First day of new street vending rules on Silom Rd.

[Lite Beer]

First day of new street vending rules on Silom Rd.

BANGKOK, 1 November 2014 (NNT) – Today is the due date for a new order on footpath businesses enforced on Silom road. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is cooperating with the Metropolitan Police Bureau to conduct stall clearance and reclaim pavements to pedestrians.

Chief Adviser to the Bangkok Governor Wanlop Suwandee said Silom road was one of the 13 roads which people complained about the inconvenience of pavement usage due to the blocking stallholders. New regulations now require all vendors to stay clear from the road during 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. For nighttime vendors, they are allowed to trade on road pavements only from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. and must remove all their belongings from the area by 3 a.m. During the implementation of the regulation, a number of municipal, police and military personnel are deployed to ensure strict compliance.

Another adviser to the Bangkok Governor Pol.Maj.Gen. Wichai Sangprapai said there were 850 vendors in total trading on Silom road pavements: 286 selling during daytime and 564 others at nighttime. The reorganization now requires daytime vendors to relocate to alternative places provided by the BMA which can accommodate upto 244 stalls. Sixty vendors have so far registered for relocation to these places. The BMA also has plans to open walking streets to help the affected vendors.

According to him, the BMA has already applied the pavement regulation at nine out of the thirteen spots where inconvenience of pavement usage has been reported. The next target of the campaign will be the temporary stall zone in Bobae-Mahanak Market to be followed by the Tha Chang-Tha Tien Market, where deadlines have been set for 4th and 20th November respectively. If the reorganizing of street vendors in Bangkok is a success, the Ministry of Interior will use it as a model for other provinces, Pol. Maj-Gen. Wichai said.

-- NNT 2014-11-01

[expat_4_life]

I for one, enjoy the hawker, food stall environment found all around Thailand. What I do not like is trying to navigate

an area like this where it's simply impossible to move.

I just hope they strike a good balance between our ability to move around and allowing the vendors to operate. I would

never like to see Thailand go down the road of banning them all.

Edited November 1, 2014 by expat_4_life

[Thai at Heart]

Around the end of the BTS steps it is an absolute pain to move around. The pavements are tiny anyway.

[VillageIdiot]

I for one, enjoy the hawker, food stall environment found all around Thailand. What I do not like is trying to navigate

an area like this where it's simply impossible to move.

I just hope they strike a good balance between our ability to move around and allowing the vendors to operate. I would

never like to see Thailand go down the road of banning them all.

Agreed.

A lot of poor people make their living on the streets.

Forcing them off might have unintended consequences.

Edited November 1, 2014 by VillageIdiot

[seajae]

If the vendors realized that people need to be able to walk along the footpaths and not be hindered by their stalls etc it would be a lot better, , there are some areas where you simply cant even walk in single file. The vendors can be a great asset but they can also be an even bigger pain for people simply wanting to walk along without all the shoving and being jostled by the vendors themselves. By all means they still need to be able to hawk their wares but not where everyone needs to be able walk, the idea of seperate walking streets is a good one, then people that want to shop at these stalls can without having them blocking anyones access.

[tingtong]

I for one, enjoy the hawker, food stall environment found all around Thailand. What I do not like is trying to navigate

an area like this where it's simply impossible to move.

I just hope they strike a good balance between our ability to move around and allowing the vendors to operate. I would

never like to see Thailand go down the road of banning them all.

Agreed.

A lot of poor people make their living on the streets.

Forcing them off might have unintended consequences.

moreover, a lot of not so poor people make their living from those poor people...

btw, seriously, apart from the corruption issues associated about rent pays, etc,........ many of those vendors are anything but poor!!

[choochoo]

i dont getthe hours.

the vendors are allowed when theres lot of foot traffic. 7pm onwards.

but not when theres little traffic.......................lol. funny stuff.

[choochoo]

I for one, enjoy the hawker, food stall environment found all around Thailand. What I do not like is trying to navigate

an area like this where it's simply impossible to move.

I just hope they strike a good balance between our ability to move around and allowing the vendors to operate. I would

never like to see Thailand go down the road of banning them all.

Agreed.

A lot of poor people make their living on the streets.

Forcing them off might have unintended consequences.

moreover, a lot of not so poor people make their living from those poor people...

btw, seriously, apart from the corruption issues associated about rent pays, etc,........ many of those vendors are anything but poor!!

mystery to me if they make money. i just dont see a lot of business going on.

you got rent , boys to build and tear down the stall, people to run the stall, is their that much money to spread around?

