If you take a stroll in the city's central business district on a day of protests, you would notice an environment similar to a ghost town, with little to no activities taking place in the usually busy streets.
Normally, citizens would be knocking shoulders as traders flock the streets with their merchandise to earn a living and contribute to building the nation.
The aftermath of last week's demonstrations is still being felt, with many dead and scores nursing gunshot wounds and other injuries.
Afraid of events branded as 'peaceful demonstrations', most businesses and sellers opted to keep their doors closed and stay at home, counting immense losses.
"I made my grocery order on Tuesday and with the turn of events, I have nowhere to sell them. I am required to pay for my stall at the end of the month yet I am making little to no sales," a seller said.
This is one among the many vendors who have incurred massive losses as a result of demonstrations. With most of them living hand to mouth, their families, some with up to five children, are left to sleep hungry.
Cat-and-mouse battles between protesters and police officers have left many hospitalised with gunshot wounds and other injuries. This raises a critical question, whether it is all worth it in the end?
Politicians go to the demos in huge fuel guzzlers and retreat back to the leafy suburbs of Karen in the evening, leaving the local and innocent demonstrators to suffer with the affected not getting any help. Orphans who lost their breadwinners are left to depend on aid from the community to survive.
With the rising cost of living, one would have resorted to working harder to add a few more coins to cater for their wants. While SMEs are expected to increase movement and exchange of goods and services, the demonstrations have inhibited trade affecting revenues and the quest to uplift living standards through businesses.
The majority of small-scale vendors rely on credit services to restock and for operational costs. With business activities coming to a standstill, sellers are put in a fixed position with no funds to repay loans which at that time will have accrued interest. As a result, most of their business assets end up being repossessed and auctioned.
To ensure freedom of speech and assembly is upheld while still ensuring economic prosperity, all citizens and political leaders ought to embrace peaceful alternatives and avenues to communicate their grievances in line with the Constitution. In the end, we remain to be one united people and great ambassadors of unity, peace and liberty upholding our great national flag.