Street Shops - Get More And More Of Them Banned?

[pepi2005]

Hello,

is it just coincidence or true that more and more streets don't have any or much less street vendors (like food stalls, cloth shops, fruit sellers etc.) than just a few months ago?

In Ratchprarop Road, hundreds of them must have disappeared just during the recent few weeks, the footpaths on the street's side are almost completely empty, just the house sides still have some (but also not as many as before) shops.

The Sukhumvit area around Nana (up and down of Soi 6) had dozens of food stalls active during nights - not it is almost empty.

What has happened? Are there plans to remove even more of Bangkok's attractions than it has already lost? Did the police rise the bribe rates per shop? Should that be to improve the beautiful sights of dark fume clouds coming from Busses, SUV's and Tuk-Tuks? Is it thought to have more light on the way so that the risk falling into the 20 potholes and traps per square metre is reduced?

Pepi

[Joey Boy]

u arrived in bangkok today? Street stalls are now banned on mondays

[pepi2005]

since when and what is it supposed to be good for?

[Axel]

For 1 or 2 months now.

The idea is to have the street cleaned at least once a week.

Actually, no bad idea, I don;'t see so many rats on Sukhumvit anymore.

[Buff-horns]

makes a nice change to be able to walk along the pavement for a change.

unhindered by rubbish and vendors. the ladies of the night are still there though

[britmaveric]

Good idea, but vendours are missing out on a day of wages.

[MyNameIsFarang]

Good idea, but vendours are missing out on a day of wages.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It will cause some percentage of them to go find other employment, and will cause another percentage of them to find stores to sell from. Overall it should ultimately reduce the numbers of those annoying buggers. An unqualified good thing.

[The Coder]

I think this is a bad solution. I think street vendors are part of the charm of the place and loved by Thai's. The source of the problem is there is no thought in designing walkways to accomodate vendors. When you line a sidewalk intended for foot traffic with rows of vendors, it just doesn't work. Walking you have to thread your way through and bump into people and Thai's are the most erratic walkers on the planet; walk on the left? right? middle? weave about? It all depends. If they could just design up front space for vendors it would be great, but people are too greedy to ever give that extra patch of land they could otherwise develop so Thai's will just be content to "mai pen rai" it and shoe horn vendors in every place they shouldn't be.

I am surprised just how well this particular law is enforced; even the tourist night market around patpong is completely gone on Monday's. While nice for walking, I doubt this is very good for tourist spending. They had shut vendors all during APEC and Bangkok seemed a ghost town. But at that time they had also airlifted all the beggars back to Cambodia and got rid of the dogs too.

[WhiteShiva]

I think this is a bad solution. I think street vendors are part of the charm of the place and loved by Thai's. The source of the problem is there is no thought in designing walkways to accomodate vendors. When you line a sidewalk intended for foot traffic with rows of vendors, it just doesn't work. Walking you have to thread your way through and bump into people and Thai's are the most erratic walkers on the planet; walk on the left? right? middle? weave about? It all depends. If they could just design up front space for vendors it would be great, but people are too greedy to ever give that extra patch of land they could otherwise develop so Thai's will just be content to "mai pen rai" it and shoe horn vendors in every place they shouldn't be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No one designs sidewalks with vendors in mind, real estate is too expensive - I say get them off the sidewalks and into designated markets where they belong.

Street side vendors may be charming for visitors, but they are a bloody pain-in-the-butt for people trying to use the sidewalks for what they are meant for - i.e. walking. You want to shop - go to a market.

Edited October 19, 2005 by WhiteShiva

[Judge]

Good idea, but vendours are missing out on a day of wages.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It will cause some percentage of them to go find other employment, and will cause another percentage of them to find stores to sell from. Overall it should ultimately reduce the numbers of those annoying buggers. An unqualified good thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They block the sidewalks, bother people, get in the way, and act like they own the pavements.

F em"!

Edited October 20, 2005 by Judge

[britmaveric]

No bother to me - the Tailor's are more nuisace then any of the street vendours will ever be.

