Bangkok on mission to clear footpaths

[Beng]

ummm......there are 200k motor bike taxis in BKK?!?!

200k!?!? Wow.

200K x 20THB/Day = 4 Mio tea money. 120 Mio a month. Not bad.

[harrry]

DON'T!!!!!

All Noodle-Cart Owners will gather at Ratchaprasong and then we are doomed!

Great party.....as long as they stick to the road.

ps WOuld have liked nurut73s post but cannot because I am on the other side.....

Edited September 9, 2013 by harrry

[Emdog]

As I read this, it seems the effort will be on "Unlicensed street banners". Not the vendors etc that block the sidewalks, nor busting a few motorcycle taxis that consider them to be "secondary roads" etc. It is about bringing in more income (licenses, right?). I think it is wishful thinking that they would consider any other aspect of pedestrian traffic.

[kurnell]

There are no footpaths out in Bangkapi sub sois. We dream of such a thing

[moe666]

So many come here for what Thailand is but O how soon they want it to look and be exactly like what they left. Welcome to human nature.

[lovetotravel]

There are no footpaths out in Bangkapi sub sois. We dream of such a thing

Nor on most sub sois around town. A real pain trying to walk around without getting hit.

[Larry001]

No point introducing laws if they are not policed; which is the common problem in Thailand

[Estrada]

I have lived and worked here for over 30 years, this story appears from time to time but nothing ever gets done to solve the problem. On Silom, following a BMA crack down 2 years ago, the gap between the stalls on the inside and outside of the pedestrian walkway has narrowed to half a metre to a metre in places. When Pichet Rathakhun was Governor of Bangkok he vowed to get rid of the stalls and fix the broken paving slabs and drain covers. He managed to fall down a drain due to a broken cover in full view of a TV crew. Needless to say even this incident did anything to fix the problems.

These type of crack downs are normally to get new vendors who will pay more money to rent the space.

[MickGC]

It's part of the Bangkok vibe. One of the reasons we love the place. Street food, motosai taxis, street vendors etc. Would hate BKK to end up a sterile western style city. Isn't that one of the reasons we moved over here. Get away from all the bulls**t regulations. Had a restaurant back home so have some knowledge on the subject.

[Bakseeda]

I have a dream.....a dream that one day I may travel along the sidewalks of Bangkok in a wheelchair.

Yeah..... looking for the Viagra vendor cart..!

[sscsamui]

55555. It will last about 3 day...

[kdw512]

I know I will be far away from here by the time the sidewalks in Bangkok will be for pedestrians - and not serve as everyone's kitchen/dining-room. Third world is third world. And I'll live happier ever after and not missed this !@#$%^

[Bakseeda]

Guys.... if you are not happy here.... there is an easy solution... I came here because of all these things.. especially the 65,000 beautiful ladies.. Jesus, I have a long way to go...

[TackyToo]

I would have liked the headline:

"Bangkok on a mission to get rid of the guys renting out space of public footpaths!"

[somchai jones]

It's part of the Bangkok vibe. One of the reasons we love the place. Street food, motosai taxis, street vendors etc. Would hate BKK to end up a sterile western style city. Isn't that one of the reasons we moved over here. Get away from all the bulls**t regulations. Had a restaurant back home so have some knowledge on the subject.

Absolutely agree! Many others do too......not though it would seem the TV 'miserable old git' brigade. Most of them would be better of in Eastbourne with their hot coco and slippers.......this is Asia for f//ck's sake?????!!!!!

[metisdead]

An inflammatory nonsense post has been removed.

[rametindallas]

And where are they going to put them? On the road?

If you are referring to taximocy, where I stay on On Nut, they park in a line on the small soi across from me. In fact, on On Nut, ALL the taximocy stands are on small sois just off the street. It can be done. It wouldn't have become a city-wide problem except many drivers had become lazy and didn't try to minimize the amount of footpath they blocked. I like taximocy and use them often but they can be inconsiderate to those walking. Maybe they want more people off the footpaths and on taximocys

[BrooklynNY]

This sidewalk clearance mission is not going to be successful. It has been tried before and never worked out, the enforcement was simply faded away. Those people have their way for too long and they think they have already owned sidewalks where they pay "Tes-sa-kit" workers. They would cry out that they are poor people who have to make end meet on a daily basis.

The city is better off cracking down and enforcing on street vendor licensing and sales tax ID like in NYC. Although there are people trying to break rules but when they get caught they have to pay fines and their goods are confiscated.

I once saw a sidewalk obstruction related accident happened to a farang tourist family in Tong-lor area where that family must have been about to start out a sight seeing trip They were walking out from a soi. Presumably a father, he is a tall man, he did not expect that there was a poster hung there obstructively. He was hailing a cab and when he turned back and walked to his family, he had his face struck at the end part of a metal pipe that used to hold the poster. He must have hit hard that he cover his entire face and stumbled. It looked like like he almost called off the the trip. He was walking in pain covering his face.

Thailand needs a real hard core, decisive leader to clean up the country but it's not going to happen.

Edited September 9, 2013 by BrooklynNY

[tingtongteesood]

Any 'banner' that would force me to walk in the road or is up in the air but too low to walk under get instantly ripped down or if not possible broken so I can get round without being forced into the road, I urge you all to do the same. Bikes and cars parked on the pavement should all be fined and police should do their dam_n jobs especially at drinking establishments where people shouldn't be driving home drunk but oftren do. And a little common sense from the idiots selling food who clog up the whole pavement or block the way so you are forced to walk in the road to get round them...

Edited September 9, 2013 by tingtongteesood

[Mampara]

PLEASE start in Soi 11.

