Street resistance: Bangkok vendors say new sidewalk rules hurt business

[nodomino]

="GarryP"

I am conflicted with this matter. On the one hand they really do need to make a living, but on the other I am fed up with having to walk on the road if I am to get anywhere. The little space left on the footpaths renders them useless for pedestrians.

What alternatives are there for making a living? They are not going to work for factory wages.

sometimes I really enjoy the chaotic madness of it, other times it's a crazy maze with electric cables under your feet and dangling all about and a real impediment when I just want to get somewhere. My guess is that there are many thousands of people who earn their living on the streets and I would rather see them remain but with a better attitude about sharing the public space.

[rober507]

Whats a sidewalk?

[rijit]

stalls cant do the shops any favors.

[scoutman360]

simple, pull them down and cart them all off. They dont own the sidewalks but expect everyone to dodge all their sh*t, time for the police/govt to get tough and enforce the rules for once. This is why nothing ever gets done here, everyone knows no one will enforce the rules, as soon as they do people will realize they cannot simply do as they please. Send in the troops/police and just start removing them, any that refuse, lock them up or issue big fines.

As much as I like the markets, the fact that they roof them so low you have to walk through them bent over or you keep hitting your head or you simply have to walk down the road and dodge cars/bikes to avoid the crush is simply bullsh*t, of a night it is fine but during the day they are just too much.

Unless you are a tourist dropping a cigarette butt, nothing will be enforced. Didn't I hear over and over that Thailand has a labor shortage and bars, restaurants, etc. can't find people to fill the positions? Hey, I have an idea.....

[FangFerang]

At the risk of being conciliatory, why not use the elevated display frames, so people can walk under, and the hawkers can still do their thing without obstructing traffic? It is a simple half meter addition to the existing frame, less than 10,00 baht cost as designed.

[thrilled]

People need to bend A little.People always want countries to act like the country where the farang came from.I think we farangs should have no problems the way Thai's live.Thailand didn't come to us.We came to Thailand.

[SABloke]

I am conflicted with this matter. On the one hand they really do need to make a living, but on the other I am fed up with having to walk on the road if I am to get anywhere. The little space left on the footpaths renders them useless for pedestrians.

What alternatives are there for making a living? They are not going to work for factory wages.

Factory wages aren't all that bad...just ask my niece, she's got a decent apartment and she's putting her kids through school. The downside is that you actually have to WORK

[schondie]

This evening in my town the pavement wet market vendors had all gone. For once I could actually walk on the pavement as all the vendors had been made to move into the free spaces in the market. We found out that they're paying the same rates but customers actually have to get off their bikes and walk 20 feet into the market.

Some where allowed to stay but couldn't take up more than 20% of the pavement and no more carts in the road. Things are moving in the right direction, my wife and many other local people seemed more than happy with this improvement.

[GarryP]

I am conflicted with this matter. On the one hand they really do need to make a living, but on the other I am fed up with having to walk on the road if I am to get anywhere. The little space left on the footpaths renders them useless for pedestrians.

What alternatives are there for making a living? They are not going to work for factory wages.

I suppose they are too good to work for factory wages, you know; the the people who really have to work to produce all the crap that vendors sell so that tourists that waddle down the path of Thai hawkers can live their Thai experience.

They are not too good for anything. But when they have been earning 30k per month or more, are they going to be satisfied with 9k without overtime? You are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think that. Would you work for less?

[GarryP]

I am conflicted with this matter. On the one hand they really do need to make a living, but on the other I am fed up with having to walk on the road if I am to get anywhere. The little space left on the footpaths renders them useless for pedestrians.

What alternatives are there for making a living? They are not going to work for factory wages.

Factory wages aren't all that bad...just ask my niece, she's got a decent apartment and she's putting her kids through school. The downside is that you actually have to WORK

They are not that bad if you put in the overtime or are a supervisor. Otherwise, selling fried rice will get you a better level of life.

[casualbiker]

These are poor real thai people trying to make a living. They don't earn much. Forcing them of the pavement could result into them going into drug and prostitution. Please let them stay.

Really!! They are people that don't pay tax or social security not because they don't earn enough but because they don't declare it!

