Why Are You Even Here? The Surprising Attitudes of Some Expats in Thailand

[webfact]

 

FILE photo

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has introduced new rules to regulate street vendors, aiming to clear pavements and create more organised, hawker-centre-style areas. The policy restricts vendor activities to specific zones, part of a larger scheme to improve public space management in the Thai capital.

 

Under these rules, only "poor Thais" are permitted to be vendors, with restrictions on employing migrants. To qualify, applicants must be Thai citizens meeting at least one criterion: possessing a state welfare card, participating in the Baan Mankong housing scheme, or receiving aid from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.

 

Vendors can acquire a one-year permit to operate, but must later prove their annual income does not exceed 300,000 baht via income tax filings. First-time filers are given a grace period to begin compliance. Those earning above this threshold will forfeit the right to operate unless the BMA revises the income cap.

Approval falls under district offices' purview, prioritising vendors already in the tax system. In crowded areas, a lottery will determine vendor selection. The BMA will routinely assess vending zones' suitability to prevent disruption of street and traffic flow, maintaining pedestrian safety.

 

Stall guidelines prohibit obstruction of public areas like footbridges or bus stops, ensuring a clear path of 1.5 to 2 metres for pedestrians. Each stall is limited to three square metres and must not block street-side pavements, with an emergency exit every ten stalls.

 

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt aspires to eventually relocate vendors to dedicated hawker centres, akin to Singapore. While current vending zones won't expand, some 10,000 streets traders have already moved, with efforts towards establishing these centres ongoing.

 

-- 2024-10-11

 

[GammaGlobulin]

Someday, with too many vendor rules....

 

BKK and CM will become almost as sterile as today's OSAKA, Japan.

 

Many years ago, Japan had street food.

 

Now, don't even think about it.

 

Is this what we wish for Thailand?

 

 

[redwood1]

 Bangkok is World famous for its street food...

 

For some reason they seem determined to get rid of all street food in Bangkok by regulating it to death....Their favorite buzz word is Safety...... Safety this Safety that....Rules on top of rules until Bangkok has no more street food....

 

At least for now they are mostly leaving the street food sellers outside of Bangkok alone....But in the future I bet this will change....

 

They want to create a barren. soulless, sterile urban landscape similar to Singapore.....

[CharlieH]

Sp, 24,000 a month is "poor"people? When the average working wage is around 15,000 and I think minimum wage is around 12,000 

Seems like the government thinks the majority of the population are "poor " and that's no restriction at all then on who can sell food.

 

Don't make sense as usual !

[mokwit]

35 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

 Bangkok is World famous for its street food...

 

For some reason they seem determined to get rid of all street food in Bangkok by regulating it to death....Their favorite buzz word is Safety...... Safety this Safety that....Rules on top of rules until Bangkok has no more street food....

 

At least for now they are mostly leaving the street food sellers outside of Bangkok alone....But in the future I bet this will change....

 

They want to create a barren. soulless, sterile urban landscape similar to Singapore.....

The Thais will tell you it is to force you into buying from 7-11.

[Celsius]

Finally getting rid of slop

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Under these rules, only "poor Thais" are permitted to be vendors,

 

And where do 'poor Thais' get the money from to set it all up?

The 'aid' that is mentioned in the article rarely has any cash left over for savings.

Those folk usually live hand to mouth.

Oh - silly me. I forgot - loan sharks where they only pay a gazillion baht a day in interest.

[lordgrinz]

2 hours ago, mokwit said:

The Thais will tell you it is to force you into buying from 7-11.

 

Tough call, buy at 7-11, or try your luck at the Hepatitis-A street food vendor table....."Hmmm, do I feel lucky?"

[thesetat2013]

6 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Someday, with too many vendor rules....

 

BKK and CM will become almost as sterile as today's OSAKA, Japan.

 

Many years ago, Japan had street food.

 

Now, don't even think about it.

 

Is this what we wish for Thailand?

 

 

I agree.. As it stands now. Only a poor person can make and operate a street side food cart. They must follow the new rules where they can sell their food, and they must remain poor with an income of less than 300,000 baht annually. Which means.. If reporting their income, they will lose their business in the first year if they make good food. Faster if the police fine them for selling in the wrong place. What hope is there to remain in this type of business? If they actually followed the new laws regarding this type of business. 

[RandolphGB]

It would be nice if these laws were enforced, but they won't be. 

 

Street food stalls add to traffic congestion, create safety risks for drivers and pedestrians, damage pavements, add to pollution in the drains, spread unhygienic food, are untaxed and other issues.

 

 

[ThaiFelix]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

new rules to regulate street vendors, aiming to clear pavements

Damn good idea, theres just not enough room on the footpaths for all the motor bikes making them very unsafe.

[Muhendis]

7 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Someday, with too many vendor rules....

 

BKK and CM will become almost as sterile as today's OSAKA, Japan.

 

Many years ago, Japan had street food.

 

Now, don't even think about it.

 

Is this what we wish for Thailand?

