Thai restaurant operators urge new PM to revive co-payment scheme

Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch, President of the Restaurant Business Club and Honorary Advisor to the Thai Hostel Association, said the club had repeatedly called on the previous government for the past two years to introduce measures to boost domestic purchasing power, especially through the “Khon La Khrueng” (Let’s Go Halves) co-payment scheme. However, the appeals were ignored, leaving the grassroots economy “in decay.”

He explained that the scheme could provide widespread relief, benefiting everyone from street vendors and small eateries to SME-level restaurants. It would also ease living costs for office workers and lower-income earners.

According to Sorathep, the scheme could raise sales at small and street-level food businesses by 1.8 to 2.5 times compared to the last rollout, while helping ordinary citizens cut daily expenses by 15–20%. The benefits would also ripple through the restaurant supply chain, from market traders to farmers.

He expressed hope that newly appointed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul would implement the scheme immediately, noting that Anutin was part of the previous administration that had approved it and therefore understands its positive impact on grassroots businesses.

Previously, the Restaurant Business Club outlined additional measures it would like to see from the government:

• Tax deductions – allow restaurant customers to claim receipts for tax relief.
• Price control – regulate electricity costs and raw materials to reduce the burden on businesses and consumers.
• Social security relief – reduce contributions for restaurant operators to lower expenses.
• Tourism stimulus – design long-term plans to ensure sustainable growth in Thai tourism.

Sorathep stressed that government support must be timely and targeted to prevent the broader economy and SMEs, especially restaurants, from facing excessive hardship.