Bangkok Governor shuts controversial markets

[webfact]

Governor shuts controversial markets

By Kornkamon Aksorndej 
The Nation 

 

 

TEMPORARY MEASURE AIMED AT FINDING SOLUTION TO DISPUTE BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES
 

THE Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday ordered the closure from next Tuesday of three markets operating illegally in the Seri Villa housing project in Prawet district, behind Paradise Park shopping mall.

 

 

The three markets are: Suan Luang, Rungwanitch and Romleung, which are operating without permits. 

 

The order was issued after Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang visited the area to find an acceptable solution to the decade-long dispute between residents and the BMA over the presence of five markets in the area.

 

He also ordered temporary closure of the Ple and Ying Nara markets. 

 

He would set up a panel within a week comprising all parties in the conflict to find a solution, which is expected by next Wednesday.

 

The area has been the scene of a series of conflicts but came to national attention in recent days when the residents of one house were filmed attacking the pickup truck of a woman who had parked in front of their gate. The video went viral.

 

 

The residents have accused the BMA of negligence by allowing markets in a residential area.

 

The upper-class families in the housing estate say the markets have caused chaos, ranging from water and air pollution to hygiene problems. They say the quiet atmosphere has become very noisy, particularly during the weekends.

 

Prawet district director Thanasit Metpunmuang had said on Tuesday that the project is not reserved as a residential area, so businesses are allowed. 

 

However, in the presence of Thanasit, Aswin told reporters yesterday that of the five markets operating in the area of the Seri Villa project, three were operating illegally.

 

Suan Luang Market has a permit to construct market buildings but has no permit to operate as a market while Rungwanitch and Romleung markets do not have permits. 

 

Ple and Ying Nara markets have commercially-related permits but the type of goods they can sell is to be considered. Aswin said “the markets that did not follow the order to suspend their businesses will be fined Bt5,000 per day. The examination of the legitimacy of the markets will be expanded to about 300 markets in the capital. I was not aware of the existence of this problem.”

 

 

Many market visitors park their cars along the roads rather than in allocated parking spaces where they have to pay fees. Many of the cars have been parked in front of house gates, blocking residents from leaving their own homes.

 

Members of the Sangyoktrakarn family took the dispute to the Supreme Administrative Court, accusing the BMA and officials of permitting markets to operate on land set aside for residential use. The case is still being considered by the court, but it has issued an injunction for the BMA to make sure that the presence of the markets caused no trouble to the family, pending the Court’s determination whether the markets were legally allowed. 

 

The family claimed that, despite the injunction, market after market had been erected in the area.

 

A police source revealed that police have taken the problem seriously and have booked more than 200 vehicles that broke traffic rules in the area from February 1-19.

 

The dispute was well publicised on Sunday after a woman parked her pickup in front of the Sangyoktrakarn family’s house and went shopping. 

 

Two sisters from the family, Boonsri and Ratanachat, were about to go out but could not because the pickup blocked the gate. They said they tried all means to find the car owner for an hour, including blowing a car horn to locate the woman.

 

Becoming furious, they hit the pickup with axe and spade. The woman filed a complaint with police and the sisters are now facing a charge of property damage.

 

The sisters held a press briefing in front of their house, saying that had suffered from this problem for more than 10 years because of the presence of the markets. Many social network users threw their weight behind the family.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30339407

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-22

[james.d]

Correct decision IMHO, if operating illegally without permits then close them down ASAP.

 

Maybe give the demolition contact to Chuwit.

[davehowden]

Make the car parks "free", paint some "no parking" lines outside the markets and then clamp anybody who  parks illegally with a 5000 baht release fee.

 

On the other hand just waffle and do nothing, a' la Thailand

[ezzra]

There will be many Jao Phor and Jao Mea not happy with this decision, those guys collect

rent and protection monies from stall holders, the situation could have been handled

better had a single policeman would have been dispatched to regulate the situation

with hafty parking fine and wheel's locking...

[BobBKK]

Som nam na

[mercman24]

i bet that illegal parker isnt flavour of the month, (ok i know the markets are illegal) like most things here, but that has cost a lot of people to lose their livelihoods

[LazySlipper]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The area has been the scene of a series of conflicts but came to national attention in recent days when the residents of one house were filmed attacking the pickup truck of a woman who had parked in front of their gate. The video went viral.

 

If that is what it takes...

Support auntie!!!

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The area has been the scene of a series of conflicts but came to national attention in recent days when the residents of one house were filmed attacking the pickup truck of a woman who had parked in front of their gate. The video went viral.

what do thai officials do all day ? they seem to have time to act only when some big stink is raised;

and that seems to be a growing mentality amongst the public; the only way to get something done is to make that big stink

[grumbleweed]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Suan Luang Market has a permit to construct market buildings but has no permit to operate as a market

"twisted logic" scales new heights 

[Darcula]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

I was not aware of the existence of this problem.