No, No, start at the top of Sukhomvit road and work yourself down

[bendejo]

Less banners blocking 'sidewalks' means more parking for motorbikes, more fines pocketed by BiB.

It's a good day!

[rametindallas]

I think part of the answer is raised walkways above ground, on BTS level. If only there were a way to pass through a station without passing through a turnstilel I would happily walk the distance of Sukumvit above the vehicle exhausts, motored vehicles on the sidewalk and vendors.

I have a feeling all the shopkeepers, paying high rent, might have a problem with that; bad for business and all that. Why not just get on the Sky Train and accomplish the same goal and the taxpayers won't have to build new, elevated sidewalks that will be clogged with vendors faster than you can say, "Jack Robinson".

[atyclb]

I have never had a problem with an ad banner that I can remember. Traders with their stalls, food carts with their tables and chairs, uneven paving slabs, motorcycle taxis riding on the pavements, kerbs sometimes a foot high but none of these problems seem important to the BMA.

Precisely. If that weren't enough then you add the people who walk "randomly" stopping, turning into you, walking into your path, 2-3 abreast walking at near "flat-line EKG speed".

At least one thai friend has commented how at times she wished she had an electric cattle prod to get them to move normal speed and direction.

[rametindallas]

Any 'banner' that would force me to walk in the road or is up in the air but too low to walk under get instantly ripped down or if not possible broken so I can get round without being forced into the road, I urge you all to do the same. Bikes and cars parked on the pavement should all be fined and police should do their dam_n jobs especially at drinking establishments where people shouldn't be driving home drunk but oftren do. And a little common sense from the idiots selling food who clog up the whole pavement or block the way so you are forced to walk in the road to get round them...

On a daily walking route of mine on On Nut, a new vendor selling grilled pork set up shop, well away from the other vendors. Because she was not tall and too lazy to use a chair, she tied her awning line across the footpath at about neck high for me. I don't feel as if I should have to duck under things on a public footpath so I helped her by raising the line. She was upset because she would then have to use a chair to take it down when she closed. Next day the line was tied low across the footpath again so I stopped, took out my pocket knife, cut it in two, and gave her the 'stink eye'. The next day, the line was tied higher than my head. I stopped and bought some of her grilled pork and gave her a fake 'Thai' smile. Problem solved.... that time.

[richard_smith237]

To paraphrase a quote originating from elsewhere but stuck somewhere between my fingertips and thoughts:

"A developed country is not best measured by how many poor drive cars but by how many rich use public transport"...

I'd take this a step further and suggest that its also by how safety and readily mobile people can be without the need for mechanised transport.

I can't imagine any location nearby in Bangkok that I could safely take an infant in a pushchair to. As a consequence anyone with an infant, toddler or child has to either take a risk or drive.

As Thailand develops this will be addressed. However, the lip-service of the latest crackdown drowns in the stench of its own hypocrisy whereby everyone knows the cause and effect.... people high up enough to do something don't really care and as a consequence neither does anyone else. Neither do we (readers of TVcom), we are here and we live with it, moan about it, discuss it, let the frustrations off our chests but ultimately accept that like many respectable folk arounds us nothing is going to be done about it soon... fingers are simply crossed for I and I hope we hope these simple developments will make life better not only for us but for many.

[HoudiniXLogic]

Ramkamhaeng is a funny example of a bad footpath. On the side of the even-numbered sois (ramkamhaeng uni side), the footpath is pretty walkable with vendors being far between, and theres an area by Rajamangala Stadium where vendors can set up shop and not obstruct the footpath. There are spots where I can ride my skateboard for a good length without some kind of mess-up.

On the Odd numbered soi side, however, is a completely different story. By the road are vendors lined up and taking up nearly half the footpath, and on the other side are rented shops extending their sale products into the footpath even more, and thats to the point where theres only enough room for 2 people to walk side by side. If you have a backpack on, forget it and go walk on the street.

As annoying as they are, sometimes you just see the right thing you want to eat.

[mdmayes]

PLEASE start in Soi 11.

Soi 11 and what?

[Thai at Heart]

And where are they going to put them? On the road?

If you are referring to taximocy, where I stay on On Nut, they park in a line on the small soi across from me. In fact, on On Nut, ALL the taximocy stands are on small sois just off the street. It can be done. It wouldn't have become a city-wide problem except many drivers had become lazy and didn't try to minimize the amount of footpath they blocked. I like taximocy and use them often but they can be inconsiderate to those walking. Maybe they want more people off the footpaths and on taximocys

I wasn't aware cluttered pavements were only caused by motosai.

Nice word taximocy. Thought it was an exotic way of stuffing something.

[Somchai Mao]

I think it's a Monday night when all the Sukhumvit street stalls are now closed. Even the food vendors on Soi 4 are closed. When I asked Tuk about this she gestured expansively, "make eeeeevlytink clean". I suspect it will be a shortlived initiative as the BIB's and mafia boys will be missing out on their hard earned.

[kimamey]

I have a dream.....a dream that one day I may travel along the sidewalks of Bangkok in a wheelchair.

I assume you need a wheelchair to get around, otherwise it would be an interesting wish alt=ohmy.png width=20 height=20>

Me and many others including thousands of Thai people.

Me too. I live in Issan ans it's bad enough here. I try to avoid all Thai cities like the plague.

I don't use a wheelchair but I used to have to push my late wife in one in the UK. When I look at the obstacles in Thailand for wheelchair users I just wonder how they manage. I've seen a couple in shopping malls which is OK but outside I would doubt it's possible.