Nonthaburi: A flood-hit riverside restaurant in Thailand has become an unlikely dining hotspot after fun-loving foodies began flocking to its waterlogged deck to eat amid the lapping tide.
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Now, instead of empty chairs and vacant tables, the Chaopraya Antique Cafe is as full as ever, offering an experience the canny owner calls 'hot-pot surfing.' If you like your food washed down with plenty of water, this is the place for you.
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Shortly after the water tops the parapet, the first diners arrive. Before long, the deck is crammed with carefree customers happily tucking in as if dining in a deluge is the norm.
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The wait staff _ some clad in rubber boots _ step gingerly through the swirl that quickly rises to more than 50 centimeters (20 inches).
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The restaurant, in Nonthaburi near Bangkok, opened in February in a riverside location that perfectly complements its antique architecture and decor.
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But a recent severe tropical storm and heavy monsoon rains combined to raise the river's water level. Add in the tides and the result has been daily inundation.
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Coming straight after a monthslong coronavirus shutdown, it could have spelled disaster. Instead _ boosted by publicity in the Thai media _ it's now so popular that customers need to make reservations.
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"This is a great atmosphere. During this flood crisis this has became the restaurant's signature attraction. So I wanted to challenge myself and try out this new experience," 24-year-old Siripoj Wai-inta said as he munched his food with the water creeping up his shins.
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The owner has dubbed the experience 'hot-pot surfing.' When a passenger boat motors past you find out why. The delighted scramble to avoid a soaking from the wave is the moment everyone waits for, and with one passing every 15 minutes, no one goes home disappointed.
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It's TV presenter Titiporn Jutimanon's first restaurant venture. He says he was worried what would happen when the floods came.
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"It turns out the customers have a great reaction. They are happy. We can see the atmosphere of customers enjoying the experience of eating in the water. So a crisis has turned into an opportunity. It encourages us to keep the restaurant open and keep customers happy."
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Best of all, he says, it means he can keep his staff happy by keeping them employed. So, even amid harsh economic times, the only thing that needs a bailout is the restaurant itself.
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