Khaosan vendors to ‘disobey’ orders from Monday

By Kornrawee Panyasuppakun 
The Nation

 

File photo: Khaosan Road

 

Khaosan Road vendors will resort to “civil disobedience” from Monday if Bangkok authorities do not allow them to sell their wares during daylight hours, a leader of the Khaosan Road Street Vendors Association said.
 

“We will defy the order and set our stalls up at the usual time,” Yada Pornpetrumpa said. 

 

The vendors are also planning to march to the capital’s City Hall at around 11.30am on Monday to seek permission to sell their wares during the day.

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) banned street vendors from trading during daytime since August 1. Though the BMA is coming up with a new regulation to allow trading from 4pm to midnight, vendors at present can only conduct their business from 6pm. 

 

This time limit has meant a huge drop in income for daytime traders, largely because they have to hand their stalls over at 8pm to vendors who sell at night, Yada explained. 

 

“It’s like we set our stalls up for nothing. Now, we [daytime vendors] make only Bt500 or Bt1,000 daily,” she added. 

 

According to the 1992 Public Cleanliness and Orderliness Act, vending on the street is illegal. However, since Khaosan Road is known the world over for its vibrant street market, the City Hall decided to draft a municipal order allowing vendors to take over the Khaosan Road footpaths from 4pm to midnight. 

 

Khaosan vendors, however, said this order would cripple vendors who make a living by selling trinkets to backpackers and Chinese tourists during the daytime. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30352485

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-20

And then when the streets are full with vendors again there will be a fire and the fire brigade and ambulances can't reach that place to start fighting the fire etc......

So who is in its right the vendors or city hall.

I wish good luck to them. This drive to gentrify the area is poorly conceived and will only sow discontent.

Taking away people's livelihoods, and altering the dynamic of an area drastically for the flimsiest of reasons simply isn't on. 

Stripping BKK of its charm and bustle is not going to do the city any favours at all imo

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

Khaosan Road vendors will resort to “civil disobedience”

 

Thoreau, Gandhi and MLK would be proud of them. Especially, as Gandhi knew from his Lonely Planet that Khaosan's the only place he could get a cheap acid washed dhoti while he waited for his UK visa.

This is just more of the Junta's fun-sucking agenda.

 

Khao San road, whether you go there or not, is world-famous for its vibrancy, life and bustle. Remove that and it is merely a slab of concrete. It wasn't broken, stop trying to 'fix' it.

 

The Junta won't be happy until everyone lies motionless on their bed, outside of working hours...

 

 

Amazing how these folk believe they own public walkways and roads ! Along with other hawkers, its engrained in their mentality

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

1 hour ago, RotMahKid said:

And then when the streets are full with vendors again there will be a fire and the fire brigade and ambulances can't reach that place to start fighting the fire etc......

So who is in its right the vendors or city hall.

Many of the world's finest cities have pedestrian malls and seem to get by.. https://www.google.co.th/search?q=world+pedestrian+malls+photos&rlz=1C1GGRV_enTH748TH748&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwje4v_TsvrcAhXKdysKHRO9BkYQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1366&bih=662

1 hour ago, RotMahKid said:

And then when the streets are full with vendors again there will be a fire and the fire brigade and ambulances can't reach that place to start fighting the fire etc......

So who is in its right the vendors or city hall.

The vendors. Vehicles are able to negotiate the street when the vendors are set up, despite it being a pedestrianised zone.

23 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

The vendors. Vehicles are able to negotiate the street when the vendors are set up, despite it being a pedestrianised zone.

I've been there in the past when the police were doing their sweep collecting tea money.. it is amazing how fast the can pack up and get out of the way! 

 

We an only hope the rest of the country follows their good example.   The back packer business expands.  The BMA authoritarian attitude is shameful.  They are causing problems and solving nothing.  As I said, there many dry old government workers that work near there, and they are your more austere, xenophobic types, much like the good general.