[ramrod711]

Today is the due date for a new order on footpath businesses enforced on Silom road.

I hope the stalls will comply and find a way to make a profit. If these regulations don't last any longer than the ones that were meant to clean up the beaches it will all be a waste of time.

[Searat7]

I just walked down Silom Rd. at 6:20 pm and it was totally clear except for many policemen in chairs and tents along the sidewalk. It was great being able to walk freely but I do think they could let some food vendors operate during the day in some of the wider sidewalk areas. The vendors brought this problem upon themselves by setting up too early and by operating on narrow sidewalk areas on both sides so that pedestrians could not easily walk in both directions.

[wirat69]

In days of Yore,

And long before

The BTS was invented

Silom Road was walkable,

And really quite stalkable...

Easy to find what was intended

The food was tasty

The mood was hasty

Sois 1-6 abuzz

In days of yore and long before the BTS was invented.

Now the food has fuzz

The air full of guzz

Rats and cockroaches infested!!

[BangkokGastronaut]

I agree with the issue of blocked streets, that is not pleasant for everyone - Thais included. But I have a Thai friend with a food stall near Thong Lo, and she makes up to 3,000 baht every day, six days a week. Tell me that isn't good money for a Thai person. And it's incredibly hard work; up at 2am, off to the market to get supplies, prep time and all for a tiny food stall. Hats off to hard work. And I would not like Thailand to emulate Singapore where they banned street traders and created the sanitized hawker stall culture. Street food IS Thai culture, and I think the majority would like to see that remain.

[Dogmatix]

Please ban them 24 hours. The idea is clearly that vendors should not be allowed to bother Thai office workers in the daytime but are free to block pavements and harass foreign tourists with fake goods as much as they like in the evenings as well as restrict egress in the event of fire to ensure maximum casualties.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Dogmatix

[Benmart]

I agree with the issue of blocked streets, that is not pleasant for everyone - Thais included. But I have a Thai friend with a food stall near Thong Lo, and she makes up to 3,000 baht every day, six days a week. Tell me that isn't good money for a Thai person. And it's incredibly hard work; up at 2am, off to the market to get supplies, prep time and all for a tiny food stall. Hats off to hard work. And I would not like Thailand to emulate Singapore where they banned street traders and created the sanitized hawker stall culture. Street food IS Thai culture, and I think the majority would like to see that remain.

Nice post. Self regulation seems not have worked and I hope the street food survives the changes coming. Thai culture in this area will likely evolve as cultures often do.

[kingalfred]

I agree with the issue of blocked streets, that is not pleasant for everyone - Thais included. But I have a Thai friend with a food stall near Thong Lo, and she makes up to 3,000 baht every day, six days a week. Tell me that isn't good money for a Thai person. And it's incredibly hard work; up at 2am, off to the market to get supplies, prep time and all for a tiny food stall. Hats off to hard work. And I would not like Thailand to emulate Singapore where they banned street traders and created the sanitized hawker stall culture. Street food IS Thai culture, and I think the majority would like to see that remain.

3000 a day? A very rich vendor. knocks on the head the idea that its' poor folk trying to make a living. I seen them turning up with their 4wd pick ups to unload/load their goods.

No Taxes paid, rent free stall. Clear the lot asap. Oh and you are wrong about"majority like to see remain" ask the shop and office workers in Silom.

Edited November 1, 2014 by kingalfred

[VINCENT2012]

silom is for the rich...the scum is pleased to move on from now! .

street market are for normally poor people vendor the only way to be something and to make a bit of money for leaving....even if sometimes it is too much for us....it remains the onle way for them to live propely.

[kingalfred]

silom is for the rich...the scum is pleased to move on from now! .

street market are for normally poor people vendor the only way to be something and to make a bit of money for leaving....even if sometimes it is too much for us....it remains the onle way for them to live propely.

yeah a "bit of money for leaving" Now they can "leave" Edited November 1, 2014 by kingalfred

[VillageIdiot]

I agree with the issue of blocked streets, that is not pleasant for everyone - Thais included. But I have a Thai friend with a food stall near Thong Lo, and she makes up to 3,000 baht every day, six days a week. Tell me that isn't good money for a Thai person. And it's incredibly hard work; up at 2am, off to the market to get supplies, prep time and all for a tiny food stall. Hats off to hard work. And I would not like Thailand to emulate Singapore where they banned street traders and created the sanitized hawker stall culture. Street food IS Thai culture, and I think the majority would like to see that remain.

