Bangkok: No Street Sales On Mondays

[george]

No street sales on Mondays

BANGKOK: -- Street vendors in Bangkok will have to stop selling on Mondays beginning on July 11, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin said yesterday.

The mandatory holiday for Bangkok roadside vendors is part of the city administration’s campaign to bring order to roadside vending, a process that will force many vendors selling in prohibited areas to close their businesses as of the first of next month.

But those pushed out of their usual spots can book new approved selling areas during a roadside stall festival this weekend, said Apirak.

Apirak has instructed all Bangkok district offices to designate areas for roadside vending, to minimise the impact sellers have on pedestrians and traffic. The new regulations come into force on Friday.

Apirak said about 7,000 roadside stalls in approved areas would be given away during a festival to be held at the Thai-Japanese Youth Centre this weekend.

He said vendors who have been served notice that their current spots will be terminated could use their notices from district offices to apply for a new space during the festival. The governor said the city administration had reached agreement with vendors’ representatives and the Metropolitan Police Bureau to have roadside vendors shut up shop every Monday starting from July 11, so that city workers could move in to clean up the areas. Initially, the city administration planned to designate Sundays as the day stalls were to be closed, but vendors said their business was always brisk on Sundays and instead suggested Mondays.

Apirak was speaking to reporters after accompanying Ratchathewi district office director Sawang Boonsit to inspect progress on implementation of the plan near Victory Monument.

Victory Monument is notorious for roadside vendors blocking sidewalks as well as sections of roads. As part of the reorganisation, Sawang said, only two areas at the side of Phaholyothin Road and on the side of Fashion Mall would be allowed for vending from Friday. He said stalls would be smaller and vendors would be banned from occupying any part of the road.

--The Nation 2005-06-28

[mnoorsapl]

No street sales on Mondays

" roadside vendors shut up shop every Monday starting from July 11, so that city workers could move in to clean up the areas "

--The Nation 2005-06-28

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hope so..,routine weekly cleaning is good.

[pomchopkao]

No street sales on Mondays

" roadside vendors shut up shop every Monday starting from July 11, so that city workers could move in to clean up the areas "

--The Nation 2005-06-28

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hope so..,routine weekly cleaning is good.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

wonder if % of crimes like petty theft, B&E will go up on Mondays.. vendors somehow got to eat too I guess

[TokyoT]

Great news IMHO.

Maybe someone in a position of power does read this forum – seems like quite a few posts have mentioned various issues related to fixing/improving issues related to street vendors.

[george]

Bangkok to ban Monday street markets

BANGKOK: -- Roadside stalls in Bangkok are to be banned from operating on Mondays in an attempt to ease traffic congestion on the first day of the working week and to aid the capital's street cleaning operations, under new regulations to come into force next month.

Yesterday Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin told reporters that the move, which will become effective on 11 July, will see the current Wednesday ban shifted to Monday.

The move was announced as part of wider plans revealed yesterday by Mr. Apirak and National Police Inspector Sereepisut Taemiyaves, head of the sub-committee on Bangkok mafia control.

There are currently 600 points in the capital where stallholders can legally operate, and around 1,700 stalls are now legally registered.

The police now want to downsize stallholding operations, and to limit the number of stalls to one per trader.

Stallholders who operate outside the legal zones have been threatened with police action although many have complained that the zoning has had an adverse impact on their livelihoods.

--TNA 2005-06-28

[The_Moog]

capital's street cleaning operations

I'll believe that when I see it.

(Note: bring sandwiches on monday, as no hot food available)

[mnoorsapl]

Great news IMHO.     

Maybe someone in a position of power does read this forum – seems like quite a few posts have mentioned various issues related to fixing/improving issues related to street vendors. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hope so, free source of good feedback.

[george]

Vendors rally against relocation

BANGKOK: -- The city administration's move to regulate streetside trading outside designated areas hit a snag yesterday when over 1,000 vendors blocked a road in front of City Hall demanding they be allowed to trade at their old sites.

About 1,500 vendors who had stalls outside the 683 designated areas in 50 districts yesterday demanded a meeting with Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin. They have refused to trade at new sites to be arranged for them by the city administration.

The protesting vendors blocked Din So road in front of City Hall while over 100 policemen looked on.

Kowit Tharana, adviser to Mr Apirak, received the protesters' complaints. However, the vendors insisted they want to hold talks with Mr Apirak.

Sources said the governor was informed of the protest when he returned from China late yesterday morning. However, he refused to meet the protesters. He instead went to the Thai-Japanese sports centre in Din Daeng to preside over the opening of a fair offering new trading stalls for vendors.

A leading protesting vendor, who gave his name as Natthapong, lashed out at Mr Apirak for ignoring vendors' problems.

