"Pa Thawee's Shop" is a small curry rice shop, but with a big heart.
"Giving is like power that starts from small points, connected to form a line that becomes a powerful force of hope capable of overcoming any obstacle." Monthathip Jaisombun
'Pa Thawee's Shop' is a famous curry rice shop in the Phran Nok area, with a history spanning over 70 years. BWan - Thongchai Jaisombun The second generation heir of Pa Thawi and... Poo - Monthathip Jaisombun His wife manages the shop, and Pa Thawee's regular customers include those living around Phran Nok intersection, as well as doctors, nurses, and staff from Siriraj Hospital who frequent the shop regularly, until the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
| The starting point that led to 'Pa Thawee's Shop Sending boxed meals to help doctors, nurses, and staff at Siriraj Hospital.
“Doctors and nurses came to tell us that they probably wouldn't be able to eat at our restaurant again, and it might even be the last time, because the pandemic has prevented them from leaving the hospital due to the high risk of close contact with patients. Hearing that felt like they were saying goodbye. We were heartbroken, because if doctors and nurses said that, it meant this crisis was truly severe. So we thought about how we could help these frontline workers. We decided that sending them boxed meals would be the best option, since we own a restaurant and are good at cooking. At least it will help the doctors have a satisfying meal and lessen their exhaustion as much as possible.”
“During the severe pandemic and the lockdown of Bangkok, we sent 700 meal boxes a day to Siriraj Hospital and also distributed free meal boxes in front of our shop to people in the Phran Nok area or anyone who needed food during those difficult times. The queues for food were very long, stretching to the end of the street. In the beginning, we paid for everything ourselves, but later people joined in to help us, some with money, some with ingredients and cooking equipment.”
| Many people 'tired' Despite this crisis, why is Pa Thawee's shop still open?tired' But they haven't stopped giving.
“Back then, everyone was struggling, and we were no different, both in terms of expenses and physical labor. But we thought that if we could provide food for the doctors, nurses, and people in the area, it would be something to be happy about. At that time, my family and everyone in the shop came out to help. We wouldn't get to eat breakfast until 5 pm every day, and I lost over 10 kilograms in just one month. But we persevered as much as we could.”
"If you ask if we're tired or discouraged, everyone in the country would probably say we're all tired. But the more important question is, why haven't we given up yet? We understand that part of what motivates everyone to keep fighting is the mutual support they see in society. Everyone is doing their best in their respective roles. Those who have the means and resources are helping or giving as much as they can. COVID may have tired us physically, but giving and helping brings peace of mind. We believe that physical tiredness can be cured with rest, but emotional tiredness is definitely not happy."
"What do we get in return for giving? We honestly don't know. It's just a small feeling of satisfaction from doing it. But deep down, we believe that giving, even something small, has immense power. It's like drawing lines from small dots, connecting them to form a continuous line. When enough dots are connected, they become a force and a source of hope that can help everyone overcome a crisis as big as this one."