 

Since junta mania's wet blanket came to town, Bangkok has allowed other cities in the region to compete.  Use to go Gulliver's on KSR.  Remember being there at 3am and having great time.   Now,  not so much fun

"According to the 1992 Public Cleanliness and Orderliness Act, vending on the street is illegal."

 

amazing.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Khaosan vendors to ‘disobey’ orders from Monday

Don't worry guys the BMA is well prepared for any kind of disobedience:

 

          Bangkok Governor inspects readiness of ambulances

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by Lupatria

3 hours ago, Darcula said:

 

Thoreau, Gandhi and MLK would be proud of them. Especially, as Gandhi knew from his Lonely Planet that Khaosan's the only place he could get a cheap acid washed dhoti while he waited for his UK visa.

Did your father ever told U who is gandhi..u r even ashamed of your name u changed it to dracula....

3 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

And then when the streets are full with vendors again there will be a fire and the fire brigade and ambulances can't reach that place to start fighting the fire etc......

So who is in its right the vendors or city hall

Ah so that is an ongoing problem for KhaoSahn Road. Glad you have told us the terrible truth as I have never ever heard of it before.

Kudos RotMahKid!!      ?

4 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

And then when the streets are full with vendors again there will be a fire and the fire brigade and ambulances can't reach that place to start fighting the fire etc......

So who is in its right the vendors or city hall.

I think taxis and tuktuk jammed parked are more problematic then some stalls..and why allow stalls evening then? How can be sure fires only happen in daytime? Duhhh

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by Destiny1990

14 minutes ago, Jimmy 20 said:

Did your father ever told U who is gandhi..u r even ashamed of your name u changed it to dracula....

Relax....... anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is the monster that swallows it up.

 

And please, it's Darcula.

22 minutes ago, Jimmy 20 said:

Did your father ever told U who is gandhi..u r even ashamed of your name u changed it to dracula....

You are right Jimmy,   kind of darcula people are uneducated who born somewhere in tribes of Amazon forest...

Good on the traders. 

 

The Junta / BMA need to stop sanitizing Bangkok - especially when they have no electoral mandate to do so. If there was a democratic process and the party in power decided to inact such measures we would all accept it - but not this way. Not from unelected officials who are barbarically destroying a city of it's unique culture that attracts millions around the world. Just disgraceful. 

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by JennaBurrows

5 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

And then when the streets are full with vendors again there will be a fire and the fire brigade and ambulances can't reach that place to start fighting the fire etc......

So who is in its right the vendors or city hall.

If there was a fire, those stalls are portable and can move in 1/2 a second. so that is not true.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

According to the 1992 Public Cleanliness and Orderliness Act, vending on the street is illegal.

 

And just because a blind eye was turned for so long and they were blatantly allowed to break the law doesn't make their business legal now. The vendors must know that, or should. Just another example of the total disregard for any and every law in this country, backed up and encouraged by an almost universal lack of enforcement.

1 hour ago, Khuai Lek said:

You are right Jimmy,   kind of darcula people are uneducated who born somewhere in tribes of Amazon forest...

 

You should visit the Amazon once. There's clean air, no dead dogs in the river, and no one defecates on the streets.

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This is just more of the Junta's fun-sucking agenda.

 

Khao San road, whether you go there or not, is world-famous for its vibrancy, life and bustle. Remove that and it is merely a slab of concrete. It wasn't broken, stop trying to 'fix' it.

 

The Junta won't be happy until everyone lies motionless on their bed, outside of working hours...

 

 

Yep, and get out of bed and I wouldn't put it past them to institute flogging. This is exactly where it is going.

 

My son told me this year (his last year M6) is the first hardest hard core serious year of the Thai military cracking down on the kids training in schools 1 day a week. I am not talking the career minded kids, but the ones who don't want to do the conscription picking for ok or your life is theirs.. They are taking pleasure in ugly buzz cutting the kids hair every week if they don't like how it is cut, and made the marching and requirements way tougher. All the years he was in it before and all the years every student was in the program before used to be Lax but they just took it farther. They all hate it. Looks to me to be an alternative reason for this.

They gonna build a bigger army? 