Leading protesters then took turns to criticise Mr Apirak. At 3.30 pm, deputy city clerk Anan Siriphassaraporn led a team of city officials to hold talks with representatives of the protesters. During the talks, Mr Anan promised to talk to the governor and the Metropolitan Police Bureau to allow vendors to trade at their old sites for one month pending the BMA's decision on their request. The protesters later agreed to disperse at 5.30 pm.

Sources said the BMA's three-day fair to provide vending stalls at new sites to some 7,000 street vendors attracted only a small number of vendors. Just 850 vendors showed up to book the stalls on the first day of the fair yesterday.

Many vendors were disappointed with the event as they thought they would be given trading spaces for free. However, the rental fees for stalls offered during the fair were relatively expensive, particularly those in the inner parts of the city such as Seri Center market.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-02

[The_Moog]

Whats the point of remitting all the street vendors to a sports centre?

I live in Dindaeng, I don't know where the Thai Japanese Sports centre is - and even if I did, I still wouldn't go on a route march over there just to buy six fish balls.

[george]

Update:

End to footpath trading near

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin said yesterday the city administration would go ahead with a plan to regulate street-side vending despite protests by angry footpath traders.

However, the administration will not start imposing the 200-2,000 baht fines against those who defiantly continue to trade outside the designated areas, which was originally set for tomorrow.

Instead, he said they would be let off with a warning for the time being.

In a bid to help those required to quit their trading spots which are located outside designated areas, he instructed all district offices to set up a centre to channel advice to the affected vendors where it would be best for them to relocate.

He also urged the affected vendors to visit a three-day traders' fair at the Thai-Japanese Youth Centre where over 1,500 trading spots had been put up for grabs in several private markets under a special promotion which included a three-month fee exemption. The fair ends today.

''I know many are not happy with our plan. But city footpaths are not the place to trade. It forces pedestrians to walk on the streets which is unsafe. The city administration has been flooded with pedestrian complaints. It needs to get serious before someone gets killed on the road because he or she was forced to walk on the street,'' he said.

Mr Apirak said the affected vendors should lodge their complaints with district offices in their areas.

''District chiefs will consider the problem and add designated areas where possible. The decision would be made on a case-by-case basis, and on the condition it would not cause traffic problems.''

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-03

[penzman]

When they start pulling the carts off the sidewalks, they'll probably notice there will be twice as many holes to fix.

[bambob]

perhaps those on the ground can give us an update on the situation in silom and sukumvit roads next monday .will it really happen ?

taking bets on this happening ? what odds ?

[toklong]

Great news IMHO.      

Maybe someone in a position of power does read this forum – seems like quite a few posts have mentioned various issues related to fixing/improving issues related to street vendors. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hope so, free source of good feedback.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Streetvendors struggle every day just to survive.The powers that be might try walking in their shoes.Rather than have them shut down for a day and pay someone to clean up after them....Make the venders clean up their own mess.

If they dont comply then take away their Mondays.Maybe the vendors can get

part time jobs on Mondays... I can afford to walk around them, it's a small inconvenience. Streetvendors are also part of the ambiance of this wonderful city.

[WhiteShiva]

Streetvendors struggle every day just to survive.

They are not the only ones.

Make the venders clean up their own mess.

If they dont comply then take away their Mondays

I thought this is exactly what has happened. These vendors have been given several warning to clean up their act in the past.

I can afford to walk around them, it's a small inconvenience. Streetvendors are also part of the ambiance of this wonderful city.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well I, for one do not like to have to walk in the street, just because some one decided to make a living on the pavement. Spare a thought for old people, children, etc. The fotpaths are there for pedestrians, not for the vendors.

I think relocating vendors to designated areas would in no way be detrimental to the ambience of Bangkok. In fact, I believe it would improve it. The souvenier vendors all peddle the same crap at inflated prices (and would hardly be missed), and as for the food vendors, the quality and ambience would be vastly improved if they got away from the traffic niose and fumes.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

When they start pulling the carts off the sidewalks, they'll probably notice there will be twice as many holes to fix.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So what They never fixed the first half <_<

[Axel]

During the last APEC-meeting in Bangkok the vendors had disappeared

in order not to spoil the view for the dignatories racing by in their convoys.

What a surprise it was to me to find out there actually are sidewalks. Had never seen them before.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Wasn't it Wednesday's ( or part of Wednesday ) that they closed for cleaning ?

[pomchopkao]

oh well! Mondays for some of these folks and their families can be a day of fasting - good for body and soul; for the rest of them they can take up, mind you only on Mondays, armed robbery, knocking over Seven-11s, petrol stations and the occasional farang!