[mamypoko]

simple, pull them down and cart them all off. They dont own the sidewalks but expect everyone to dodge all their sh*t, time for the police/govt to get tough and enforce the rules for once. This is why nothing ever gets done here, everyone knows no one will enforce the rules, as soon as they do people will realize they cannot simply do as they please. Send in the troops/police and just start removing them, any that refuse, lock them up or issue big fines.

As much as I like the markets, the fact that they roof them so low you have to walk through them bent over or you keep hitting your head or you simply have to walk down the road and dodge cars/bikes to avoid the crush is simply bullsh*t, of a night it is fine but during the day they are just too much.

Welcome to Thailand. Live somewhere else. Their sh?t....? If you want rules...go home.

[mamypoko]

simple, pull them down and cart them all off. They dont own the sidewalks but expect everyone to dodge all their sh*t, time for the police/govt to get tough and enforce the rules for once. This is why nothing ever gets done here, everyone knows no one will enforce the rules, as soon as they do people will realize they cannot simply do as they please. Send in the troops/police and just start removing them, any that refuse, lock them up or issue big fines.

As much as I like the markets, the fact that they roof them so low you have to walk through them bent over or you keep hitting your head or you simply have to walk down the road and dodge cars/bikes to avoid the crush is simply bullsh*t, of a night it is fine but during the day they are just too much.

Why not walk in a park?

[gchurch259]

I have had my say before, I do not like them taking up thje sidewalks and the motocycles are even worse. There are enough empty spaces to put the vendors in them especially along Sukumvit Soi 6. They pay no rent unless it is to currupt politicians or police.

Creat markets/bazars for them. or continue the walkway under the BTS from Siam to Asoke.

I also do not like beggars three or four to the block, especially with young children laying there breathing the fumes from cars and buses.

[GarryP]

But like so many have said, BKK without streetside stalls would just not be BKK. The kind of stuff that attracts the tourist.

[tomyumchai]

i would have thought selling the same old copied crap that was on sale 10 years ago was hurting business. i bought a diesel t shirt, i bought a drunk monkey shirt........they went out of fashion 10 years ago, i couldnt give them away on ebay.......want my business? show me something new.

[khunken]

I too have a conflict of interest as I buy things, especially food, from the vendors but I also like to walk along the pavements.

I was walking around sois 4-8 and 3-7 today at around noon and it was completely clear of vendors.

The problem is not just the vendors but also the BIB & BMA 'police' who control the payments the vendors have to pay for their patch. It only needs a bit of commonsense to allow a single row of vendors where the pavement width allows and no vendors where it doesn't. That requires enforcement but greed always takes over - from both sides.

Now if, as one poster suggested, an above board fee was legalised and transparently collected (I know - almost impossible) it would virtually solve the problem. Just suggesting.

[Lupatria]

Vendors say new sidewalk rules hurt business

How much tax do they pay? how many actually registered as a business?

They pay indirect "tax" to the cops and are registered at the police stations for collection.

[farang000999]

Lots of gozintas when it comes to making Thailand be what Thailand is. I didn't come here for the clean sidewalks, nor the smoothly flowing traffic, and I'd hate to see Bangkok turn into Singapore (though it's trying). Life here can often be tough for the locals. I see no problem with folks trying to make a living on whatever bit of sidewalk they can get. To the extent any organized crime might be involved, then sure -- get rid of that. But no one selling crap on Sukhumvit or any of the other places is getting rich. If there were better jobs to be had, they'd have them.already and the sidewalks would have cleared themselves long ago. But it's not that way...

the police who take money from the vendors have certainly gotten rich. there is no benefit to anyone to have these vendors out on the sidewalk. nonsense.

no offense, but you sound like a complete idiot. Thai people want their country to be more like Singapore and they don't and shouldn't give a <deleted> that some farang wants them to remain poor.

[farang000999]

I see what your saying,but soon Thailand won't be Thailand any more.

and it will turn into something we escaped from.i can hear the rants already.

women who won't date you out of financial desperation?

[Benmart]

Third world, and always will be.

Have you ever been to Singapore? Check out its history.

It too was "Third World" and know-it-all sages of that time also said it would never change.

[GarryP]

Or make a nice fee for using the sidewalks. So for all the hassle some funds come in.

Um, the local constabulary do in fact make a nice fee for allowing the chintz vendors and the sidewalk bars to operate.

That's the root of the problem.

