Vendors forced out of Bangkok's Chatuchak pavements

[webfact]

Vendors forced out of Chatuchak pavements

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has installed barricades on pedestrian pavements from Morchit terminal of the BTS and MRT systems to Kamphaeng Phet road to prevent some 300 vendors from using the pavements to sell their merchandise.

Mr Noppakit Sanyanuchit, chief of Chatuchak district office, said today (Tuesday) that the vendors had been informed before that they could not use the pavements or they would face the law.

Besides the barricade, he said municipal police and military personnel had been deployed to make sure that the vendors would not return to claim the pavements.

For vendors occupying the pavements in front of Major Ratchayothin cinema on Paholyothin-outbound road, Mr Noppakit said that they would be allowed to use the pavements only at night from 7.30 pm to midnight only.

Also each vendor will be allocated with just one plot of space measuring 1 metre x 1.5 metre and they must observe cleanliness rule. Any vendor who does not observes the rule will be evicted, said Mr Noppakit.

He, however, noted that there might not be enough space for all 200 plus vendors and, therefore, selection would be made by means of lot drawing. For those who miss out, he promised that the BMA would find new locations for them such as Chatuchak 2 market in Nonthaburi, Sanam Luang, Chakarin market or Prachanives market.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/vendors-forced-chatuchak-pavements/


-- Thai PBS 2014-09-17

[ChrisY1]

It has been a real mess there and needed a proper purging of vendors.

But....they'll be back!

[BestBitterPhuket]

All though i have sympathy with the individual vendors who are evicted, this is still necessary. For decades people have just been operating almost anything in public spaces without permits and licenses, and with the only regulation done by mafias and organized criminal activities. It has to stop and there will be some collateral damage in the cleaning up process.

[thaistockpicks]

Great news but they will be back. Probably just set up in the street.

[Nickymaster]

It has been a real mess there and needed a proper purging of vendors.

But....they'll be back!

Correct. Also because of safety reasons.

[dddave]

I find vendors who overcrowd sidewalks just as annoying as anybody else but vendors and street markets are also part of what makes Bangkok unique.

I do agree with enforcing location and placement rules, allowing enough space between stalls for them to set their stools so they are not sitting in the middle of the side walk and not allowing vendors to be on both sides of a walkway.

I hope a happy medium can be achieved, I'd hate to see Bangkok become a sterile clone of Singapore.

[ezzra]

So instead of vendors occupying the foot path now we they barricades? what have they done?

they simply exchanged one obstacle with another, who's the brainiac who comes up with these?

[mikebike]

So instead of vendors occupying the foot path now we they barricades? what have they done?

they simply exchanged one obstacle with another, who's the brainiac who comes up with these?

You have been there already?

[jacky54]

I find vendors who overcrowd sidewalks just as annoying as anybody else but vendors and street markets are also part of what makes Bangkok unique.

Uniquely slum looking , if you live and work here having to navigate these obstructions is very wearing and dangerous, the less of them the better

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

At least around Sukhumvit, it's been a refreshing change having the sidewalks along the main road mostly clear during the daytime hours. Just hope the policy will be maintained and enforced.

However, the new regime does have one downside. Because most street vendors start setting up their stands around 6 pm, right now, you have all those folks toting around their street carts and swinging their metal bars and wood planks for assembling their stands -- right as the going home from work street traffic is occurring.

All the stand assembling activity right at the going home rush hour time probably makes the sidewalks MORE congested just during that period than if the stands were already assembled and operating at that point.

I think the new opening time officially is supposed to be 7 pm or so, and the OP article says 7:30 pm for Chatuchak. But at least along Sukhumvit, the BMA police seem to be allowing the vendors to begin setting up by 6 pm or earlier, depending on the location.

[namdocmai]

Yes finally! I've been waiting for that since many years.

Now also all the other vendors who make the pavements/walkways to narrow. In this pace BKK will be as good as Singapore in a few years time.

[ToddinChonburi]

They like to pour there dirty greasy water into the sewers and into the rivers it does run.

[iReason]

"Besides the barricade, he said municipal police and military personnel had been deployed to make sure that the vendors would not return to claim the pavements."

How pathetic...

[Triplebank999]

So instead of vendors occupying the foot path now we they barricades? what have they done?

they simply exchanged one obstacle with another, who's the brainiac who comes up with these?

Yes, it is a terrible idea to replace an illegal obstruction of the pavement measuring several square metres with a legal one occupying a fraction of the space.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Triplebank999

[Triplebank999]

"Besides the barricade, he said municipal police and military personnel had been deployed to make sure that the vendors would not return to claim the pavements."

How pathetic...

Pathetic? Seems like a good idea, and appropriate, as the country is under martial law. The BMA inspectors have no power of arrest should the vendors prove to be difficult, the military have that power.

[chotthee]

I find vendors who overcrowd sidewalks just as annoying as anybody else but vendors and street markets are also part of what makes Bangkok unique.

I do agree with enforcing location and placement rules, allowing enough space between stalls for them to set their stools so they are not sitting in the middle of the side walk and not allowing vendors to be on both sides of a walkway.

I hope a happy medium can be achieved, I'd hate to see Bangkok become a sterile clone of Singapore.

Nothing wrong with Singapore, or the way shop / pavement are manged in Singapore.

[Halion]

I find vendors who overcrowd sidewalks just as annoying as anybody else but vendors and street markets are also part of what makes Bangkok unique.