 

 

 

Make the pavements bigger and ban all non-electric vehicles........😀

[black tabby12345]

Senseless Singapore copycat policy.

One of the worst stupid announcement ever made.

Destroying one major tourist attraction of Thailand.

Bureaucrats' Empty Pride always Do More Harm Than Good.

 

Edited 1 hour ago by black tabby12345

[RayWright]

Singapore did the same in the '70s. Moved the street sellers into designated enclaves. Remember as a kid the bussel and hussel of the hawker stalls. Luckily traffic was thinner in those days, so not much of an issue, but roads were narrower, so similar congestion to today. 

Back in the days before 'Elf and Safety, remember the monkey brain stalls. 

 

[Dart12]

6 hours ago, redwood1 said:

 Bangkok is World famous for its street food...

 

For some reason they seem determined to get rid of all street food in Bangkok by regulating it to death....Their favorite buzz word is Safety...... Safety this Safety that....Rules on top of rules until Bangkok has no more street food....

 

 

Tyrants frequently use those words:  We are inacting these regulations/laws for YOUR safety.

Not saying this, per say, is directly relatable quote.

But is definitely what USA has done the past 4 years, as well as Canada, Australia, sounds like UK...

And I agree with you.  I dislike it.  One of the best things about coming to Thailand has been streetfood on every corner.

 

[johng]

8 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Is this what we wish for Thailand?

That is what the "powers that be" wish for   a sterile,compliant zombie like population  easy to control and manipulate,tax,smother in red tape...the street vendors are one of the last independent factors that have to be brought to heel...slowly but surely it unfortunately progresses.

[gerrybpattaya]

8 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Someday, with too many vendor rules....

 

BKK and CM will become almost as sterile as today's OSAKA, Japan.

 

Many years ago, Japan had street food.

 

Now, don't even think about it.

 

Is this what we wish for Thailand?

 

 

Yes

[818Pilot]

Let’s see, tourist come to Thailand and rave about the fun of street food when they go back home and in return, more tourists come. 
 

But with this plan a tourist goes home and their friends say, how was the street food, it’s awesome right?, and they respond, nope they eliminated most of it and Thailand sucks now, I’m never going back. 
 

These 1/2 thought out plans cease to amaze me. 
 

 

[NativeBob]

Good idea! Clean it up, enough of that post-Vietnam War trash.

[Marco51]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

 

FILE photo

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has introduced new rules to regulate street vendors, aiming to clear pavements and create more organised, hawker-centre-style areas. The policy restricts vendor activities to specific zones, part of a larger scheme to improve public space management in the Thai capital.

 

Under these rules, only "poor Thais" are permitted to be vendors, with restrictions on employing migrants. To qualify, applicants must be Thai citizens meeting at least one criterion: possessing a state welfare card, participating in the Baan Mankong housing scheme, or receiving aid from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.

 

Vendors can acquire a one-year permit to operate, but must later prove their annual income does not exceed 300,000 baht via income tax filings. First-time filers are given a grace period to begin compliance. Those earning above this threshold will forfeit the right to operate unless the BMA revises the income cap.

Approval falls under district offices' purview, prioritising vendors already in the tax system. In crowded areas, a lottery will determine vendor selection. The BMA will routinely assess vending zones' suitability to prevent disruption of street and traffic flow, maintaining pedestrian safety.

 

Stall guidelines prohibit obstruction of public areas like footbridges or bus stops, ensuring a clear path of 1.5 to 2 metres for pedestrians. Each stall is limited to three square metres and must not block street-side pavements, with an emergency exit every ten stalls.

 

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt aspires to eventually relocate vendors to dedicated hawker centres, akin to Singapore. While current vending zones won't expand, some 10,000 streets traders have already moved, with efforts towards establishing these centres ongoing.

 

-- 2024-10-11

 

Trying hard to remove all that made Bangkok charming and unique and all that made one feel freer that elsewhere will not turn it into a new organised and fair Singapore. The corruption, the pigheadedness, the xenophobia, the pollution and dysfunctions, taxi and meth criminality and bureaucracy especially for expats remain and will always................now simply without charm compensation.................soon all bargirls will be banned to brothels and taxed (never forget the mulah!) , CCTV will be stuck to every corner including automatic reports to the Chinese embassy and China will demand more market for casinos and cars (with automatic reports back to the embassy) and triads and dumped bads, sorry, goods,  and and and......

[redwood1]

2 minutes ago, Marco51 said:

Trying hard to remove all that made Bangkok charming and unique and all that made one feel freer that elsewhere will not turn it into a new organised and fair Singapore. The corruption, the pigheadedness, the xenophobia, the pollution and dysfunctions, taxi and meth criminality and bureaucracy especially for expats remain and will always................now simply without charm compensation.................soon all bargirls will be banned to brothels and taxed (never forget the mulah!) , CCTV will be stuck to every corner including automatic reports to the Chinese embassy and China will demand more market for casinos and cars (with automatic reports back to the embassy) and triads and dumped bads, sorry, goods,  and and and......

 

Well I guess I sort of understand this......Not a bad effort for a non English speaker....