FEATURE-Bangkok street vendors: from Michelin star to fighting eviction

[lamyai3]

18 hours ago, markaoffy said:

You’re Wrong on everything ! No surprise on TV 

I'm guessing you're not very familiar with Bangkok. These vendors have always been thronged by Thai customers. 

[rodney earl]

Everyone pays tax in this country.!

[barefootbangkok]

As always in Thailand, it's always about the money.  Street vendors take business away from restaurants and shopping centers that have money and influence.  Most rich owners arent happy to lose customers to 30-40 baht vendors and have found an easy way to get rid if the competition.

The bad news is, with no cheap competition, prices will rise quickly.  The government will be forced to raise minimum wages and the general cost of living for everyone will rise significantly.

[CLW]

I'm ok with a vendor and a cart selling from the pavement, but then you get the extreme vendor who comes in and sets up tables and chairs and takes over the whole area.. they're the ones who need to be moved on!
Mobile vendors offer a good reliable service at affordable prices to locals & farangs alike.
Breakfast time or midday or evening tolerance is needed but in reality some vendors do take it too far and kill the opportunity to be tolerated!

One is a street vendor selling foods to go, the other with chairs and table you could already call a restaurant.

Moderation is the key.
Unfortunately this concept is not well understood here.

[seajae]

While I enjoy many of the street vendors I have to admit that the way they clog up the footpaths so that you cannot even walk along them does tend to make it hard. Then you have the stench of the waste from meat and fish that sits in the gutter all day and then at night you have all the rats feasting on the same crap thats been there all day. By all means let them sell but make restrictions so that the footpaths are not blocked up by them and make them use garbage bins that they remove when they shut up for the night. Enabling people to walk on the footpaths, not have to put up with putrid stench and then the rats of a night would make a big difference.

[anon537687643]

I'm guessing you're not very familiar with Bangkok. These vendors have always been thronged by Thai customers. 

Wrong ! The Thais who aren’t using the vendors happen to have influence


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[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, seajae said:

While I enjoy many of the street vendors I have to admit that the way they clog up the footpaths so that you cannot even walk along them does tend to make it hard. Then you have the stench of the waste from meat and fish that sits in the gutter all day and then at night you have all the rats feasting on the same crap thats been there all day. By all means let them sell but make restrictions so that the footpaths are not blocked up by them and make them use garbage bins that they remove when they shut up for the night. Enabling people to walk on the footpaths, not have to put up with putrid stench and then the rats of a night would make a big difference.

 

Indeed.... Shop houses on many of the sub-soi's where the street vendors operate are not expensive... 

On Sukhumvit 71 a shop house is 20,000 baht to rent...  where there is proper drainage, proper cleaning facilities, proper storage and proper garbage disposal (well the later is questionable as the garbage is not collected daily and has to sit in bins for a few days). 

 

One shop I know pays 20,000 baht a month, profits are about 250,000 baht a month from which a handful of Burmese workers are paid, a minimal amount of electricity and water fees and a month stipend to the BiB until the workers are fully legal (moving the location of permissible work area / district after moving from a restaurant in another area of town).

 

Not all make such money - but its astonish how much money these vendors can make. 

It would be a shame to see them all disappear, but an element of control is required for the very reasons mentioned above... (and the fact that they all pour their waste oil down the drains etc).

 

 

 

 

[lamyai3]

5 hours ago, markaoffy said:

Wrong ! The Thais who aren’t using the vendors happen to have influence 

Indeed... the wealthy minority weald all the power here, they'd never undignify themselves with affordable food. 

[janclaes47]

On 9/17/2018 at 6:44 PM, snoop1130 said:

“Street vending occupies an important space in Thai culture and history, helping to build community bonds, enabling women to work, innovating in Thai cuisine, and enriching families with no opportunity otherwise,” said Chawadee Nualkhair, a food blogger.

Well, if they move to open shophouses then they are still street vendors and have the same charm in my opinion, I only don't understand why the need to occupy a footpath or walkway.

[Aj2000]

The military / Junta are destroying all the charms and culture of the city. I've visited Bangkok for 15 years and this was the first time where the 'gentrification' and making it another soulless metropolis really hit home.

