Uncertainty not only describes the daily infection rate, which keeps increasing, but also government measures designed to curb the spread of the virus.
Restrictions on restaurants in malls were called into question when the government later relaxed the rules, which angered operators who wanted policy consistency.
Tourism operators have seen tourists' travel plans abruptly change following the imposition of lockdown measures, while factory owners are still in the dark as to whether they will receive financial support from the government.
The future of many business sectors in Thailand is unknown, so all owners can do is constantly adjust to the uncertainties.
INCONSISTENT MEASURES
Taniwan Koonmongkon, president of the Thai Restaurant Association, said all restaurant operators, whether large or small, seem to be unhappy with the government's inconsistency when slapping restrictions on eateries.
People wait for their takeaway orders at Siam Paragon. Arnun Chonmhatrakool
"We are drafting an open letter to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and will submit it to him next week, calling on the government to speed up the relaxation of stringent measures and allowing restaurant operators to reopen as soon as possible," said Mrs Taniwan.
In July, the government banned dine-in service at restaurants in malls in dark red zones because of surging Covid-19 infections. Shopping malls, department stores and community malls were forced to close, except for supermarkets, pharmacies and vaccination stations within their walls.
On Aug 1, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) decided to ease the restrictions on affected restaurants and eateries in malls, allowing them to sell food via delivery using online platforms.
The cabinet later discussed the possibility of allowing restaurant operators and food chains to resume takeaway services. However, it said the final decision rests with the CCSA.
"Inconsistent and changing state measures have made it difficult for restaurants and other businesses to operate," Mrs Taniwan said. "We hope we are allowed to reopen as fast as possible to prevent further losses."
She said the latest lockdown and curfew measures in 29 dark-red provinces have forced restaurant chains to reduce employee numbers by up to 50% just to survive.
"Before deciding on new restrictions that affect our business, the government should at least talk with us," said Mrs Taniwan. "More importantly, we would like clarity and consistency for each restriction so we can plan our operations and investment."
Teerapat Lertsiriprapa, chief executive of Kouen Group, the operator of food chains such as Kouen, Yoong Khao Hom and Da Cuisine, said the government should select representatives from food operators in each sector -- such as street food, food courts, food vendors, quick-service restaurants and chains -- to brainstorm ideas and discuss the problems each of the sectors face.
"The problems related to operating restaurants in shopping complexes and community malls are varied and the government needs to see the whole picture," said Mr Teerapat. "We need the government to help negotiate a reduction in the delivery fee and rental fee that is suitable for us. The government should also subsidise retail operators."
Consumers wear face masks while making purchases at Gourmet Market in Siam Paragon during the lockdown in the capital to curb the spread of Covid-19. Arnun Chonmhatrakool
INCONVENIENT POLICY
As Covid infections and fatalities rise, more countries issue travel warnings for Thailand, affecting the sentiment of tourists planning to visit via the Phuket sandbox, said Worapol Ungtrakul, assistant managing director at Sunset Beach Resort and Oceanfront Beach Resort and Spa in Phuket.
Adding to the inconvenience, the domestic flight ban has forced tourists to ride the overnight bus from Phuket if they have to depart from Suvarnabhumi airport.
The abrupt changes in policy affect visitors' domestic travel plans and airline operators are unlikely to post a profit in the current climate, he said.
"Hoteliers and other industries have been affected by these restrictions as long-term business plans are not possible. We have to adapt on a monthly basis," Mr Worapol said.
He said the government marketing strategy, which differentiates the sandbox areas such as Phuket and Koh Samui from the rest of the country, might not be successful because other nations base their policies for Thailand on the whole country. As a result, Thailand has recently popped up on travel alerts and bans, including from the US and EU.
In addition to travel warnings, tourists who want to come to Thailand need to closely monitor the situation here regarding lockdown restrictions in sandbox areas and follow daily updates before making a trip, said Mr Worapol.
These obstacles have made it difficult for tourism operators to profit from the sandbox initiatives, he said.
Mr Worapol said his two hotels enjoyed 20-30% occupancy in July, up from 1-2% prior to the reopening. However, this month's occupancy rate is expected to fall as the industry is weighed down by daily caseloads.
The virus flare-ups that led Phuket to seal off the province from domestic travellers means the province is sacrificing the local market to maintain its health and safety levels for the sandbox scheme, he said.
"The government has to accelerate mass vaccinations and limit some activities that could spread the virus in order to contain the pandemic," Mr Worapol said.
He said if the country can flatten the curve for new infections, easing travel restrictions could help boost sentiment, enticing travellers to join the sandbox scheme.
SELF-RELIANCE
With unpredictable government measures attempting to quell outbreaks, factories have started to be more self-reliant when coping with the crisis, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Many entrepreneurs cannot simply wait for government assistance, which has not been provided in a timely manner, said FTI vice-chairman Kriengkrai Thiennukul.
"The business sector is working to prevent its employees from contracting the virus or bring the disease to factories," he said.
When the virus hits manufacturers, production can stop and factory owners and workers pay the price, Mr Kriengkrai said.
He warned previously that a spike in factory infections could lead to scarcity for domestic goods, weak consumer purchasing power and worries over the impact on exports.
If Covid-19 clusters in factories continue to appear until mid-August, Thailand will be unable to avoid the impact of "supply-side disruptions", said Mr Kriengkrai. This could lead to shortages of some products, while the export sector will certainly be affected, he said.
"The manufacturing and export sectors are the heart of the economy and continue to drive the country forward," said Mr Kriengkrai.
Factory owners are well aware of this fact and implement all necessary measures to prevent more outbreaks, he said.
One measure is the "bubble and seal" rule for factories with more than 200 workers, which is aimed at restricting travel amongst employees. Workers may need to stay in factories or only travel between their dormitories and workplaces, according to media reports.
All factories, regardless of infection reports at their workplaces, are using bubble and seal, according to the FTI. Many also set up new production lines to mitigate the impact of a possible outbreak.
"Lately many factory owners have conducted Covid-19 tests amongst workers before they start working every week. This is the highest level of Covid-19 prevention," said Mr Kriengkrai.
The sector has to be self-reliant, with a mission to "survive or keep the Covid-19 impact to a minimum," he said.
A food delivery driver picks up an order for food delivery at Samyan Mitrtown. Somchai Poomlard