Thai restaurateurs delighted by curfew lifting

BANGKOK, June 14 (TNA) - Restaurateurs and bar owners along Bangkok’s Khao San Road, known as heaven for backpackers , have hailed the lifting of curfew by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) as they could once again enjoy brisk businesses. Shortly after the NCPO announced the lifting of curfew imposed from midnight to 4.00 a.m. over television and radio stations on Friday night, restaurant and bar operators on Khao San Road set up large-screen TVs to enable customers to watch World Cup matches which are telecast live in Thailand late at night. Several outlets are also decorated with national flags of soccer teams participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Sa-nga Ruangwattanakul, president of Khao San Road Business Association, said he is satisfied with the NCPO’s decision. He complained that political turbulence in Thailand in the past had declined the number of tourists visiting the country by 40 – 70 per cent. In another development, a Russian-made hand grenade was hurled on a road in Bangkok’s Rama IX intersection on Friday night, damaging four cars. No injuries were reported. The incident occurred about two hours before the NCPO’s curfew lifting announcement. Police initially believed the incident was caused by ill-intentioned people while they are hunting for them. (TNA)