I wouldn't always dine at street vendors, sometimes I wouldn't buy from the street sellers, but I loved the vibrancy, the colours, the smells, it was just brilliant. Provides employment to millions, some great food, and tourists love it.

This bizarre race to be like Singapore is utterly baffling. Singapore destroyed it's tourism sector with its own gentrification programme in the 80s, and is only crawling it back after investing billions upon billions of state money to make the city a charming, habitable city to visit and work. Singapore however isn't reliant on tourism, Thailand is. Any destruction to tourism will damage Thai's economy.

The sad truth is, it's clear those in charge have little idea why tourists are visiting. The notion they are visiting because of shopping malls, or order is ludicrous. Every single city in China, and now even in India has gigantic shopping malls. They come visit (Bangkok especially) for that unique Thai culture, the street culture, the street food, markets, massages, hell even the sex industry attracts millions.

To gentrificate such a unique city is one of the saddest travesties I've seen on my travels in this world. Cities like London, New York, Berlin are all embracing street food, street markets at the expense of failing malls (everyone turning to Amazon, alibama, etc). The irony being the military are fighting against what other cities want, namely to get that Thai street magic.

Sure some areas need regulating. Some were obstructive. But with careful planning, effecting planning they could and should allow street food, vendors to pligh their trade. To simply ban everything and sanitize the city is a huge mistake, for residents, tourists, and to the local population.

Furthermore, on a side not - the bitter expats on this form need to go take a hike. Sitting in a foreign country, miserable as sin, and celebrating bans and cultural erosions is sad sad sad.


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[LomSak27]

On 9/18/2018 at 4:58 AM, Thian said:

To me it seems that the Michelin star group just wanted to give some stars in BKK...how can they give stars to a streetvendor on a filthy thai street full of rats, cats and dogs with rabies?

Looks like they ate the food and went on taste. Maybe you can send them a letter about the rats cats and dogs with rabies.

 

Make it so   

[Thian]

43 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Looks like they ate the food and went on taste. Maybe you can send them a letter about the rats cats and dogs with rabies.

 

Make it so   

Michelin is not only about taste, it's about everything which has to be the highest standard.

 

Look, this is how a real michelin looks...compare that to the streetvendor lady..

 

 

[samsensam]

On 9/19/2018 at 6:10 AM, seajae said:

While I enjoy many of the street vendors I have to admit that the way they clog up the footpaths so that you cannot even walk along them does tend to make it hard. Then you have the stench of the waste from meat and fish that sits in the gutter all day and then at night you have all the rats feasting on the same crap thats been there all day. By all means let them sell but make restrictions so that the footpaths are not blocked up by them and make them use garbage bins that they remove when they shut up for the night. Enabling people to walk on the footpaths, not have to put up with putrid stench and then the rats of a night would make a big difference.

 

agree, no one is saying ban the street vendors, just lets have some common sense; dont block pavements, everyone has the right to use the pavements safely and without obstruction, this applies even more to the disabled, the elderly, those with small children. many areas of bangkok have moved street vendors to areas where they can trade profitably without their anti-social pavement blocking ; asoke, larn luang and on nut to name but three.

 

there is an argument that an organised market area where customers can relax, browse and buy without other pavement users having to push past them will mean they will spend more. win win.

[balo]

I think the Junta could get in a lot of trouble if they keep this up , they want to change everything.   

We could have a big riot in Bangkok and other cities soon , Thai's have great patience and do everything not to lose face , but when the shit hits the fan , it will be a big fire, just wait for it. 

[Aj2000]

The vendors want to set up in areas where there is footfall and traffic. To tell them to go set up in a disused car park that no one visits defeats the point of their trade. Yes purpose built markets have their place, but so do the organic street markets that create the colour and smells that make Bangkok unique.

One example where I feel gentrification has hurt Bangkok is lower Sukhumvit around Nana/Asok :
The old system, when the BMA democratically voted in, meant vendors could not set up till after 7pm along lower Sukhumvit. They then that had boundary lines drawn. After the vendors cleared, the street food stalls set up catering to all the party goers leaving late night bars. Many often confusingly say this was illegal, but it wasn't - as the BMA had agreed to it.

Now there was a hell of a lot of congestion at times in that area - mainly because people walked on the side of the market, where as the other side of the road was completely empty. It was very strange.

