FOR RELEASE WITH STORY BC-THAILAND-CARS - Jessupha Panon, owner of a major Mercedes Benz dealer in Bangkok, shows a sample of her new line of product - papaya salad or somtam as it is known to locals. Economic crisis bites hard into the sales of luxury cars and Jessupha is forced to look to other business for survival. She is opening a restuarant that will offer northeastern foods such as somtam - a very popular street food which was once considered food for the poor. Picture taken 4OCT98.

JK/CC