[Nam Kao]

>>>I don;'t see so many rats on Sukhumvit anymore.

Alot of the 2 legged variety though

[Judge]

Good idea, but vendours are missing out on a day of wages.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It will cause some percentage of them to go find other employment, and will cause another percentage of them to find stores to sell from. Overall it should ultimately reduce the numbers of those annoying buggers. An unqualified good thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They block the sidewalks, bother people, get in the way, and act like they own the pavements.

F em"!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've reconsidered this post.

The people who sell food are providing a needed service and are no problem.

It is the annoying buggers who sell worthless trinkets to tourists that get my goat!

[Axel]

=Judge,2005-10-21 11:55:19]I've reconsidered this post.

The people who sell food are providing a needed service and are no problem.

It is the annoying buggers who sell worthless trinkets to tourists that get my goat! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For years you had your foodstands at the entry of Sukh Soi 23. The moment Jasmine, high class serviced apmts opened, the stalls were gone.

Nam Kao, 2005-10-20 22:38:40

  >>>I don;'t see so many rats on Sukhumvit anymore.

Alot of the 2 legged variety though

Now that's a different breed.

[Judge]

Don't like to admit this, but, the deaf vendors are the most annoying of all.

[Phil B]

I think the worst ones are cabbies trying to take you to a soapy. The guy followed be for two blocks before he finally left me alone

[Judge]

I think the worst ones are cabbies trying to take you to a soapy.  The guy followed be for two blocks before he finally left me alone

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've never had that happen.

You must look really horny!

[AsiaWolfie]

yesterday evening I walked at SILOM again after a long time and I couldnt believe there was NO VENDOR there at all...... it was like paradise..... nobody touch u, nobody shout at you "YOU WANT PORN CD ?" .... nothing..... and no hassle at all to walk on the sidewalks.... before that, SILOM was the most horrible place for me in Thailand (dirty, ugly, humid, dark, a lot of weird people, aggressive vendors, nasty beggars, pathetic-dressed Farang tourists), but if its like that now, maybe I will start to LOVE it soon....

[sierra01]

yesterday evening I walked at SILOM again after a long time and I couldnt believe there was NO VENDOR there at all...... it was like paradise..... nobody touch u, nobody shout at you "YOU WANT PORN CD ?" .... nothing..... and no hassle at all to walk on the sidewalks.... before that, SILOM was the most horrible place for me in Thailand (dirty, ugly, humid, dark, a lot of weird people, aggressive vendors, nasty beggars, pathetic-dressed Farang tourists), but if its like that now, maybe I will start to LOVE it soon.... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It'll save a lot of money by not having to treat the people that get hit when walking in the road cos the pavements are full of vendors.

[thailien8]

I think this is a bad solution. I think street vendors are part of the charm of the place and loved by Thai's. The source of the problem is there is no thought in designing walkways to accomodate vendors. When you line a sidewalk intended for foot traffic with rows of vendors, it just doesn't work. Walking you have to thread your way through and bump into people and Thai's are the most erratic walkers on the planet; walk on the left? right? middle? weave about? It all depends. If they could just design up front space for vendors it would be great, but people are too greedy to ever give that extra patch of land they could otherwise develop so Thai's will just be content to "mai pen rai" it and shoe horn vendors in every place they shouldn't be.

Agreed. There is nothing better than a convenient noodle stand right there on the sidewalk when you're hungry, broke, drunk and it's late at night. Silom Rd. would not be a problem with one row of vendors, but when they try to squeeze in two rows, curbside and up against the storefronts, then walking becomes a problem.

Thai walking is amusing, when not maddening. He will stumble just out in front of you, completely unconscious of your presence, walk slowly along the narrow way, cigarette in one hand and mobile phone pressed against his ear with the other, doing the "Thaksin salute". While he shuffles along, forcing you into his turtle pace as there is no room to pass him, he looks behind him, though still not seeing you. Then, guided by some invisible Thai karma, he will suddenly stop, turn around and go back the other way , leaving you wondering if he has any idea where he is going, or even where he is....

