Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha has also issued conflicting information on how long the state can afford to give people 5,000 baht ($150) a month.

A spirit of volunteerism has filled the gaps left by the state.

“The government hasn’t helped me with anything,” said Chare Kunwong, a 46-year-old masseur who caters to tourists — a revenue stream that dried up with COVID-19’s stranglehold on global travel.