 

Awareness has always been an issue for elected officials. Nothing that a budget for a new flatscreen TV, new sofa and redecoration of the office cannot fix. If that fails, just then arrange another Bangkok Light Of Happiness show.

[impulse]

2 hours ago, james.d said:

Correct decision IMHO, if operating illegally without permits then close them down ASAP.

 

Maybe give the demolition contact to Chuwit.

 

Sounds good in theory, but what about the hundreds of vendors who feed their families by renting space in the markets?   They're innocent victims, and there's a lot of them.

 

[BEVUP]

Yes amazing 

They've spent a lot of time going after land encroachment & illegal resorts ( to the point of demolition ), but let a bunch of big markets operate illegally

[HooHaa]

And yet more unemployed vendors will be out on the streets. Hardly a win win in either case.

[SOTIRIOS]

....how is it that they have been allowed to operate illegally for so many years....

 

...wow....

 

...if enforced there should be a lot more parking spaces available...

 

[Benmart]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Sounds good in theory, but what about the hundreds of vendors who feed their families by renting space in the markets?   They're innocent victims, and there's a lot of them.

 

Victims breaking the law are often called criminals or law breakers. It is easy to proclaim someone a victim when one doesn't live in the area affected by the market.

[mike324]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

There will be many Jao Phor and Jao Mea not happy with this decision, those guys collect

rent and protection monies from stall holders, the situation could have been handled

better had a single policeman would have been dispatched to regulate the situation

with hafty parking fine and wheel's locking...

collect rent, yes but protection money? hahaha NO

[impulse]

50 minutes ago, Benmart said:

Victims breaking the law are often called criminals or law breakers. It is easy to proclaim someone a victim when one doesn't live in the area affected by the market.

 

Renting a stall in a market that's been doing business for months and months (years?) doesn't really strike me as being criminal. 

 

Like so many things in Thailand, "legal" and "allowed" are often very hard to tell apart.   If they shut down every business operating in the gray areas in Thailand, I suspect the GDP would drop by 25% and tens of millions of families would go hungry. 

 

The only reason this has become a problem for the locals is the lack of enforcement of parking laws, and the only reason these markets are in the hot seat is that the actions of the "Aunties" has gone viral.  Which doesn't bode well for them if hundreds of sellers are out on their butts and looking for someone defenseless to blame for it.

 

Edited February 22, 2018 by impulse

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

There will be many Jao Phor and Jao Mea not happy with this decision, those guys collect

rent and protection monies from stall holders, the situation could have been handled

better had a single policeman would have been dispatched to regulate the situation

with hafty parking fine and wheel's locking...

 

But you can't do that.... The Fine for illegal parking is 500 baht... [as per Land Traffic Act]. Changing the fine involves changing the law, its not quite that simple. 

 

Thus: Enforcing the existing laws and preventing the Market from operating illegally is what needs to be done.

 

The issue now is that there has been no enforcement for too long and a sense of entitlement has embedded itself in the minds of those stall holders and Market owners. 

[Grumpy Duck]

I recall when street vendors were banned last year. In my soi (Ladphrao soi 48) someone poured a concrete slab and set up electric for the street vendors to sell their wares. The place sits almost vacant and all the street vendors are back in full force. 

 

Not complaining, just observing...

[Media1]

Police took taking money seriously from all concerned lol. The rest is at your own demise 

[impulse]

Interesting Google Street View dated 08/2017:

 

Edited February 22, 2018 by impulse

[jonstarjon]

Now Aunty needs to take an axe to the rest of the BS in Thailand.. Oops need a lot of Aunties for that!! Maybe more than available currently.. Oh well .. Sounded like a good idea at first.

[chama]

On 2/21/2018 at 8:33 PM, impulse said:

 

Sounds good in theory, but what about the hundreds of vendors who feed their families by renting space in the markets?   They're innocent victims, and there's a lot of them.

 

Those vendors are no that innocent as they made a decision to operate in an illegal market. Probably due to necessity however so it is hard to blame them. This area was not to have markets in it at all so I'm not sure when that changed as indicated but the story. There is some land on the other side of The Kings Garden not far away that would more than accommodate the markets and required parking. Not sure why the aunties are upset that the noise that starts around 3 in the morning, blocking access to there driveways so they can't leave or park upon return to their home, the smell of urine that pervades the area near the walls separating the home(s) from the market would upset them...but apparently it does. 

 

Move the market, classify the new area for market use only (because someone will surely build homes there and complain later), post a sign at the current market area that they have moved and get on with it.

[InMyShadow]

On 2/22/2018 at 9:38 AM, HooHaa said:

And yet more unemployed vendors will be out on the streets. Hardly a win win in either case.

They will steal public land , probably on a footpath and be back in operation within a week flogging whatever it is they want to.