No one in Pattaya has money for new smartphones these days, but they still can buy burgers, Baramee Wantanee said.
The 44-year-old had operated a secondhand mobile-devices shop on Third Road until the coronavirus pandemic hit. With two rounds of business closures, massive unemployment and an exodus of Thais from the city, business fell off a cliff.
So, while Baramee still sells phones, tablets and computers on consignment at the shop between Central Road and Soi Chalermprakiat 13, he’s turned the front of his store into Alan Burger, with beef patties starting at just 39 baht.
Baramee said he first thought he’d shut his business permanently and move back to his hometown. But he just couldn’t give up.
Since he liked burgers himself, Baramee decided to open his fast-food joint with recipes that would appeal to foreigners, and to Thais who are not huge burger fans.
The extra income has allowed him to pay rent and salaries for his employees.
Baramee said his success shows that people shouldn’t give up during hard times and that it is possible to restart from scratch in a different occupation.
