New Rules Restrict Street Vending to Low-Income Thais Only

[webfact]

 

In a response that has stirred both applause and dissent, new regulations from Bangkok city officials state that only low-income Thais can now set up street vendor stalls. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt signed the new rules, which exclude migrant workers from participating in one of the city’s most vibrant sectors.

 

These controversial regulations, enacted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), mandate that eligible vendors must be Thai nationals with specific economic standings.

 

To qualify, vendors must possess government welfare cards, be paying off National Housing Authority properties, and receive welfare allowances from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Crucially, their net income after business expenses must not exceed 300,000 baht annually.

 

“This policy targets supporting low-income Thais and enhancing public spaces,” explained BMA spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala.

Additional rules restrict each vendor to a single Thai assistant and impose rigorous adherence to public health standards. Vendors must also ensure pedestrian pathways remain clear, requiring between 1.5 to 2 metres of unobstructed walkway based on the street’s size, reported Thaiger.

 

Further specifications state that stalls can measure no more than 3 square metres and must be positioned with a 50 centimetre gap from the road for safety. There must also be a 3-metre emergency exit gap for every 10 stalls, as reported by the Bangkok Post.

 

These measures are set to be published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect soon after.

 

In related developments, Governor Chadchart outlined plans to further regulate street vending. The aim is to monitor vendor income, enforce tax adherence, and eventually clear pavements of hawkers, making the environment more orderly.

 

With both supporters and critics vocal about the new rules, the future of Bangkok's famed street vending culture hangs in the balance.

 

TOP: File photo

 

-- 2024-09-20

 

 

[itsari]

  On 9/19/2024 at 8:16 PM, webfact said:

 

In a response that has stirred both applause and dissent, new regulations from Bangkok city officials state that only low-income Thais can now set up street vendor stalls. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt signed the new rules, which exclude migrant workers from participating in one of the city’s most vibrant sectors.

 

These controversial regulations, enacted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), mandate that eligible vendors must be Thai nationals with specific economic standings.

 

To qualify, vendors must possess government welfare cards, be paying off National Housing Authority properties, and receive welfare allowances from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Crucially, their net income after business expenses must not exceed 300,000 baht annually.

 

“This policy targets supporting low-income Thais and enhancing public spaces,” explained BMA spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala.

 

Additional rules restrict each vendor to a single Thai assistant and impose rigorous adherence to public health standards. Vendors must also ensure pedestrian pathways remain clear, requiring between 1.5 to 2 metres of unobstructed walkway based on the street’s size, reported Thaiger.

 

Further specifications state that stalls can measure no more than 3 square metres and must be positioned with a 50 centimetre gap from the road for safety. There must also be a 3-metre emergency exit gap for every 10 stalls, as reported by the Bangkok Post.

 

These measures are set to be published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect soon after.

 

In related developments, Governor Chadchart outlined plans to further regulate street vending. The aim is to monitor vendor income, enforce tax adherence, and eventually clear pavements of hawkers, making the environment more orderly.

 

With both supporters and critics vocal about the new rules, the future of Bangkok's famed street vending culture hangs in the balance.

 

TOP: File photo

 

-- 2024-09-20

 

 

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Proof of poverty to run a stall on the street appears bazaar.

Like all laws in Thailand they are made to be broken.

A gap every 10 stalls and 50 cm from the road for safety sounds great . In reality unenforceable.

[smedly]

so if you are successful as a street vendor and make good money you must stop trading , what sort of logic is that ?

[hotchilli]

  On 9/19/2024 at 8:16 PM, webfact said:

To qualify, vendors must possess government welfare cards, be paying off National Housing Authority properties, and receive welfare allowances from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Crucially, their net income after business expenses must not exceed 300,000 baht annually.

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Totally unworkable and unenforceable

 

[hotchilli]

  On 9/19/2024 at 10:44 PM, smedly said:

so if you are successful as a street vendor and make good money you must stop trading , what sort of logic is that ?

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Thai logic

[Dakhar]

Once one has hit the ceiling, one must open a 7/11.

[Classic Ray]

Thailand has more than enough laws but enforcement is based on corrupt payments or absent.

[Aussie999]

  On 9/19/2024 at 10:44 PM, smedly said:

so if you are successful as a street vendor and make good money you must stop trading , what sort of logic is that ?

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Thai logic

[jcmj]

Most don’t report their income anyway so it’s going to be almost impossible to enforce.  If they are making good money and have built up a successful business why should they have to stop. Thai leaders logic never makes sense, and these “laws” about the stall location and not blocking the pathway or streets are rarely checked by the police unless there are multiple complaints and they do a week long show of face. 

[AhFarangJa]

  On 9/19/2024 at 8:16 PM, webfact said:

The aim is to monitor vendor income, enforce tax adherence,

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This is what it is about in reality. The government does not care about the unworkable rules of positioning, safety gaps, etc. They are only interested in getting people registered so they can grab tax off them. No different to every other country, grab tax as much as they can.

[ronster]

So are they trying to put this in place so people who are in debt pay their debts off and quickly ? 

