HONOLULU -- Paul Min and Ramil Seril own separate markets at Kekaulike. Of 22 vendors at the marketplace, they were the only two who attended the free health department training session, but they said they learned a lot.

"I've been putting my traps the wrong way and now I know what to look for," Min said.

"[I learned] how to set up the trap and how to bait and not to use poison to kill the rats," said Seril.

Min and Seril said the bad publicity over the rat problem in Chinatown, initially uncovered by video, has chased away the customers.

"Some restaurants are empty. It is a big impact on us," said Min.

Min said many vendors are in dire straits.

"We have 22 vendors there. Most of them, half, cannot make the payment already," Min said.

To turn that around, Min said there have been massive changes here at Kekaulike market, including the placement of these rat traps outside the market.

"I say 90 percent changes," said a Kekaulike market vendor. "The management even already had some of the drywall taken out, I mean, gutted out because we don't want any rodents hiding in there."

Also, inspectors were on sight recently.

"There were some holes. They patched it up," said a Kekaulike market vendor.

The market's management has installed window coverings to make it more difficult to see inside, but Tuesday night, KITV found no rats anywhere, just a few roaches.

The battle to eradicate the rats may never end.

"We'll be living with them always. It's going to be there, but it'll be controlled, contained," said a Kekaulike market vendor.

Now, vendors and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii are also focusing on getting the customers back.

"Our main focus really is to make Chinatown a more viable place in which to shop, to eat and to visit," said Wesley Fong, a training session coordinator.

"We've been cleaning everyday and then we're sanitizing the floor. It's safe to buy in Chinatown," said Seril.