What No Food Stalls?!

[Knowsitlike]

Anyone know why food stalls and markets are not allowed to open in Bkk on Mondays? - Someone told me that a local ruling has stopped them due to traffic jams???!!! Is that true? surely not... But what the hells going on? Is this for lent?

[lopburi3]

They are not allowed to set up on Monday. Simply not permitted under current policy.

[Firefan]

Was something with street cleaning? Amazing Thailand....

[The Dude]

They've been doing this for a long long time. It used to be Thursday, then changed to Monday. I love it. Monday is my favorite day to walk the street with all that crap gone.

[Buff-horns]

what hours does it operate ? does it shutoff after midnight monday ?

[madmitch]

It's been well documented in the English language press, and it's not a change of day fron Thirsday which was the Sukhumvit "rent collection day". It is part of Governor Abisit's campaign to make Bangkok a cleaner city. It is claimed that Bangkok's streets are never properly cleaned due to the ever present street vendors, therefore they will now all be closed on Mondays to enable street cleaning.

That's the theory.

Why every street in Bangkok is cleared on the same day I have no idea. I also have no idea whether off-street markets are affected and whether the illegal drinks sales people apear after midnight (or before midnight on Sunday!). Anyone know?

[Sarpedon]

Cant even get the 10 baht fruit from the fruit vendors on mondays now! Shocking!

[Knowsitlike]

Hmm.. Im confused either I have spent every Monday for a year with my eyes closed (quite possible) or I have never noticed that this policy has been in existance. I usually eat everyday at food stalls and so would have expected to have picked this up.. What a farce, so I am supposed to eat at home on Mondays now? Really? I only own 4 drinking glasses and a cereal bowl.. god damm it. Who thinks it makes BKK a cleaner city!?

[lomatopo]

Hmm.. Im confused either I have spent every Monday for a year with my eyes closed (quite possible) or I have never noticed that this policy has been in existance. I usually eat everyday at food stalls and so would have expected to have picked this up

AFAIK this new policy was put into effect on 11 July 2005 so it's only been the last three Mondays. It will be interesting to see if this 'sticks' come high season?