Order threatens Bangkok’s charm

[lincolnshire poacher]

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

that is their overall 'style' they want thailand to be the same as a military barracks; no independent thought or action; just obey , unquestioning

Unfortunately you are right

[akirasan]

Can't get tanks down a street if it's been half blocked off by food vendors. The military is just planning ahead.

[AsiaHand]

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

that is their overall 'style' they want thailand to be the same as a military barracks; no independent thought or action; just obey , unquestioning

Normally after the (seemly) required coup every few years the military relents and once again a sudo democracy is formed via elections with the new government going back to the established status quo.This time the military stayed much longer then before because of the military's required new election laws to be able to keep elected PMs or their families from becoming simi dictators as was experienced recently  .This military seems to continue to show their extreme lack of knowledge of governing a country.I would think that after elections the new government will relent to the people and we will have our charm of Bangkok once again. 

[Chassa]

Singapore cleaned up Bugis Street many decades ago ( Bar & red-light district. Later they tried to build a sanitised version unfortunately the tourists didn't come to the new one. Guess they're trying the same with street hawkers.

[Chassa]

3 minutes ago, akirasan said:

Can't get tanks down a street if it's been half blocked off by food vendors. The military is just planning ahead.

Why???

[Robbess]

Ban it in one place, and they’ll just move it to another. I remember in 2001/2002 Thaksin had all the bars/nightclubs shut down early, and new bars popped up along the street - party 24/7 was back on. Thais will find a way around it, or ignore it, or bribe it away, or, or, or.. 

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, akirasan said:

Can't get tanks down a street if it's been half blocked off by food vendors. The military is just planning ahead.

"military is just planning ahead"

The military here? I see that as an oxymoron, especially after their attempt at 'planning ahead' with their purchase of the world's most expensive GT200 golf-ball finder.

 

[lincolnshire poacher]

Military governments don't listen, they give orders and you obey, OK?

How many of the thousands of Generals have ever sat on a chair at a food stall and eaten fresh som tam for 35 baht ? Why would they be bothered about what the little people and scummy tourists want ?

[overherebc]

49 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

I personally  find them pretty disgusting.

If you eat at one of these stalls, and I don't and never have done, check out where the bowls are washed. In most I've seen it's just a plastic container with water for a quick rinse and drip dry aided by flies.

Friend of mine got an earful for snapping the soft wooden

( disposable ) chopsticks he was supplied. Wonder why ???

[lincolnshire poacher]

3 minutes ago, overherebc said:

If you eat at one of these stalls, and I don't and never have done, check out where the bowls are washed. In most I've seen it's just a plastic container with water for a quick rinse and drip dry aided by flies.

Friend of mine got an earful for snapping the soft wooden

( disposable ) chopsticks he was supplied. Wonder why ???

Fair enough, no ones forcing you to eat there,  with any luck there will be a handy Mc Donalds or Kentucky Fried Whatsit for you to enjoy.

 

[Vacuum]

3 hours ago, Hayduke said:

 

Another brilliant idea General. The footpaths should be empty for the people who, because of this emptiness, will no longer come to walk them.

 

 

Correct, they would look like the sidewalks in western countries. I take it you don't live there anymore.

[marko kok prong]

The BMA were only following Ordurves

[overherebc]

17 minutes ago, lincolnshire poacher said:

Fair enough, no ones forcing you to eat there,  with any luck there will be a handy Mc Donalds or Kentucky Fried Whatsit for you to enjoy.

 

You really think that I do?

90% + of my food is cooked at home, every veg that comes through the door my wife soaks or scrubs, Beer cans tonic cans she washes before they go in the fridge.

Sorry to disappoint you but a burger is a once in a blue moon eat when out for me. Buy good meat, grind it yourself add what you want in the way of herbs seasoning etc. Make your own mayo and it's all good.

Bread and rolls from the local expat bakery, not mass produced 35% sugar loaded brown or white stuff.

Good shot but you missed your target by a mile.

[Chassa]

55555555555555555555555555555555555

[AsiaHand]

37 minutes ago, Chassa said:

Singapore cleaned up Bugis Street many decades ago ( Bar & red-light district. Later they tried to build a sanitised version unfortunately the tourists didn't come to the new one. Guess they're trying the same with street hawkers.

Bugis Street was a great place for fun for many years but in about 1985 or so the government started to get rid of all the old charm that "seemed bad " for its reputation.Gone were the pubs on Orchard road,The feely feely bars in the "Thief's Market" area,The off Shore Land Club,the small expat clubs just off Orchard Road,Etc.Living there after 1989 seemed very boring.

[ReMarKable]

When I stayed at Lebua I could not walk on the sidewalk outside the hotel exiting the residence door.  I was forced to walk in the street every time and one time had a vendor, who was moving his cart on the sidewalk, almost splash hot oil on me from wiggling his cart about.  Siam Paragon is almost as bad an area to walk. also, depending where the 7-11 is, sometimes I can barely get inside the store, there are so many vendors crowding the spot and any slip would cause me to end up in a vat of boiling oil.  I have only eaten street food a few times, since I am a vegetarian.  But, I would not eat the food anyway since I have seem how vendors handle the food and "wash" the pots and utensils they use.  It is not sanitary.  So push them back off the sidewalk, but give an off sidewalk place for them to sell their food.  I won't be buying it, but some people who are thrill seekers can.

