Street vendors at Bangkok's Chatuchak and Ratchadamnoen areas to be moved out

[kratiam]

I love Thailand, because I can be Thai, or I can be that stupid Farang, and as long as I am friendly, and kind and approachable I

Have you looked in a mirror lately?

Only people with Thai blood are Thai. That leaves out 99.999% of visitors/expats here.

Calm down...it's a figure of speech....relax.

[techboy]

The street vendors are something that many tourists seem to love. On one hand the nation is pleading, rather unsuccessfully to date, with tourists to come back, and on the other they're removing the sorts of things that make Bangkok so attractive to a large percentage of those that do come here.

Hey. I like the street vendors too. Yes Suwandi, show what a dynamic progressive type you are by screwing with a bunch of essentially harmless people who are trying to get by with next to nothing and have nobody to stick up for them.

[WhizBang]

Let's hope that they include Sukhumvit and especially the Asoke intersection. At night the Asoke intersection becomes a vile cess pit. And I hope they do it SOON.

[WhizBang]

The street vendors are something that many tourists seem to love. On one hand the nation is pleading, rather unsuccessfully to date, with tourists to come back, and on the other they're removing the sorts of things that make Bangkok so attractive to a large percentage of those that do come here.

I agree...street vendors are a part of the culture and a definite attraction here..not just in tourist areas, but everywhere in Thailand and provide a huge number of people with a way to make a living.

Chinatown has been a maze of crowded sidewalks since long before Bangkok became a tourist destination.

About 6 or 7 years ago,an attempt was made to delineate table areas along lower Sukhumvit; lines were drawn and spaces allocated. Unfortunately, enforcement was non-existent and it soon returned to the chaos it is today.

Do you really want Bangkok to be like Singapore? Yes; clean and easy to navigate sidewalks but also sterile and boring. I hope a happy medium can be found.

Around that same time when Bangkok was trying to project the image that it was just as clean and efficient as Singapore, that island city was running a campaign promoting its nightlife and convince tourists that it was just as interesting and fun as Bangkok.

Well it is. The thing is, it is also 3 or 4 times more expensive.

[ebonykap]

Do you really want Bangkok to be like Singapore?

er yes it's clean, safe and has very little corruption. I don't find the blocking of pavements with sometimes dangerous stalls (food cookers) at all attractive. large amounts of the crap on sale is illegal copies which does Thailand reputation no good at all. Get rid of all the stalls selling fakes and the problem of too many sellers would probably to solved. If tourists are that interested there are plenty of markets off the road.

And it is 3x the price in almost every aspect, difficult to have good fun on a night out due to heavy rules and penalties, and you never get a smile until you pay.

I love Thailand, because I can be Thai, or I can be that stupid Farang, and as long as I am friendly, and kind and approachable I will always get a smile even if I am not paying for a Taxi ride, hand bag for my lady, or a pair of shoes. And yes, even from those Suk street vendors. For those of you about to criticize me for saying I can be Thai, if you really understand the culture you understand that it is the soul and not the skin color which allows you to become a part tuk tee, tuk khon, tuk waan (everywhere, everyone, every time).

The system needs to be better regulated, with small payments given in exchange for permits to occupy, and that money used to maintain the pavement and Police the tourist areas of beggars, pickpockets, ladyboys and fake Police officers/Security staff.

There is an avenue for improvement, but keeping the integrity of that special side of the Kingdom is much more important to me and according to other posters them also.

tuk krang - every time.....mai chai tuk wan (every day)

[anon467367354]

this will be good for Bangkok, clean it up!

I hate nothing more than vendors on both sides of the walkway with tables with fish

and sticks of meat hanging over the edges making it difficult to walk without getting

that crap on your clothes.

Maybe they should do something about the second hand smoke from all those people

cooking meat, you just can't avoid it and I don't care to smell like that just from walking by.

[thaicookingchef]

Hopefully, they'll start clearing out all the vendors on lower Suk. What a mess...

What a smart idea !

Clear all the vendors and this place wil suxx as much as Singapore.

People who do not like the local shiiite should just move home, right ?

[thaicookingchef]

I hate these vendors as much as you all but I think it is so stupid to remove them. Only brainless people could think it's a good idea to make this place look like where we do not want to live anymore !

[hgma]

It is all about enforcing the rul of law without prompting a popped op wallet with hand cash exchanges!

Since it became obvious that the number of reliable officers were at rockbottom the duties are to be transferred to civic organisations like in the drug suppression business.

It merely showa the failure of the law enforcement apparatus but at the same time reaches out to those who want to be part of transforming and REforming state agencies.

Whether this is a good or bad thing is none of my business,a Thai thing but to me personally added street value.

Edited July 11, 2014 by hgma

[SABloke]

I hope they also crackdown on the Taxis parking 4 abreast meaning that busses stop in the 4th lane - I hate travelling past Chatuchak

[knauserig]

All the Thai families in our moobaan are very happy on this crackdown. They said: It's long long overdue. They are happy.

[firestar]

On one hand it removes the clutter on the other one of the unique features of Thailand, not found anywhere else in the world, is convenience. you're never far away from a bite to eat, a ride home, a fresh coconut etc. for many tourists it's the whole charm. If you remove it you're left with a city that due to poor planning will never be clean and airy anyway, just a dirty sub-par Singapore.

