Dec 16.
Since signing a lucrative five-year contract with the Thai government in 2017, worth around B143.5 million, the French multinational tire company has been ranking restaurants in Bangkok annually. In recent years, it has expanded to Phuket, Phang Na, and Chiang Mai, even though only one restaurant, Pru, has earned a star outside the capital.
This year, as Covid-19 spread across the globe, causing venues everywhere to close temporarily or permanently, many awards groups, including James Beard, Zagat, and even Michelin California and New York, have taken a hiatus to respect the hardships that restaurants have faced.
Despite this being a pandemic-shortened year, which forced restaurants to close for months and barred travelers from visiting Thailand, despite questions remaining as to when, exactly, inspectors were able to dine in an unbiased manner despite the factors listed above and despite numerous restaurant personnel and suppliers having to take life-chang