Pavements

[Simbo]

This may seem like a frivalous gripe, but to whom do pavements in Los belong?

I thought the idea of a pavement was for people to walk along in safety, so they would not run the risk of being knocked down while stepping into the road to avoid an obsticle.

It seems in Los, anyone can take up available space on any pavement, forcing pedestrians into the road.

Quite a few years ago. I recall my ex-wife, who was a shoeshop manager, being taken to court for putting racks of shoes outside her shop in a pedestrianised shopping mall, because of the danger of someone being hurt walking into them. Ok. maybe that was over the top, but here, the situation is ridiculous, one spends more time in the road than on the pavements, just because someone wants to set up kitchen or a stall

I wonder how the law stands regarding this. It's so obviously wrong to allow it. Are the powers that be blind.

Any thoughts on the subject?

[Ajarn]

Law of the Land: Might is Right.

Pedestrians are always at the bottom of the Totem pole....

My advice is to figure a work-a-round, physically- and mentally

[cojones]

the pavements belong to the police so as they can extort money from traders who rent them legally .

[mango]

The pavements being part of the land in Thailand belong to the Thai people, it is the job of the metropolitan police in Bangkok to enforce the laws regarding setting up stalls etc wheather it be legal or not, the metropolitan police are the ones you see whom are not aloud to carry guns unlike the RTP and they wear a green badge on the arm of there uniform.

Cheers Mango

[siamruby]

As far as I know The Tadsakit police deal with the pavement traders in BKK as no one are allowed to use the pavement for trading unless they changed the law. The traders are scare of them and if they see them coming they all will run but sadly there is a lot 'T ' money going on there. So I think the police just simply turn the blind eyes as usual

[BKKdreaming]

like it or not the street stalls are not going away,

they are part of LOS and give many people jobs.

Maybe its not the best way to do business , but what choice do they have ?

And if we want to worry about the pavement ,

well what about all the chunks of pavement broken or gone on the main streets.

thats going to trip you up as much as the stall holders !

[dr_Pat_Pong]

like it or not the street stalls are not going away,

they are part of LOS and give many people jobs.

Maybe its not the best way to do business , but what choice do they have ?

And if we want to worry about the pavement ,

well what about all the chunks of pavement broken or gone on the main streets.

thats going to trip you up as much as the stall holders !

The practice is indeed deeply entrenched and unlikely to go away.

[Axel]

One learns something new everyday in here.

I was absolutely under the impression that pavements are emergency lanes

for motorbikes to avoid traffic congestions.

[Axel]

Bit more serious. For years there have been foodstalls at the corner of Sukhumvit and its Soi 23. Open fire just next to the Shell station.

Now disappeared and the space is blocked by some flour pots.

Did somebody think of the risk, fire and gasoline, or was it an eyesore to the newly opened 5-star Jasmine aptmts.?

[kat]

In SEA the idea of a pedestrian is non-existent. Pavements are seen as an extension of someone's property or shop, which is why you often see motorbikes or vendor carts blocking any potential walking space on pavements in front of property. In Thailand I believe many of the vendors have to rent their sidewalk space either from a city office, mafia, or one and the same.

the lack of space on the pavement is tiring, but when you look at the sheer volume of people that are independent and making a living who would otherwise be unemployed or without means it seems more tolerable.

[SK1972]

Are there pavements in TH???LMAO I havent seen any........not with all the stalls on them........

The pavements here are not safe for pedestrians anyway.....with the motorsais using them as lanes to avoid traffic or going the wrong way.....

The pavements being part of the land in Thailand belong to the Thai people

the pavements belong to the police so as they can extort money from traders who rent them legally .

I though pavements were open to the public

[meemiathai]

I thought all these was what had attracted foreigners! no? mai kau jai!

[NedKelly]

I like the way they have a free day on Wednesdays so they can supposedly clean the streets. It's a blessing to walk around on this day in some areas like Banglampoo.

I learned once that a vendor onthe corner of Silom and convent was doing a roaring trade and clearing some huge amount per week. Cant remember the figure but it was big money. But of course theres always the little guy like at the back of my office......all he sells is steamed corn on the cob......cant imagine him doing huge business. Always makes me shake my head trying to figure how they can survive doing this.......all respect goes to these guys for trying anyway.

[Axel]

I thought all these was what had attracted foreigners! no? mai kau jai!

Perhaps the tourist like it, take pictures and show at home how bad it looks.

I for one, am looking forward to days like last year's APEC-meeting. First time I realized there actually was a pedestrian way on Sukhumvit between Sois 17 and 5.