It's like they are trying to do the right thing by going through a check list of complaints made by a small group of people they consulted without realizing many more people actually do enjoy these things.

[3NUMBAS]

they need to eradicate all the dildo and sex aid vendors all over town ,esp where families walk around .what an appalling site in full display of passers by .in Silom road and sukhumvit road especially.its just not on to display these rubber todgers in the street on stalls.

a cleanup is good as the place has gotten chaotic all over town on sidewalks blocked with stalls and junk and food vendors .

Edited July 11, 2014 by 3NUMBAS

[BradinAsia]

The street vendors are something that many tourists seem to love. On one hand the nation is pleading, rather unsuccessfully to date, with tourists to come back, and on the other they're removing the sorts of things that make Bangkok so attractive to a large percentage of those that do come here.

In the case of Chatuchak Market, there are enough vendors of every description inside the market to

keep a tourist busy for weeks.

Removing the street vendors from the sidewalks outside will not disappoint the tourists one bit. It will

make their entrance and exit from the market much much easier.

[firestar]

The street vendors are something that many tourists seem to love. On one hand the nation is pleading, rather unsuccessfully to date, with tourists to come back, and on the other they're removing the sorts of things that make Bangkok so attractive to a large percentage of those that do come here.

In the case of Chatuchak Market, there are enough vendors of every description inside the market to

keep a tourist busy for weeks.

Removing the street vendors from the sidewalks outside will not disappoint the tourists one bit. It will

make their entrance and exit from the market much much easier.

True for Chatuchak Market but it's unlikely it won't spread. We'll have to wait and see.

[Loles]

The street vendors make a big mass and extremly dirt every-where, can't move about them, they think the side-walk is belonged to them. Crazy situation cause this work is their bread, and their food is important for population. No idea which is the better.

[PJcm]

Street vendors the bane of Thailand, every parking space, every footpath filled with sellers of the ordinary, they add little obstruct much and care less about anyone but themselves. So the tourist believe they are charming? Set up a vendors market in the parking lot at all International airports and let them roam to their hearts content.

[DrTuner]

Good thing they are giving an alternative location and not just telling them to shut down. Otherwise it would be corruption city again the second the army turns their back.

[Oziex1]

I have always liked the chaos of Bangkok and the street stalls add something to the appeal of the city, yes I visit for short time so I do not have to live with it.

However if these stall people exist because they pay public officials for the privilege then they can go, and the corrupt officials can suffocate without their envelopes of cash.

[Eurojomtien]

You got to admire such a row of well-fed bellies

[jacky54]

The street vendors are something that many tourists seem to love. On one hand the nation is pleading, rather unsuccessfully to date, with tourists to come back, and on the other they're removing the sorts of things that make Bangkok so attractive to a large percentage of those that do come here.

Tourist don't really come here for crappy market stalls, and even so there will still be plenty left

Actually, a lot do come for the crap stalls and knock of crap.

Then they are not the sort Thailand wants to be encouraging are they. Who really flies halfway around the world to buy a fake bag or football shirt?

[mercman24]

all this crap about selling fakes the whole turkish economy is basd of fake products, take for example those " superdry" t shirts selling in the uk for £25 + QUID, didnt take much to print one of those at an inflated price, when you can pay £3 for the same thing in BKK

[Eurojomtien]

I love Thailand, because I can be Thai, or I can be that stupid Farang, and as long as I am friendly, and kind and approachable I

Have you looked in a mirror lately?

Only people with Thai blood are Thai. That leaves out 99.999% of visitors/expats here.

Blood types : A, B, AB and O, with + and − denoting RhD (Rhesus) status

Does anyone see a 'Thai blood' in the list ? I don't see a 'racist blood' either. Organic factors seem to care little about our opinions or passports, and that's something to be thankful for.

[soalbundy]

There's going to be one well pissed off police officer around there!

one?

[barryofthailand]

This is the correct move to relocate the venders. The problem is they are interfering with public transportation. If you look at this area you have a high volume of city busses, a BTS station and two MRT stations.

[Basil B]

Yes, if they were to close them down they will just move down the street which will not solve the problem, but give them somewhere to set up that is not causing a nuisance then hopefully this will improve the situation.

[Alwyn]

The street vendors are something that many tourists seem to love. On one hand the nation is pleading, rather unsuccessfully to date, with tourists to come back, and on the other they're removing the sorts of things that make Bangkok so attractive to a large percentage of those that do come here.

Tourist don't really come here for crappy market stalls, and even so there will still be plenty left

Actually, a lot do come for the crap stalls and knock of crap.

Then they are not the sort Thailand wants to be encouraging are they. Who really flies halfway around the world to buy a fake bag or football shirt?

I would hazard a guess and say that's not the primary reason visit Thailand but a big percentage enjoy a day's shopping in BKK before they go home. Not just the pissheads either.

[SouthernMan3]

No danger in our life time of Bangkok ever being like Singapore.

Quite true

[seajae]

hahahaha, looking along the front row they all have the start of the policemans pot belly from lack of work and lots of drinking, maybe they can now tighten them back up a bit by walking and actually doing something other than sitting in air conditioned offices and drinking/eating.

[Mudcrab]

My God...it's the end of the World!!

First no booze for 48 hours.....now we are going to starve!!!