A struggling driver turned his bus into a snacks shop to survive the pandemic.

Shopkeeper Thitima Imsa-san, 16, said her father renovated the vehicle’s interior so they could sell food in it after travel restrictions affected his job picking up customers in Chonburi province.

Instead of passenger seats, the bus is now filled with tasty treats such as crackers, as well as a mini-bar where customers can order drinks.

The redesigned bus helped the family maintain their income while public transportation is limited and drivers are forced to keep their vehicles in the garage during the pandemic.

The driver’s daughter Thitima said: ‘I use my free time to help out here. I just stay inside the bus and the customers can buy easily from a distance.

‘My father also thought of selling coffee and drinks here which was liked by the customers. We did not expect that it would be received well.’

Thailand has recorded 1,489,186 Covid-19 cases and 15,469 deaths as of September 17.

Ministers hope to fully re-open the country to vaccinated travellers in October but economists have warned that it could still 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.

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.