Footage shows kind locals handing out free food for Thais struggling with the Covid-19 economic downturn.

The country’s tourism-reliant economy has been battered by travel restrictions introduced last March when cases that started in Wuhan, China, began to spread.

A series of intermittent lockdowns have also lead to mass business closures, forcing many out of work. Struggling residents have now been receiving free meals from street food stand volunteers around the capital Bangkok.

The handout came as Thailand recorded another 14,403 Covid-19 cases on Friday September 10, talking the total to 1,352,953 cases with 13,920 deaths.

Analysts said that between now and 2026, around seven million workers will continue to be affected by the economic harm from the Covid-19 pandemic.

While economists predict that it could be another five years before the country’s tourism industry returns to pre-pandemic levels.

Two years ago tourism made up an estimated 21 per cent of Thailand’s GDP, generating 1.8 trillion baht in revenue. However, the country’s National Economic and Social Development Council predicted that it could be another five years before similar numbers are seen.