[Tiger7Moth]

There is more going on than just eliminating vendors on Mondays for street cleaning purposes. I live by Lumpinee Park and the length of Soi Sarisin (one side of the park) has previously been pretty much covered with vendors from one end to the other. Now, there are still many vendors (other than Mondays) but many are gone. Apparently some could not come up with sufficient bribe money or whatever... I feel bad for those that have lost their source of income.

At the same time this occurred another change happened on my street. Some Thai man and wife basically ran a "convenience store" out of a pickup truck on my Soi (Soi 2 connecting to Soi Sarisin). This guy and his wife arrived at 6am and left at 9pm in the evening. Their "convenience store" also acted as a small gathering place for Thai men to have a couple of drinks in the evening (motocy taxi drivers and some others). Now, the pickup truck convenience store has moved to Soi Sarisin and is not in the same place everyday (they have to pick a spot that is available and opposed to being in the same spot each day as before). Before the pickup truck was set up to block the sun in the afternoon. Now, the arrangement is not nearly so nice and the small gathering area is not the same. Although this "benefits" me because the small gathering place was occasionally loud when the "guys" had a few too many drinks, I would prefer it to be as before since it was a nice arrangement for the Thai guy and his wife who work 15 hours a day and for a few "local" Thai guys who can't afford to go to a nice air conditioned bar.

[SiamOne]

I am in KL at present and they have got rid of all street vendors (except now during Ramadan, there are a few food stalls). It is boring, not good at all.

You have to find an area that is set aside for food stalls, thats fine, but there is no atmosphere, no "life" like before

oh well, progress

[steveromagnino]

I am in KL at present and they have got rid of all street vendors (except now during Ramadan, there are a few food stalls). It is boring, not good at all.

You have to find an area that is set aside for food stalls, thats fine, but there is no atmosphere, no "life" like before

oh well, progress

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well the key is balance. Around where I work we have concrete research that pretty much everyone dislikes the excessive presence of the vendors during the day, and at night they are theives who are stealing our power; vandalising our property and so on.

The BMA receives basically no money from most of them who are setting up illegally and thus ruining it for the legal ones.

Much like I would not want a nightclub in my apartment building, I do not see why we need vendors all over the place. Lower Suk is ridiculous. A moderate number and there is room to walk; you end up with businesses in the shop houses and so on.

The Monday night closing is a good idea; the vendors near my house actually like it; but then again in Lard Prao we don't have crazy numbers of them (there is some semblance of zoning) so as a result they all make decent money. The monday is their day off, and they have a bumper Sunday and Tuesday since people eat while they can.

The majority of Thais in BKK WANT to restrict the street vendors; certainly the ones in power or who have money do (since they mostly don't frequent them anyway). But bribes from those street vendor guys have kept them on the street for a while...let's see how they do as the clampdown continues.

OK,....assume racist rant mode

If we are going to talk about annoying ways in which "Thais" walk (implying all of us) then can I make a comment about some westerners?

Is there just the slightest smallest tiniest chance you can actually wash before you walk near me? I refuse to believe you can stink that bad in just a few hours; surely if you can afford those expensive hotel rooms, and to surf the net complaining about double pricing and how the country will fall over when the sex industry and closing times get implemented (sorry still waiting) then you can find time to wash.

I would be happy to create a simple set of instructions on using soap, deodorant and carrying a hankerchief to soak up some of your sweat, for the smelly people.

I have had to throw away a few shirts before after some oaf rubbing up against me. The smell was so foul from this one lady. I had to take off all my clothes.

I still gave her one though after I was, how should I say, naked.

So... does it feel just as good to make an insinuation about an entire group of people? hel_l yeah :-)

[ben01]

No bother to me - the Tailor's are more nuisace then any of the street vendours will ever be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here here...!!! top comment, nothing better than having good tasty food on offer at any time of the day, it keeps us off mc'd's, b.king etc.....and its a good way of helping the 'other economy'. The tailors are the worst and rude, ( especially if you can understand the words they mutter under their breath..