A wealthy Pattaya Walking Street bar owner has converted five rai of land in downtown Pattaya into a farm to raise chicken and vegetable for his idled employees.
Amporn Kaewsang of the Stones House Pattaya Group – which operated a number of live-music pubs – also owns vacant land behind the Chaba shop.
She’s now growing 10 kinds of vegetables, including collard greens, water spinach, bitter melon, eggplant, chili, basil, limes and cucumber. There’s also a chicken farm. All of it is being used as a food source for 20 families that once depended on income from the music bars.
Amporn said many of her group’s businesses remain closed. While some employees went back to the provinces, some remain in Pattaya. She feels obligated, as their employer, to provide food and even accommodations.
The bar owner also launched another project: Growing cactuses to sell online.
Amporn pledged that she would not abandon her employees. She can invest the money and they do the labor to raise the chickens and vegetables they eat. Any surplus is sold to generate income while businesses are closed.