Myanmar restaurant in Bangkok promotes anti-coup activity

As expatriates from Myanmar around world react to military’s lightning takeover of ir homeland, one restaurant in neighboring Thailand is working a diner at a time to help support members of Bangkok’s Myanmar community who want to take action against Monday’s coup.

Inste of paying for ir meals, customers at Mandalay Food House are asked to donate to a fund to support Myanmar activists in Thailand who are protesting power seizure from elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

y are considering campaigning online, distributing petitions and “anything y can do lawfully from here,” said one, who asked to remain anymous for fear of attracting attention of Burmese or Thai security officials. Myanmar is also kwn as Burma.

Diners who learned of fundraising activity filled seats at lunchtime on Friday, digging into such specialties as mohinga -- a rice odle and fish soup. Some came wearing shirts or hats with symbols of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.

Many also attended several small rallies in Bangkok outside Myanmar Embassy and in front of United Nations' regional office.

Sai Lao Mai, restaurant’s 28-year-old owner, said that when he woke up to news of coup, he immediately felt he h to do "something for our country, our leer.”

Many of his customers feel same way. Rain hikaul said he too felt need to push back against army.

Khine Su, ar patron, donated 1,000 baht ($33), double meal’s cost.

Sai Lao Mai said he h raised close to $2,000 in five days, a significant sum for 3-year old restaurant that operates under time and social distancing restrictions during COVID-19 crisis.

Outside establishment, restaurateur brainstormed with some of his compatriots on what y can do next.

Before y went on ir way, group sang “Kabar Makyay Bu” (We Won’t Be Satisfied Until End of World) -- an anm of country’s new nviolent resistance movement. song was written to inspire Myanmar’s ultimately failed 1988 uprising against military rule, and is set to tune of “Dust in Wind,” a 1977 song by U.S. rock group Kansas.

(Im Credit: AP)