Thai entrepreneur connects Michelin bistros to those in need

(14 Jun 2020) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4273864

When a nationwide lockdown stranded her thousands of miles from her business and career in Paris, Natalie Bin Narkprasert turned her focus to a new venture: building a network of volunteers – including Michelin-starred chefs - to help feed those in Thailand most affected by the pandemic and its restrictions.
The group, called "COVID Thailand Aid," says it has reached over 30,000 people with care packages and freshly cooked food, in over 100 locations.
On a hot Bangkok afternoon, the 28-year-old spearheads outreach in a small, low-income community beside a railway line.
In bright blue T-shirts, she and her volunteers press a box of spicy minced chicken and rice into the hands of the residents in need. They also give essential items including clothing, hand sanitizers and masks.
There are 82 households here. Most people work as maids, street vendors or shop assistants and many haven't worked for around two months.
Already hesitant to travel because of the coronavirus, Natalie's new direction really started after a flight ban stopped her scheduled return to France, where she runs property and e-commerce businesses. And the spur to act lay close to home.
She worried about her 94-year-old grandmother during the crisis, and began to worry about others.
"So I just started really small in an easy way, started helping people, buying groceries in their area and now we are like more than 450 volunteers and we are doing food donations, care packages. We have helped in over 32 provinces."
Today Natalie sits at the center of a sprawling web, making appeals and fielding requests, then matching skills with needs and sourcing goods, facilities and transport.
The results are impressive: among her volunteer network is a string of top-rated Bangkok restaurants. For this mission, chefs from five eateries are at "Bo.lan" which has given its kitchen for the day.
On the menu, 300 meals of "pad krapow gai", the spicy minced chicken destined for the railway-side community. Rarely has this staple street food dish been cooked to such a high standard: three of the restaurants involved are Michelin-starred.  
Her charitable instinct has brought a cost: Natalie's business career has come to a sudden halt. She hasn't seen her husband for months. But she says she has no regrets.
"Until the tourism industry bounces back… I can always make money later but I just want to keep helping people for now and then we will see how it goes, yeah."
She says she hopes that the initiative can continue, even after the COVID-19 crisis is over, because even though restrictions are gradually relaxing there has been no let-up in the number of requests for help.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.
But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.
For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.

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