I do agree with enforcing location and placement rules, allowing enough space between stalls for them to set their stools so they are not sitting in the middle of the side walk and not allowing vendors to be on both sides of a walkway.

I hope a happy medium can be achieved, I'd hate to see Bangkok become a sterile clone of Singapore.

Lived in Singapore for 25 years and although I agree that there is little room for descent and could be described as over regulated the fact remains that it does work, Standards are high in all aspects and the government does provide for it's people. Perhaps Thailand would do well to take a leaf out of that book before this place becomes a wasteland.

Being unique is not a prerequisite for development and sidewalks are for pedestrians not vendors. In both Chatuchak and Sukhumvit it is neigh on impossible to walk down the pavements.

I truly hope they clear them out and keep them out. I am sure if they were camped outside your home you would have a very different opinion.

[moe666]

how about those sidewalk bars are they still around

[iReason]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

"Besides the barricade, he said municipal police and military personnel had been deployed to make sure that the vendors would not return to claim the pavements."

How pathetic... alt=wai2.gif> alt=wai.gif>

Pathetic? Seems like a good idea, and appropriate, as the country is under martial law. The BMA inspectors have no power of arrest should the vendors prove to be difficult, the military have that power.

Yes.

Absolutely pathetic that the Military is needed to keep sidewalks clear.

[granuaile]

I think there does need to be more regulation, as sometimes pedestrians cannot even walk on the sidewalks many places including by the Mochit BTS. That said, I like having the vendors, just think they need to have limits in place. Many places, between vendors on both sides of the sidewalk it can be hard to get from point A to point B.... My pet peeve though are the motorbikes using the sidewalks...

[loongdavid]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

"Besides the barricade, he said municipal police and military personnel had been deployed to make sure that the vendors would not return to claim the pavements."

How pathetic... alt=wai2.gif> alt=wai.gif>

Pathetic? Seems like a good idea, and appropriate, as the country is under martial law. The BMA inspectors have no power of arrest should the vendors prove to be difficult, the military have that power.

Yes.

Absolutely pathetic that the Military is needed to keep sidewalks clear.

Yes, maybe. But after all we are still under Martial Law and the BIB are thoroughly useless.

[Expat Girl]

I think there does need to be more regulation, as sometimes pedestrians cannot even walk on the sidewalks many places including by the Mochit BTS. That said, I like having the vendors, just think they need to have limits in place. Many places, between vendors on both sides of the sidewalk it can be hard to get from point A to point B.... My pet peeve though are the motorbikes using the sidewalks...

Completely agree and like you my pet hate is the motorcycles. Just near my office there is at least 3 motor cycle taxi ranks which use the pavements all the time, as though it is the road and they have the right of way. One of my Thai Engineers told me that if a motorcycle is behind then on the footpath, they will actually slow their walking speed (which is slow anyway) and stretch out a little to block the way, which they know frustrates the motorcycle taxi riders.

[jacky54]

"Besides the barricade, he said municipal police and military personnel had been deployed to make sure that the vendors would not return to claim the pavements."

How pathetic...

pathetic that this is necessary, Thais are so often like stubborn children who do not like being told what to do

[Strangebrew]

Bangkok beginning to lose it's charm? Why not do this you have all these vacant lots wit nothing but rats an dogs living in why not plow them clean allow vendor to pay for spot to owner of property the Nana's Yes we know who owns it. there off sidewalks people can go in and buy or walk past. That people happy tourists happy sidewalks clear. and the charm remains.

[NoshowJones]

I think there does need to be more regulation, as sometimes pedestrians cannot even walk on the sidewalks many places including by the Mochit BTS. That said, I like having the vendors, just think they need to have limits in place. Many places, between vendors on both sides of the sidewalk it can be hard to get from point A to point B.... My pet peeve though are the motorbikes using the sidewalks...

Completely agree and like you my pet hate is the motorcycles. Just near my office there is at least 3 motor cycle taxi ranks which use the pavements all the time, as though it is the road and they have the right of way. One of my Thai Engineers told me that if a motorcycle is behind then on the footpath, they will actually slow their walking speed (which is slow anyway) and stretch out a little to block the way, which they know frustrates the motorcycle taxi riders.

What about the m/cs that ride through the markets where there is a 2 mtr wide walkway? One time a m/c approached me from behind, I stood in the middle, pretended to use my phone, the rider started to sound his horn at me, after a little while, I told him he was crazy and dangerous in Thai, and gave him a hand to sound his horn, motioned to him to go back, and he did.

[outsider]

I find vendors who overcrowd sidewalks just as annoying as anybody else but vendors and street markets are also part of what makes Bangkok unique.

I do agree with enforcing location and placement rules, allowing enough space between stalls for them to set their stools so they are not sitting in the middle of the side walk and not allowing vendors to be on both sides of a walkway.

I hope a happy medium can be achieved, I'd hate to see Bangkok become a sterile clone of Singapore.

+1

[Loles]

FINALLY.

And how long?

[Jonmarleesco]

There are more than a few locations in Bangkok with seriously obstructed pavements, and not just with stall vendors. Thonglor, for example, has more pubs than it needs, and those and several restaurants extend their business onto the pedestrian thoroughfare, with tables, signage, and even customers with beverages.

Add in the stalls, including one van parked of an evening on the pavement adjacent to Starbucks, by Soi 13, the motorcycles parked nose to arse in a number of areas, and the idiot so-called valet parking attendants, who couldn't park a hotwheels in an empty car park, and a clear out is long past due.