[Krungbin]

Wrong title. It should be: "Order is killing Bangkok's charm".

[cookieqw]

I thought it was done for health and safety reasons , something not mentioned in the article

load of waffle from these PHd types

its all about money, or should I say the lack of money as they are not getting as much. The vendors I mean.

 besides,  bugis street in Singers was a cracking place but not the place they call bugis street now tho. So don’t bring that place into it.

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, akirasan said:

Can't get tanks down a street if it's been half blocked off by food vendors. The military is just planning ahead.

The biggest problem would be the tank tracks trying to get traction on the old oil and food scraps on the surface.

Especially if street prep' is done with the rubber pads on the tracks.

[cookieqw]

2 hours ago, ThaiTrav said:

Do you honestly believe Thais will listen to what Farangs think or recommend???? Of course not !!  Why waste your breath, what you or I think is irrelevant, they know everything !

Oh I thought the article was done by Thais 

[CGW]

"Bangkok charm" what charm? if you visit for a couple of days and enjoy some crappy street food and riding in a noisy tuk tuk, breathing in the obnoxious filth of the city - great, then get away to somewhere where you are not fighting traffic & filth ? Doubt those that are moaning about the "loss" actually live or have lived there!

[cookieqw]

38 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

The BMA were only following Ordurves

hors d'oeuvre’s

[marko kok prong]

Just now, cookieqw said:

hors d'oeuvre’s

Thanks mate knew it was wrong could not find it in my Aussie dictionary. Not big on them back there.

[cookieqw]

2 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

Thanks mate knew it was wrong could not find it in my Aussie dictionary. Not big on them back there.

ha ha, Not big on dictionaries eh,

now I get the words all you lot use. 555

[Suradit69]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This desire for "order" is simply an extension of the Junta's 'life-sucking', '<deleted>n-killing' agenda for the Kingdom.

Judging by some of the posts on TV about food vendors, restaurants, and much else that contributes to the uniqueness of Thailand, a fair number of farangs share that agenda and goals. 

[marko kok prong]

7 minutes ago, cookieqw said:

ha ha, Not big on dictionaries eh,

now I get the words all you lot use. 555

Yeah,mostly full of various swear words.

[Scottie12]

Exactly the same in Phuket. Great beachside restaurants bulldozed down by the army. Which other tourism dependent country would do this.

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

You really think that I do?

90% + of my food is cooked at home, every veg that comes through the door my wife soaks or scrubs, Beer cans tonic cans she washes before they go in the fridge.

Sorry to disappoint you but a burger is a once in a blue moon eat when out for me. Buy good meat, grind it yourself add what you want in the way of herbs seasoning etc. Make your own mayo and it's all good.

Bread and rolls from the local expat bakery, not mass produced 35% sugar loaded brown or white stuff.

Good shot but you missed your target by a mile.

Seems the idea of good food eaten in hygenic situations confuses people.

???

[Dorian232]

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This desire for "order" is simply an extension of the Junta's 'life-sucking', 'fun-killing' agenda for the Kingdom.

 

The joy of Thailand, and the reason so many people come here and come back here, is the vibrancy of its people and the glorious cultural inclination to have fun; "Sanook!!!"

 

This campaign of cleaning up the streets is killing so much of what is good and fun about Bangkok; the joy of street food, the vibrancy of the street stalls, the laughter of touts trying to get you into their shops, the winks and nods of the working girls, the beautiful smiles of the shopkeepers, the smile of the passers-by, etc; they are all extensions of the basic Thai/Bangkokian "Joie De Vivre".

 

I said it in another thread, but a friend noted that the Junta's plan for Bangkok was to create a place with;

 

'All the charm of an army base, but without the ambiance'

 

And he had it right. Bangkok/Thailand's main attraction isn't the architecture, it isn't the convenience of the transportation system, it isn't the shopping opportunities, etc, it is the vibrancy and joy of the people.

 

Stop this 'order' nonsense and promote "Sanook!!!"

 

 

More and more the current government is friving tourists who spend money away.  Governments job is to.facilitate business not regulate it, yes there must be standards (health and safety) but within reason.   If people don't like something it will cease to be, its not governments job to.tel the people what to like and not like.    Western tourists are not coming in the numbers that came a decade and more ago, they go to more welcoming places, Cambodia, Vietnam, China ehere if people like something then no matter what its not interfeared with..  Pattaya now has Chineze being led around the town by a leader with a flag thst they must follow and not permitted to.go into shops or any places of entertainment. PATTAYA is no longer the City of Fun thanks to.the current government.  Lets get back to FREEDOM.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, pokerface1 said:

The JUNTA FAMILY RESTAURANTS are coming to a Soi near you. The slogan of course will be "SHOW ME THE MONEY"?

 

 

Don't forget that ALL the menus will be the regulated standard Thai dishes and will be the same anywhere in Thailand.