They gonna really call all of these kids into real service for the first time? They have no choice as the army owns them. If these kids after graduation say leave me alone, the army can say you are in the reserves, you cannot talk back. Get my point?

 

There is much much more to the picture of Khaoson and every other little thing happening now. The strangle hold is getting tighter and tighter and tighter as the cleansing begins. When are the Thai going to wake up?

 

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

And just because a blind eye was turned for so long and they were blatantly allowed to break the law doesn't make their business legal now. The vendors must know that, or should. Just another example of the total disregard for any and every law in this country, backed up and encouraged by an almost universal lack of enforcement.

These stalls have been around donkey's tears. It just seems the Thai way to make things illegal and then turn a blind eye.

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

If there was a fire, those stalls are portable and can move in 1/2 a second. so that is not true.

Per Mitch Hedberg - if you are flammable, and you have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Khaosan vendors, however, said this order would cripple vendors who make a living by selling trinkets to backpackers and Chinese tourists during the daytime. 

Tough, given they've being doing the illegal for years. And it's not as though they are going to be banned. 4.00 to midnight should be more than long enough.

10 hours ago, z42 said:

I wish good luck to them. This drive to gentrify the area is poorly conceived and will only sow discontent.

Taking away people's livelihoods, and altering the dynamic of an area drastically for the flimsiest of reasons simply isn't on. 

Stripping BKK of its charm and bustle is not going to do the city any favours at all imo

Khaosan Road and charm don't quite go togther.

11 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

And just because a blind eye was turned for so long and they were blatantly allowed to break the law doesn't make their business legal now. The vendors must know that, or should. Just another example of the total disregard for any and every law in this country, backed up and encouraged by an almost universal lack of enforcement.

 

As an expat - what drew you to Bangkok? 

 

You are part of this bitter, angry, ex pat type person i am seeing alot online. You hate tourists, hate anything to do with tourism and anything that encourages tourism - perhaps in your mind set you believe tourism is driving prices up? Your misery and non stop whinging really depresses me. As an expat you are more than likely never to be anywhere near Khao San Road, or lower Sukhumvit, yet you will spend many a hours moaning about the goings on there. 

 

It's like when i stayed in Amsterdam during a gap year. I didn't moan that 40 minutes away from me was a red light district, and legal marijuana shops. I just never ventured into that area. Yet you'll have a certain expat who will just whinge and whinge about areas they probably never venture too. 

 

These bitter expats will often talk law, and due process - yet conveniantly not mention there is no democracy in Thailand at the moment. The BMA which has always been elected by the people for the first time in it's history is being governed without democracy. They have no mandate to destroy a city, to destroy it's culture, to put Thai citizens out of work, all because they love pavements. There mandate was to restore law, order, peace and bring democracy back to the population - not change the whole culture of a city, and interfere to the point you destroy Tourism. 

 

The love of Singapore makes me wonder what on earth they are doing Bangkok? Why not just go to Singapore if you love a sanitiized dull life?

 

Unfortunately Singapore is a Financial mammoth, it's financial services makeup a huge part of it's economy, and it's not reliant on tourism. Tourism to Thailand represents over 20% of it's GDP - you don't destroy that unless you want to destroy the economy. Eventually even the Chinese tourists will stop coming. 

 

Me personally i have no problem with some regulation and safety. But with Thai officials anytime they interfere it usually just ends up with a blanket ban. 

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by JennaBurrows

6 hours ago, Jonmarleesco said:

Khaosan Road and charm don't quite go togther.

 

Pretty much none of Bangkok is really that charming if you look at it from a certain perspective. 

 

Apart from the Grand Palace there is essentially no other tourist attractions in the city (bar a few statues). Hell, the BTS Sky Train is the 5th best tourist attraction according to Tripadvisor - that's rite a train service. Millions come to the city for its unique culture, street culture, street food, markets, and yes even the adult nightlife. 

 

If you don't enjoy Khao San Road, then don't go there. I go there now and again to party with local Thai's. My whole crux is what the ban represents - it's just more sanitization of a city i loved and have made my life, being destroyed by a bunch of guys who have no clue what they are doing, no mandate, and destroying this wonderful city. 

