Bangkok City Police Will Try To Avoid Arresting Or Imposing Fines On Street Vendors

[webfact]

BMA to go easy on street vendors
Thanatpong Kongsai
The Nation

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City police will try to avoid arresting or imposing fines on street vendors in Bangkok.

BANGKOK: -- "Instead, our focus will be on seeking cooperation from stall owners in a bid to ensure that they follow guidelines in plying their trade," Deputy Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said yesterday.

While the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officially allows vendors to operate in some areas, they still need to be at least 10 metres away from bus stops and at least five metres from pedestrian walkways.

Aswin was announcing BMA's policies on how city police should carry out their duties in the capital yesterday.

He said most of the policies were related to the ones announced during Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra's election campaign. According to Aswin, city police have already started projects to recruit volunteer patrol officers and guards in four key districts.

"In response to the policy to boost the safety of life and property, we will start the green-box project," Aswin said.

These green boxes will be installed at the residences of MPs, senators, Bangkok councillors, Privy councillors and other important personalities living in the capital and will be monitored by city police to ensure security in and around the area.

"These boxes will also be used to receive complaints from people," Aswin said.


-- The Nation 2013-04-20

[dcutman]

While the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officially allows
vendors to operate in some areas, they still need to be at least 10
metres away from bus stops and at least five metres from pedestrian
walkways.

Suk soi 7 to 13

Edited April 20, 2013 by dcutman

[ginjag]

Green Boxes ??? Venders need to be 10 meters from pedestrian walkways and bus stops

These green boxes to be placed at the residences of polititions--all suggestions will be binned?? and they do not have time to reed them as they are always present in parliament.

How can you fine the venders who are paying the police to operate--well some of them.

[ginjag]

If these threads are for real, on this one alone and they want to talk STUPID--why not have the bus stops and pedestrian walkways 10 meters from the venders ????

[arthurboy]

While the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officially allows vendors to operate in some areas, they still need to be at least 10 metres away from bus stops and at least five metres from pedestrian walkways.

I don't understand what this means.

I work near the K. Bank head office in Ari/ Phayonyothin. Perhaps the local police and vendor/ market inspectors might like to bring a tape measure along with them the next time they collect their monthly allowance from the good folk selling fake dvd's, sunglasses etc. clothes on this particular stretch of the road.

(As an aside, I often smile when seeing these fine representatives of law, order and authority having a cosy chat with the dvd sellers, while selecting their weekly take home top 10 blockbuster freebies.)

Walking on the road - as many people do - is frequently the only way to get from A to B in a quick a time as possible.

It's jam packed, pedestrianised chaos.

Edited April 20, 2013 by arthurboy

[Bluespunk]

So PT are impeaching judges for doing their jobs and now the police are being told not to do theirs by the BMA? Does anyone in power give a monkey's toss about the law anymore (if they ever did that is )?

[kimamey]

'These green boxes will be installed at the residences of MPs, senators,
Bangkok councillors, Privy councillors and other important personalities
living in the capital and will be monitored by city police to ensure
security in and around the area.

"These boxes will also be used to receive complaints from people," Aswin said.'

I don't understand this. I understand that they are also for complaints but what's the first reason for these green boxes?

'MPs, senators, Bangkok councillors, Privy councillors'

These I understand but who are 'important personalities'?

As for 5 metres away from pedestrian walkways. Is that even possible?

[NongKhaiKid]

So PT are impeaching judges for doing their jobs and now the police are being told not to do theirs by the BMA? Does anyone in power give a monkey's toss about the law anymore (if they ever did that is )?

They can always fill in their time by accusing non-smokers like me of discarding cigarette butts

[NongKhaiKid]

So PT are impeaching judges for doing their jobs and now the police are being told not to do theirs by the BMA? Does anyone in power give a monkey's toss about the law anymore (if they ever did that is )?

They can always fill in their time by accusing non-smokers like me of discarding cigarette butts

I haven't been in Bkk for many years and the last time I was heading up Sukhumvit from Soi 11 there are sections where pedestrians have to turn sideways to pass each other through the vendors stalls and if someone stops to buy there's a big pedestrian jam

[maidu]

Vendors and street people are easy targets. How about police go after the crooks who are stealing big money? Oh sorry, they're much harder to confront. Bankers, investment manipulators, real estate scammers, tax-dodgers, the Shinawatres - they're all untouchable, so fogedabowdit.

Edited April 20, 2013 by maidu

[AleG]

...

As for 5 metres away from pedestrian walkways. Is that even possible?

Sure!, they´ll move into the streets, drive-through Pad Thai anyone?

