When it comes to dining, neighbours have been helping neighbours in this time of crisis

Covid-19 has forced all of us to stay at home when we can, and when people are stuck at home almost 24/7, eating inevitably emerges as a top issue.

Fortunately, people who are unable to cook have an easy way out, as they can order takeaway from food shops and restaurants. They can have their favourite dishes delivered from hundreds of eateries citywide, provided that they have money to pay for food as well as delivery.

However, such a lifestyle may not be practical for those living outside Bangkok such as Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan, where famous restaurants are not so common. To order dishes from Bangkok, delivery fees could exceed the cost of the food itself. However, in order to survive during this time of crisis, people have come up with numerous constructive alternatives.

I have seen a solution which is suitable and useful for all individuals and the community as a whole. This solution serves all residents of a housing estate as well as food vendors very well. It reminds me of the lovely traditional Thai way of life of the past.

There is a long-established housing estate not far from Bangkok comprised of hundreds of townhouses. Many of its residents are elderly people and retirees. While typical townhouse estates are bustling with people coming in and going out, this housing estate is orderly and quiet due to its good security system and well-mannered residents.

After the government imposed strict restrictions on movement and activities, the general public has been urged to stay at home while office workers are being allowed to work from home. If these people rely entirely on ordering takeout dishes every day, they can possibly go bankrupt before the pandemic is wiped out.

Since the ageing residents have plenty of time and are experienced in cooking, they have decided to cook dishes and sell it to neighbours. The southern natives cook southern dishes while Chinese descendants prepare their own menu such as Chinese buns. Meanwhile, the Mon people cook Vietnamese food while the Filipinos cook Filipino cuisine. Last but not least, Isan people sell hot and spicy Isan dishes, of course.

Every morning they set up tables at a spot convenient to all households. During lunch, there is a vendor selling fried noodle and som tam. In the afternoon, set menus for dinner are provided so that diners can purchase them for takeaway. For those who do not want to leave the house, they can order via the Line application and ask for delivery. Everybody abides by the safety rules by wearing a face mask when coming to buy food.

Cooking and selling dishes to people in the neighbourhood has proved to have numerous benefits. Since the residents already cook for their families, they have adopted by simply cooking a larger portion. In this way, their family members can take part in the preparations while the young also can learn how to cook. Also, preparing cooking materials keeps everyone occupied ensuring they do not feel bored while staying at home for a lengthy period of time.

Another obvious pro is that neighbours can buy safe and freshly-cooked food at a reasonable price, with no expense wasted on delivery charges.

Some residents have been so generous that they have offered to buy groceries and consumer products from supermarkets for their neighbours. Some people have volunteered to be the middleman between their neighbours and farmers to order fruits, vegetables, fishes and other agricultural produce.

Somehow, Covid-19 has opened up new channels for people living in the same community to help one another and also earn some extra income at the same time. It will be interesting to see if they carry this tradition forward after Covid-19 has ended.

This practice is reminiscent of the old days when people in the community offered a helping hand when someone was making merit at home when a large portion of food was needed to offer to monks and guests. People who were exemplary at cooking were invited to cook their distinctive dishes and often, the so-called 'local chefs' contributed their services free of charge to join in on the merit-making.

In cases in which the local chefs were not familiar with the hosts or were requested to cook for social functions, they might have asked for payment, but rarely did they overcharge.

Several Thai restaurants, especially the newly-opened ones used to employ a gimmick to attract diners by inviting those local chefs to cook one or two of their signature dishes to sell at the restaurants daily. As a result, home restaurants became a hub of local chefs' specialities.

Nevertheless, there was no commitment from the local chefs on how long they would join the scheme. They were free to discontinue anytime they wanted to.

Helping each other in cooking and foodstuffs has always been a notable characteristic of Thai society. Only the forms of support vary correspondingly to the changing circumstances.