been directly affected by consumer behaviour, with customers choosing to spend at restaurants where they could use the entitlement.

“Many customers call before coming in. When they find out our restaurant cannot accept the entitlement, they switch to another restaurant. Sales have clearly fallen,” she said.

In the first week after the scheme began, the restaurant’s sales fell by around 30-40%, especially among family customers during weekends, who were the most clearly affected group.

Daily sales previously stood at around 40,000-50,000 baht, but have now fallen to about 20,000-30,000 baht per day.

“We have always paid taxes properly and remained in the system. But every time a measure like this is introduced, we are always among the first groups to be excluded. We want the government to consider measures that are fair to operators in the tax system as well,” Supamas said.

Concerns over wider impact on business and employment

Supamas said restaurant operators were not only affected by the Thais Help Thais Plus scheme, but also faced continuously rising costs, including raw materials, electricity, water, rent and labour, while consumer purchasing power remained weak due to the economic slowdown.

She said that without additional relief measures, many operators could face liquidity problems, especially small and medium-sized restaurants with large numbers of employees to support.

“Restaurants are not responsible only for business owners. There are also many employees and their families behind them. If these businesses cannot survive, the impact will spread to employment and the grassroots economy more broadly,” she said.

If the government cannot expand eligibility for the scheme, operators have proposed other forms of assistance, such as tax deductions or help with utility costs, to ease the impact on businesses that operate properly within the tax system.