[Payboy]

These green boxes will be installed at the residences of MPs, senators, Bangkok councillors, Privy councillors and other important personalities living in the capital and will be monitored by city police to ensure security in and around the area.

Green boxes will be monitored by city police to ensure security? How does this technique work?

[retell]

sorry my reply comes when i'm finished laughing and changing pants

serious you can't make this up or it is an early aprils fool joke (or a late one)

[Locationthailand]

Why not simply take 50 cops, walk down the street and instruct the removal of the street vendors? They do it fine when royal & dignitary passage magically clears the streets during a drive by! As to being in front of shops, if I was paying rent and these scabby vendors blocked my footpath I would be onto not paying rent in a heartbeat. But of course Thai's don't like conflict (other than political ones) so they don't even ask them to move. But the B.i.B. will not do this simply because the vendors pay them off and it would be a loss of income so they can set up green boxes, stall buy saying they are recruiting and so on. You can see the B.i.B. taking money any day down Sukhumvit. This is all such a crock of crap.

[Nisa]

While the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officially allows

vendors to operate in some areas, they still need to be at least 10

metres away from bus stops and at least five metres from pedestrian

walkways.

Suk soi 7 to 13

Walkway = Pedestrian Street Crossing and not sidewalk.

Keep in mind they are street vendors which generally means they sell to people walking down the street (sidewalk).

[EyesWideOpen]

A great laugh for the morning. To the best of my knowledge, every street vendor pays off the police to operate. It would be a bit unseemly for the police to collect money from a vendor one day, and then give them the boot the next day. There must be some sort of compromise available. I sort of like street vendors, but it is damned annoying to have to walk in the street because the sidewalk is jammed with vendors...

Edited April 20, 2013 by EyesWideOpen

[Nisa]

A great laugh for the morning. To the best of my knowledge, every street vendor pays off the police to operate. It would be a bit unseemly for the police to collect money from a vendor one day, and then give them the boot the next day. There must be some sort of compromise available. I sort of like street vendors, but it is damned annoying to have to walk in the street because the sidewalk is jammed with vendors...

That is actually a myth. The only ones that need to pay off the police are the ones doing something illegal. They pay a license fee that allow them to operate in a certain area.

[thhMan]

How 7-11 let these scabby vendors block their entrances is also a mystery.

Sometimes you have to step over dogs just to get in and in doing so fear getting bitten.

I often find myself walking on the streets as its easier to get where I am going to, instead of having to be funnelled into a narrow walkthrough between vendors...

WHy not just fine them day in and day out until the fines are more than their profits? Im sure that would solve the issue as well as get some more revenue into the system and possibly fix the sidewalks that have holes in them, missing tiles/bricks and other obstacles that can cause injury...

As usual, a lot of sense is made in these forums, but the Pollies get their strategies from the soapies and which way a bird flies....

Edited April 20, 2013 by thhMan

[EyesWideOpen]

A great laugh for the morning. To the best of my knowledge, every street vendor pays off the police to operate. It would be a bit unseemly for the police to collect money from a vendor one day, and then give them the boot the next day. There must be some sort of compromise available. I sort of like street vendors, but it is damned annoying to have to walk in the street because the sidewalk is jammed with vendors...

That is actually a myth. The only ones that need to pay off the police are the ones doing something illegal. They pay a license fee that allow them to operate in a certain area.

You need to get out on the town more....

[Nisa]

A great laugh for the morning. To the best of my knowledge, every street vendor pays off the police to operate. It would be a bit unseemly for the police to collect money from a vendor one day, and then give them the boot the next day. There must be some sort of compromise available. I sort of like street vendors, but it is damned annoying to have to walk in the street because the sidewalk is jammed with vendors...

That is actually a myth. The only ones that need to pay off the police are the ones doing something illegal. They pay a license fee that allow them to operate in a certain area.

You need to get out on the town more....

I know MANY street vendors and none of them pay the police because they are all legal .. which doesn't take much. However it does cost more to get a license to sell in areas like Sukhumvit but the only people they need to pay is the government for the license to be there ... that and often an agreement with the store they me be in front of but there is no reason to pay the police off if they are not doing anything wrong. But you are welcome to believe what you want.

[DocN]

A great laugh for the morning. To the best of my knowledge, every street vendor pays off the police to operate. It would be a bit unseemly for the police to collect money from a vendor one day, and then give them the boot the next day. There must be some sort of compromise available. I sort of like street vendors, but it is damned annoying to have to walk in the street because the sidewalk is jammed with vendors...

That is actually a myth. The only ones that need to pay off the police are the ones doing something illegal. They pay a license fee that allow them to operate in a certain area.