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by JennaBurrows

16 hours ago, Darcula said:

Gandhi knew from his Lonely Planet that Khaosan's the only place he could get a cheap acid washed dhoti while he waited for his UK visa.

I saw him a few years ago in Madame Tussauds at Siam Centre. His waxy complexion suggested he'd been overindulging in the banana pancakes.

 

I'll get mahatma coat... ?

12 hours ago, JennaBurrows said:

 

As an expat - what drew you to Bangkok? 

 

You are part of this bitter, angry, ex pat type person i am seeing alot online. You hate tourists, hate anything to do with tourism and anything that encourages tourism - perhaps in your mind set you believe tourism is driving prices up? Your misery and non stop whinging really depresses me. As an expat you are more than likely never to be anywhere near Khao San Road, or lower Sukhumvit, yet you will spend many a hours moaning about the goings on there. 

 

It's like when i stayed in Amsterdam during a gap year. I didn't moan that 40 minutes away from me was a red light district, and legal marijuana shops. I just never ventured into that area. Yet you'll have a certain expat who will just whinge and whinge about areas they probably never venture too. 

 

These bitter expats will often talk law, and due process - yet conveniantly not mention there is no democracy in Thailand at the moment. The BMA which has always been elected by the people for the first time in it's history is being governed without democracy. They have no mandate to destroy a city, to destroy it's culture, to put Thai citizens out of work, all because they love pavements. There mandate was to restore law, order, peace and bring democracy back to the population - not change the whole culture of a city, and interfere to the point you destroy Tourism. 

 

The love of Singapore makes me wonder what on earth they are doing Bangkok? Why not just go to Singapore if you love a sanitiized dull life?

 

Unfortunately Singapore is a Financial mammoth, it's financial services makeup a huge part of it's economy, and it's not reliant on tourism. Tourism to Thailand represents over 20% of it's GDP - you don't destroy that unless you want to destroy the economy. Eventually even the Chinese tourists will stop coming. 

 

Me personally i have no problem with some regulation and safety. But with Thai officials anytime they interfere it usually just ends up with a blanket ban. 

 

You make a careless number of assumptions about someone you don't know and have never met, and your tirade instead labels you as the bitter whinger. Oh, the irony.

FYI, I lived in Bangkok for 20 years, visited KSR several times and lower Sukhumvit probably several hundreds of times. I'm one of those strange people that prefer to walk on the pavement (I'm British, so not sidewalk) rather than in the road because my path is blocked by illegal vendors who believe that, unlike those who pay rent, they can just squat where they like and block the way of the vast majority of passersby who are not interested in their business. There are also businesses on KSR who quite obviously trade in illegal goods, with the full consent of the law 'enforcers'.

 

Having said all that, I have nothing against the area and would not deny its popularity. But the area has also changed a great deal in the last 10 years or so with many up-market places added, and it is no longer quite the same backpacker haven that it was. Asking the illegal vendors to leave people somewhere to walk is just another move in what has been a long-term trend of cleaning the place up. And that includes efforts to limit the Songkran celebrations (I've been there for that, too, by the way).

And I have nothing at all against tourists (there are also many kinds of tourists and many do not go near KSR). I do question how many Chinese go to KSR. Whenever I've been there I don't recall seeing any great numbers, so freeing up the pavements won't, I think, have much or any effect on the many Chinese visitors. So the number of tourists, which has survived the bombing of tourist sites such as the Central World area and the Erawan Shrine, street rioting and the burning down of buildings and several military coups, is not going to be put in peril because one road has been cleared of illegal vendors for a few hours each day. Most of the tourists that visit KSR, I'd guess, go there at night anyway, when nothing is changed.

Your rant about the state of democracy in Thailand is, in my opinion, totally irrelevant. You are suggesting, based on no evidence at all, that an elected council would not have taken the same action. I don't know that, and neither do you.

 

Edited August 21, 20187 yr by Bangkok Barry