Now if you go to lower Sukhumvit, the streets at night are empty, cars are now parked on pavements, it makes it a little dark and scary walking the road at night ... it's ruined the area.

Simple regulation, employed strictly would work - especially around touristy areas. Each vendor has a certain amount of space, cleanliness must be maintained, hours for setting up (usually late, once work force all gone home). The government therefore ensure Thai's can earn, tourists enjoy the urban Thai experience, and people around the world can keep loving the street food that draws millions.

The blanket ban solution destroys Bangkok and robs the city of its unique features (that ironically countries in the west are trying to copy).




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[Aj2000]

This would all be palatable if this was a democratically voted for government and a democratic BMA council. We keep hearing from them this is what the public what, but from my own experiences not what I hear - from the vendors themselves, to those who enjoy good street food, millions of tourists, and also local small business who have seen the streets deserted where there have been bans. If there was a democratic institution in charge, you would accept it. But this sanitisation is being carried by a bizarre ideology that ultimately is ruining the city, and will wreck tourism. It is not the will of the people.

There are isolated incidents where vendors set up near homes - that is wrong. In no way should anyone set up near residential settings. But tourists road, eg Khao San Road, Asok, etc are tourist centric areas. There's a distinction.


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[monnington]

why are they trying to take away these things that give Bangkok that excitement and vibrancy?  trying to make Bangkok into another Singapore which is an Asian version of any European main city,..... so many reasons these recent changes are making me want to take my money elsewhere when going on long holidays

[LomSak27]

7 hours ago, Thian said:

Michelin is not only about taste, it's about everything which has to be the highest standard.

 

Look, this is how a real michelin looks...compare that to the streetvendor lady..

Don't complain to me - I don't read  Michelin, nor would I be influenced by their reviews. You need to start sending mail to Michelin as you feel so strongly about this issue.

 

Make it so    

[Thian]

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

Don't complain to me - I don't read  Michelin, nor would I be influenced by their reviews. You need to start sending mail to Michelin as you feel so strongly about this issue.

 

Make it so    

Well i don't care much about Michelin stars, have never eaten that food since i hate tiny portions.

 

But i'm sure that Japan has the same standards for Michelin as Europe has....and those are the highest standards of the world, for everything that has to do with dining and cooking.

 

FYI Chefs with stars can also loose them easy, several have commited suicide after that happened.

And they can loose it on tiny things which are not perfect enough, the restaurants don't know when the michelin-team comes in their restaurant so it always has to be perfect.

[lamyai3]

19 hours ago, Aj2000 said:

Sure some areas need regulating. Some were obstructive. But with careful planning, effecting planning they could and should allow street food, vendors to pligh their trade. To simply ban everything and sanitize the city is a huge mistake, for residents, tourists, and to the local population.

Furthermore, on a side not - the bitter expats on this form need to go take a hike. Sitting in a foreign country, miserable as sin, and celebrating bans and cultural erosions is sad sad sad.

Well said. 

[lamyai3]

18 hours ago, Thian said:

Michelin is not only about taste, it's about everything which has to be the highest standard.

Michelin has already awarded stars for street food in the past couple of years in Hong Kong and Singapore. 

[Thian]

2 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Michelin has already awarded stars for street food in the past couple of years in Hong Kong and Singapore. 

I remember the story of Hongkong where the tennant had to pay triple rent after he got the star...so he moved to another place.

 

But streetfood should be on the street me thinks...so i wonder if it's the same michelin star or not.

[The manic]

On 9/18/2018 at 1:43 AM, markaoffy said:

Your use of “Thai Bashing” should be sure directed at “Thais bashing Thais “.Thais want most of these sidewalk blocking,trash collecting removed. It’s not done in response to any Falang!


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The people being socially cleansed are Thais. They do not want to be treated like dirty rubbish and have their livelihoods robbed from them. The impetus comes from a discredited regime for whom no Thais voted for. I have never seen Thai commuters walking up and down Sukhumvit, they are on trains above. There has never been a groundswell of popular opinion to destroy the street food and vendor culture in Bangkok. It is top down driven authoritarianism from unaccountable automatons lacking both imagination and creativity . Despicable and short sighted.