You need to get out on the town more....

Don't! He is all-knowing!

[OZEMADE]

If they still need to be at least 10 meters away from bus stops and at least five meters from pedestrian walkways. The bottom line would be, there would be none of them in Bangkok.

[PaullyW]

I truly like the concept of street vendors as it is what makes the old Asia character (plus it's convenient). I esp like food street vendors. However, if only the Thais had any foresight and planning, then the walkways would be far larger (like in Cambodia, Vietnam, etc) and everyone would be just fine. Problem is also that there is already little space, and Thais have a natural propensity of constrict space as much as possible. They can't stand an open space and must put something there.

Edited April 20, 2013 by PaullyW

[technologybytes]

How 7-11 let these scabby vendors block their entrances is also a mystery.

Sometimes you have to step over dogs just to get in and in doing so fear getting bitten.

I don't know about you, but I NEVER have to worry about being bitten by dogs asleep outside 7/11... perhaps that dog is a good judge of character.

[yourauntbob]

Ok, got my laugh for the day, so time for the actual news.

[Nisa]

How 7-11 let these scabby vendors block their entrances is also a mystery.

Sometimes you have to step over dogs just to get in and in doing so fear getting bitten.

I don't know about you, but I NEVER have to worry about being bitten by dogs asleep outside 7/11... perhaps that dog is a good judge of character.

In all fairness, some of those dogs selling various meats on a stick out of their cart can be pretty vicious.

[PaullyW]

How 7-11 let these scabby vendors block their entrances is also a mystery.

Sometimes you have to step over dogs just to get in and in doing so fear getting bitten.

I don't know about you, but I NEVER have to worry about being bitten by dogs asleep outside 7/11... perhaps that dog is a good judge of character.

Yeah, agree that Thai dogs don't really bite. They, like their other countrymen, don't like confrontation.

And, if you get bitten, it'll be sneakily, without warning from behind, and the dogs won't do it if they are alone. They will sneak you in a pack.

You see any one or two Thai dogs, nothing to worry about. Just ignore them. But do keep an eye out behind and around you.

Edited April 20, 2013 by PaullyW

[shawndoc]

How 7-11 let these scabby vendors block their entrances is also a mystery.

Sometimes you have to step over dogs just to get in and in doing so fear getting bitten.

I don't know about you, but I NEVER have to worry about being bitten by dogs asleep outside 7/11... perhaps that dog is a good judge of character.

Yeah, agree that Thai dogs don't really bite. They, like their other countrymen, don't like confrontation.

And, if you get bitten, it'll be sneakily, without warning from behind, and the dogs won't do it if they are alone. They will sneak you in a pack.

You see any one or two Thai dogs, nothing to worry about. Just ignore them. But do keep an eye out behind and around you.

Not if they have a bone or some food. They get really protective of that. Although I'm not sure if they'll actually bit you, or just nip the air near you to warn you away.

[Nisa]

I truly like the concept of street vendors as it is what makes the old Asia character (plus it's convenient). I esp like food street vendors. However, if only the Thais had any foresight and planning, then the walkways would be far larger (like in Cambodia, Vietnam, etc) and everyone would be just fine. Problem is also that there is already little space, and Thais have a natural propensity of constrict space as much as possible. They can't stand an open space and must put something there.

It isn't only the street vendors but the stores and homes along the Sois and even some of the larger streets build out onto the sidewalk as if it is theirs. I can't speak for everywhere but would assume it is probably the similar laws in most places such as in the the US in terms of the area in front of your shop or home (sidewalk or just adjacent to the street) is often yours but that really means you are simply responsible for maintaining it but you can't build on it or obstruct it. When you walk down some of the sois that don't have sidewalks take a closer look and you can see the area where there should be a sidewalk but people have built walls or even extended their shop or home. The line is often easy to see because it is different construction and there will always be a couple property owners who didn't build out and you get a very short distance for walking. Now add some street vendors and it is not only a nightmare for walking but also driving on the small sois. I think my biggest complaint of Bangkok and most of Thailand is the lack of concern for pedestrian traffic. Not only does the government not enforce keeping sidewalks clear but they often are big offenders of using up side walk space. The vendors themselves don't bother me and I think it would be sad to see them go but then again in places like Sukumvit they could limit vendors to one side of a particular sidewalk and not have bottlenecks of pedestrians where there is only one walking lane with vendors on each side of you.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Nisa

[asdecas]

I love the Nation's version of the English language. What are the city's police going to do, walk past vendors with eyes closed, hands clamped to ears, whistling tunes by Bird?