At the beginning of the year, all retailers were eagerly waiting for another high season of tourism, especially from the influx of Chinese tourists during Chinese New Year. Meanwhile, news updates about Covid-19 widespread were on the rise, China was lock downed and the tourists started to disappear.

As soon as Covid-19 hit Bangkok, fairly a number of Bangkokians were on alert and were starting to put their masks on in public. The number of shopping mall goers plunged since they felt anxious to go out of the house. Many companies started to use Work From Home policy. The food delivery businesses and online supermarket shopping have ever since been booming at a great stride.
Once the coronavirus turned into a crisis in Thailand, the government decided to temporally declare lockdown in dense public spaces, such as shopping malls, parks, schools, pubs, and fitness clubs. Some of the businesses selling essential items for their daily life, such as supermarkets and restaurants, have been exempted from closure, but the walk-in customers have been permitted to order takeaway food only. The retail industry has started to launch new services to survive. Some of which are pick up service and shopper service. With an ever-changing uncertainty, all of us have to work against time; speed-to-market is a key to survive.

So far, Thailanders have adapted very well to change. We can still find pleasure in anything. Mask on? no problem, we started to fashion a mask set, furnished with a scrunchie and a headband to match with our outfits. Remote Learning? New Laptop, tablet and IT accessories are a must. Work From Home? We need a new set of stationery and accessories intended for a Zoom Appropriate’ setting. Food? If we can’t cook, we can hunt for home cook food from Instagram to find the trendiest home cook available. Or we can start to learn how to cook with master chefs everywhere, while the top selling kitchenware item is an air fryer. Pampering ourselves? DIY manicure kits are being sold like hot cakes. All of these can be done via social media. Food Delivery, aggregator and parcel services are greatly in demand.

But there is something still missing: human interactions, such as simple greetings, daily conversations or gathering in the music events because all of us have to abide by the physical distancing policy. We did see some social gathering events online like Zoom party, Live fan meet, Live Concert, but none can replace the fulfillment of genuine social interaction.

In Thailand, leisure attractions are very limited. Hence, Thailanders resort to shopping malls for leisure. Once the lockdown of retail businesses has been lifted, we get to witness the return of eager shoppers resuming to their usual lifestyle: to see and be seen. And when restaurants are to re-opened, we get to see the usual scenes of people enjoying the chitchat and returning to their social group again.
The Covid-19 is still among us, but we still crave for social interactions and enjoying our lives. As a retailing operator, we need to ensure shoppers that we can provide safety and a worried-free space that they can still mingle and live well in a “new normal”.