Without insurance, and the roughly $350,000 payout they got to cover the damage to the businesses and lost income, the family may not have been able to start over in Auckland in 2011.
Both their restaurants were damaged in the ongoing earthquakes and aftershocks, before they were forced to close for good in February 2011. Miss Jutivaree said as securing insurance for a new business was virtually impossible, and because there was no guarantees the aftershocks would stop, they made the decision to move.
Today the family runs a spacious Thai restaurant, Apadana, in Dominion Road.
Things are still tough in what Miss Jutivaree said was Auckland's saturated hospitality market that required more than just "good food" for a restaurant to succeed.
Nevertheless she said there was no looking back.
"We are hanging in there," she said. "It's forward from here."
Miss Jutivaree said the damaging Christchurch earthquakes and their aftershocks showed just how important it was to be prepared.
The last time she remembered practicing what to do in the event of an earthquake was back in primary school.
"When it happens you don't know what to do...and you are terrified."
It's why her family has gotten behind the nationwide earthquake drill.
So far more than 1.1m New Zealanders have registered for the drill, which is an international initiative created to ensure better preparedness for major earthquakes by getting people to practice how to "Drop, Cover and Hold".
The organisers hoped to get at least 1.5m New Zealanders to take part.
Despite the relatively low risk of an earthquake shaking the city, Auckland Council Civil Defence and Emergency Management Director John Dragicevich said the drill was a great time for residents to look at how well equipped they were to deal with an emergency.
He said there was still a risk from a broad range of natural hazards in Auckland.
"If everyone prepares before an emergency we will be better equipped to cope in the event of any disaster."
Miss Jutivaree said they now always made sure they had an emergency kit on hand.
"My parents are really on top of that now."
Fact box
• ShakeOut will take place at 9:15am on October 15
• Register to take part at www.shakeout.govt.nz
What to do in an earthquake
• Drop to the ground (before the earthquake drops you)
• Take cover by getting under sturdy desk or table
• Hold on to it until the shaking stops
• Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit.
• In most buildings in New Zealand you are safer if you stay where you are until the shaking stops.