In certain places a piece of footpath cost upwards of Baht 300K. Now who the fk owns the footpath/sidewalk.

[DogNo1]

About extending the overhead walkway from to Asoke: have you noticed that as the walkway gets close to Siam, you have to walk single-file because of all the vendors on the walkway? There is a sign saying that no vendors are allowed on the walkway but it is ignored unless things have changed. I'm not in Bangkok now so I don't know if anything has happened to change that situation.

[thhMan]

I am conflicted with this matter. On the one hand they really do need to make a living, but on the other I am fed up with having to walk on the road if I am to get anywhere. The little space left on the footpaths renders them useless for pedestrians.

What alternatives are there for making a living? They are not going to work for factory wages.

Easy.. designate an open field for them... then it becomes an attraction... and the people that go there are people who want to be there and possibly purchase something...

There is no need to make the streets a slum

[NoshowJones]

Quite simply take three garbage trucks and start from one end and work your way down tossing everything in and crushing it, including stalls and watch how fast they all get taken away by the owners.

No excuses, just do it and totally ignore all pleas.

Wonder if KaoSan Rd is still clear???.... I haven't been for a year.... anyone?

I know that the vendors on the odd number Sois in Sukhumvit have not been moved, it is disgraceful. I had to walk down the road heading for Asok due to the obstructions by those vendors.

I would not mind the vendors up one side of the pavement, but both sides??? I am beginning to think the General is all talk, nothing is going to change as long as certain bodies are collecting money, probably the police.

[NoshowJones]

I am conflicted with this matter. On the one hand they really do need to make a living, but on the other I am fed up with having to walk on the road if I am to get anywhere. The little space left on the footpaths renders them useless for pedestrians.

What alternatives are there for making a living? They are not going to work for factory wages.

So do as asked and give back some of the pavement!

Why do vendors think it's OK to force people to walk slowly in single file, or onto the road with the fumes and traffic? Pavements are for walking on.

In this country, are they not for riding motorbikes on as well?

[NoshowJones]

who cares? i mean really. i live on lower sukhumvit and can not think of one instance where i was genuinely delayed or inconvenienced.

So you never try to walk from Soi 1 downwards towards Asok? I do not believe you.

[ttthailand]

Everyone is entitled to make an honest living as long as it is done in a way that helps and does not cause harm to others. Just one example .... How is a disabled person in a wheelchair or walker able to navigate those sidewalks with all those stands? It is difficult enough already with the uneven surface.

I walk an area between Sukhumvit 63 and 65 daily. At times of the day it is not only difficult but dangerous. Both sides of the sidewalk have stands selling food, some with hot oil frying food. Motor bikes are parked and are running in both directions up and down the sidewalk. There are people coming out of 7/11 and the other stores while people are standing waiting on buses or running to get on or off busses. You also have the BTS traffic. In addition you have poor people playing music looking for a handout. In the one meter space that is shared by the motor bikes and people walking and waiting on busses and ordering food there is water dripping from building air conditioners. A total mess !

In the evening when most of the venders have gone home and the amount of people walking is few all you see is the garbage left and the smell. Not too much further down the road the rats are the size of cats due to all the food laying around.

This is not my country and I am willing to put up with all the crazy stuff happening but for some things there has to be a better way. Why should so many people suffer for the sake of a few ? There is a temple right near this location. Why can't they provide a little space for these venders ? Why do motorbikes have to run both direction up the sidewalk when they can at least go one direction on the street ?

[cloudos]

This is one of the consequences of overcrowding, especially in the city areas. Try walking around Silom in the afternoons and you either get into a game of dodging street stalls, dodging people buying or browsing the street stalls, or dodging traffic. Despite this, we made the decision to be here and these people need to make a living. Until there are facilities and local acceptance for the street stores to be moved somewhere else, I can understand the reluctance of the local street vendors to have their livelihood negatively affected. I will take a wild guess and say that many of the locals also don't mind a part of the pavement being taken up, or have accepted it because they understand how tough it can be for some to make a decent living.

[NoshowJones]

These are poor real thai people trying to make a living. They don't earn much. Forcing them of the pavement could result into them going into drug and prostitution. Please let them stay.

Yes, let them stay for the reasons you mention, but only on one side of the sidewalk. Surely that's a fair compromise.