If the traders have a really good day then who is to say they will declare the money they made .

[passiflora]

  On 9/19/2024 at 8:16 PM, webfact said:

their net income after business expenses must not exceed 300,000 baht annually.

 

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25k per month!....  I know so many people that to get this amount they have to 'work' for 4 months.

[NorthernRyland]

300k/year is low income? How many people in Bangkok earn 25k/month? Minimum wage is 363/day so even if you worked 7 days a week that is still only 10k/month. I think 25k/month probably exceeds the median income in most other cities.

[NorthernRyland]

  On 9/19/2024 at 11:52 PM, AhFarangJa said:

This is what it is about in reality. The government does not care about the unworkable rules of positioning, safety gaps, etc. They are only interested in getting people registered so they can grab tax off them. No different to every other country, grab tax as much as they can.

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Governments are forever greedy parasites on our backs. I really do despise them.

[john donson]

xenophobic as usual

[spidermike007]

Not surprising, considering that the people who drafted the rules have no talent and bought their positions. They are utter nonsense, will result in total confusion and will likely be changed. This is disgraceful. 

[Purdey]

A whole new can of worms. Measuring income? Let's see your bank accounts. Show us the receipts for what you have earned.

Not more than 300,000 Baht a year? 

"Darling I'm home! Guess what, I just made 310,000 Baht this year!" 

Policeman puts head in window.

"We are confiscating your stall as you are making more than a poor person." 

How to keep people poor 101.

[thesetat2013]

These new rules mean nothing. Most of the vendors do not and will not apply for these things required since they have enough money in the bank to even be able to stock their wares to sell them in the streets. Most police will simply ask for their envelope and not enforce the laws also. 

 

I wonder which Thais they think need money enough to apply for those government benefits and still be able to maintain thousands of baht to purchase new products to sell? What a wasted effort to produce new laws that will only hurt the general public.

[fondue zoo]

  On 9/19/2024 at 11:29 PM, Classic Ray said:

Thailand has more than enough laws but enforcement is based on corrupt payments or absent.

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That's the genius of it, the illicit payments you make to go over keep you under the 300K limit.

It's just science.

 

 

[lordgrinz]

They can't even enforce simple traffic laws, how exactly are they going to enforce this nonsense?

[kingstonkid]

  On 9/19/2024 at 11:12 PM, hotchilli said:

Totally unworkable and unenforceable

 

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[twizzian]

Can you honestly earn 25k per month on a food cart or selling second hand clothes etc

[hotchilli]

  On 9/20/2024 at 1:24 AM, twizzian said:

Can you honestly earn 25k per month on a food cart or selling second hand clothes etc

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Single food carts may have a tough time making that sort of money... profit that is after expenses.

However some of the clothing, footwear and other market stalls can make good livings.

[Tropicalevo]

  On 9/19/2024 at 8:16 PM, webfact said:

Crucially, their net income after business expenses must not exceed 300,000 baht annually.

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That is NOT a definition of poor or low income people.

[Surasak]

  On 9/19/2024 at 10:44 PM, smedly said:

so if you are successful as a street vendor and make good money you must stop trading , what sort of logic is that ?

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When prey tell, has logic ever played a part in Thai thinking? It gets the same grading as common sense '0', 90% of the time.

[impulse]

  On 9/20/2024 at 1:24 AM, twizzian said:

Can you honestly earn 25k per month on a food cart or selling second hand clothes etc

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I don't know how much she made, but the omelet lady in front of my office made enough to go out and rent a storefront and open a restaurant.  It's also doing quite well, years later.  Making room in front of my old building for a new upstart.  He even bought her omelet cart from her.

 

[lordgrinz]

  On 9/19/2024 at 10:44 PM, smedly said:

so if you are successful as a street vendor and make good money you must stop trading , what sort of logic is that ?

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Woah! Woah! Woah! Thailand doesn't want poor people to be successful, they just want them to keep their current serf status. Being successful is limited to the Elite, don't be rocking the boat!

[CallumWK]

  On 9/20/2024 at 12:40 AM, NorthernRyland said:

300k/year is low income? How many people in Bangkok earn 25k/month? Minimum wage is 363/day so even if you worked 7 days a week that is still only 10k/month. I think 25k/month probably exceeds the median income in most other cities.

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So what's the problem?

The new rules mean that actually everyone can be a street vendor, since very few will exceed the limit.

[black tabby12345]

Total Crap.

The real poor often has no capital or skills to start own business.

Useless and unworkable stupid law that only makes people suffer needlessly.

If they don't want illegal aliens to trade in the streets, they only have to check their National ID every Thai national carry.

In Thailand, freedom of vending served as a kind of safety net; middle income earners could do so on their rainy day(e.g. in case of their job losses).

 

[brianthainess]

So just how do they check their income when it's a cash business ?  Will they check under peoples mattresses, or take an inventory of assets ? If you earn your money in cash, you can spend it in cash, it is not cashless society yet, buy anything and you can pay in cash.

Mucking Fental............