Security forces begin cracking down on street vendors who refuse to leave Ratcha Damnoen

BANGKOK, 17 June 2014 (NNT) - Bangkok authorities along with military and police officers have went in to dismantle tents and stalls of street vendors who continue to occupy pavement spaces at Ratcha Damnoen Road, as they have been warned in advance to move out of these areas.

Police Major General Wichai Sangprapai, who is also the advisor to the Bangkok Governor, has deployed a team of at least 200 soldiers and police to inspect the pavement areas on Ratcha Damnoen Road. Together, they have removed all the tables and chairs of street vendors who refused to move out of the area.

Although most vendors cooperated with the police and the Army, a few lottery sellers expressed disapproval against the plan.

According to these group of sellers, they have been making a living selling lottery tickets in this area for more than a decade and have requested the police to become more lenient with them. However, Pol. Maj. Gen. Wichai rejected their plea.

He said that if special privileges were given to the sellers at the Ratcha Damnoen area, then it would be greatly unfair to vendors at other locations who have agreed to relocate in the first place. Mr. Wichai expressed his sympathy for the sellers but he asserted that the move was done to prevent the obstruction of traffic and reduce congestion in pavement areas.

-- NNT 2014-07-17

They simply cannot believe that the law is actually being applied.

Now the reality is that those who conformed with the order have probably snatched up the best spots in the other locations and the stragglers will be left with the crap.

Som Nam na.

Keep the traffic moving

clean up continues, where next?

I do have some pity for the vendors. It's all they know.

Remember Msr Defarge? Wanted to go back to prison after 25 years into the Bastille, because all he knew was his shoe making. He was afraid of the outside world?

If it's all they have, then in someway let them be... even if it's to set up areas of sales...which are controlled.

specials favors, aka brown envelopes

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I do have some pity for the vendors. It's all they know.

Remember Msr Defarge? Wanted to go back to prison after 25 years into the Bastille, because all he knew was his shoe making. He was afraid of the outside world?

If it's all they have, then in someway let them be... even if it's to set up areas of sales...which are controlled.

" It's all they know."?

Perhaps. They also know they are/were flagrantly breaking the law(s).

For more than 10 years according to them...

A change forward. Those who resist are only the ones who are selfish and care about their own goodness. Wipe them out for the greater good of all.

police officers have went in to dismantle tents

Learned English from a in/out visa runner...?

police officers have went in to dismantle tents

Learned English from a in/out visa runner...?

Maybe you can get a job at a Thai newspaper and show them how to translate English into Thai with exact precision if you are so smart.

police officers have went in to dismantle tents

Learned English from a in/out visa runner...?

I think you mean an OUT / IN visa runner.

Maybe one you know ?

clean up continues, where next?

Sukhumvit and Asoke, I hope.

clean up continues, where next?

Back to the airport, another taxidriver reluctant to use the meter this week, nothing changed.

clean up continues, where next?

Back to the airport, brother taxi drive reluctant to to use the meter