Som Tam served at 31 baht in Chon Buri to celebrate MFP’s victory
A restaurant in Chon Buri province is celebrating the General Election victory of the Move Forward Party (MFP) by serving discounted som tam (also known as papaya salad).
The restaurant, Loei Ma Tam Na Nar Pa (เลยมาตำ ณ. นาป่า), usually serves som tam for 50 baht but reduced it to a mere 31 baht, mirroring MFP leader Pita “Tim” Limcharoenrat’s candidate number for the election. Read here to learn more about the MP lot draw.
On the day of the election, the restaurant took to its official Facebook page to make an election promise. It said…
“If the Move Forward Party wins the election, we will offer our papaya salad with crab and fermented fish at only 31 baht throughout the month!”
The unofficial election result on Sunday, May 15, revealed that the MFP gained the most votes nationwide. The restaurant wasted no time confirming its commitment to the 31-baht som tam and confirmed its pledge with a picture of the Democracy Monument and a caption which read…
“Good morning! Bask in the sunshine and the winds of hope. #SmellTheProsperity. Enjoy our som tam at for 31 baht. Let’s go!”
The couple who owns the restaurant, 33 year old Wantida Chaiyaseeha and 27 year old Mongkhon Khomkla, later gave an interview with Channel 3. They revealed that they supported the MFP since the party emerged from the Future Forward Party (FFP).
The couple revealed that they wanted to see the party working for the country. They appreciated MFP’s policy pledges which resonate with the needs of both small and medium-sized restaurants. They believe that the MFP would be able to solve the nation’s economic issues and give people a better quality of life.
The couple disclosed that many restaurants were forced to shut their doors because of the economic crisis and the previous government’s actions. They hope the MFP can keep their promises to the people.
Wantida and Mongkhon proudly shared that their som tam with crab and fermented fish was the restaurant’s best-selling dish. They receive over 300 orders some days.
The FFP was founded in March 2018 by the former vice president of the Thai Summit Group named Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and a legal scholar named Piyabutr Saengkanokkul. The party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on February 21, 2020. Most of the members from the FFP later moved to the MFP.
The MFP has not yet been announced as the official winner of the General Election but the Election Commission of Thailand will make an official announcement within 60 days.
MFP prime ministerial candidate Pita announced yesterday that he and his party planned to form a coalition government with another six parties and were confident that they would be successful despite the lack of support by some military-appointed senators.
