Panthera Group, Thailand’s leading integrated operator of hospitality, law and marketing businesses and owner of the Nana Plaza entertainment complex in Bangkok, has donated food and necessities to more than 1,000 workers in its tenant’s bars and entertainment venues. The total volume of food pledged by way of the donation was very considerable, including 5,000 kilograms of rice, 40,000-plus eggs, 6,000 tins of canned food, 2,000 bottles of cooking oils, 20,000 packs of instant noodles, as well as daily living essentials such as baby powder and diapers.
The overwhelming majority of workers at Nana Plaza bars are single mothers from Thailand’s impoverished North-east and are supporting children or entire families. When nightlife venues were ordered to close in April, they lost the ability to support their families as well as themselves.
“The employees of our tenants have fallen on very hard times since shutdown,” said Panthera Group co-founder Paul Hayward, who sees it as his company’s responsibility – given its position as the largest entertainment operator in Thailand – not only to support tenants and workers, but set an example for the rest of the industry to follow in keeping entertainment workers fed amid the country’s third coronavirus wave. This is the main reason why Panthera Group has organized similar food donation events on Bangkok’s Soi Cowboy street and Pattaya’s Walking Street, although the company has only a minor presence there.
The May donation event came just a week after 450 Nana Plaza workers were given enough food to feed their families for a month, and following a January handout during the second wave which saw the donation of 30,000 eggs, 15,000 packs of noodles, 6,000 tins of canned food, 5,000 kilograms of rice, 1,000 bottles of oil plus baby powder, essential medicines and more.