3000 a day? A very rich vendor. knocks on the head the idea that its' poor folk trying to make a living. I seen them turning up with their 4wd pick ups to unload/load their goods.

No Taxes paid, rent free stall. Clear the lot asap. Oh and you are wrong about"majority like to see remain" ask the shop and office workers in Silom.

"...rent free stall." Where in Bangkok?

[Bluespunk]

So that's why there was a bunch of coppers sat in the shade outside o'reilys today.

[notbkk]

i dont getthe hours.

the vendors are allowed when theres lot of foot traffic. 7pm onwards.

but not when theres little traffic.......................lol. funny stuff.

Wrong...from 7 pm pedestrian traffic slowly subsides in the Saladaeng area when all office workers goes home. Then the tourists and pavement shoppers, diners and eventually clubbers come out. Believe me, I work there. (No, NOT in Patpong) When last have you been there between 12 pm to 2 pm? It's a genuine nightmare.

[seabass69]

In days of Yore,

And long before

The BTS was invented

Silom Road was walkable,

And really quite stalkable...

Easy to find what was intended

The food was tasty

The mood was hasty

Sois 1-6 abuzz

In days of yore and long before the BTS was invented.

Now the food has fuzz

The air full of guzz

Rats and cockroaches infested!!

Totally off topic, but would a "Poetry" or "Limerick" Thread be considered by TV Members and Moderators?

[namdocmai]

So that's why there was a bunch of coppers sat in the shade outside o'reilys today.

O'reilys?? I went there last week but it had another name suddenly so we didn't go in.

[3NUMBAS]

the lizard men will multiply on empty pavements .like lizards

[BuckBee]

I agree with the issue of blocked streets, that is not pleasant for everyone - Thais included. But I have a Thai friend with a food stall near Thong Lo, and she makes up to 3,000 baht every day, six days a week. Tell me that isn't good money for a Thai person. And it's incredibly hard work; up at 2am, off to the market to get supplies, prep time and all for a tiny food stall. Hats off to hard work. And I would not like Thailand to emulate Singapore where they banned street traders and created the sanitized hawker stall culture. Street food IS Thai culture, and I think the majority would like to see that remain.

3000 a day? A very rich vendor. knocks on the head the idea that its' poor folk trying to make a living. I seen them turning up with their 4wd pick ups to unload/load their goods.

No Taxes paid, rent free stall. Clear the lot asap. Oh and you are wrong about"majority like to see remain" ask the shop and office workers in Silom.

A lot of small shops along silom area are not happy about it as the markets bring in the foot traffic to feed their businesses.

Some office workers maybe happy but many are not as they spent most of lunch break eating at street stalls & browsing stalls. I have talked with quite a few & many not happy with it. Same for a lot of Office staff & Chamchuri square who used food stalls at sam-yan station area.

What you have to realize is the mess is not the vendors entirely, the ampur police like squeezing in as many stalls as possible as they taking 500B per registered stall.

Also do realise the current situation is likely to be used for vote gaining policy coming an election so all is not black & white ...

Edited November 1, 2014 by BuckBee

[Maestro]

Chief Adviser to the Bangkok Governor Wanlop Suwandee said Silom road was one of the 13 roads which people complained about the inconvenience of pavement usage due to the blocking stallholders. New regulations now require all vendors to stay clear from the road during 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. For nighttime vendors, they are allowed to trade on road pavements only from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. and must remove all their belongings from the area by 3 a.m. During the implementation of the regulation, a number of municipal, police and military personnel are deployed to ensure strict compliance.

Do I understand correctly that vendors are officially allowed to block the pedestrian footpaths from 7pm to 2am on Silom Road?

[Suriya4]

Same same in Soi Cowboy.

Taxi block 4 of the 6 lanes.

After the coup, all taxi was cleared to just 1 lane.

Now, back to business as usual. Block all 4 lanes again.

[BuckBee]

Chief Adviser to the Bangkok Governor Wanlop Suwandee said Silom road was one of the 13 roads which people complained about the inconvenience of pavement usage due to the blocking stallholders. New regulations now require all vendors to stay clear from the road during 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. For nighttime vendors, they are allowed to trade on road pavements only from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. and must remove all their belongings from the area by 3 a.m. During the implementation of the regulation, a number of municipal, police and military personnel are deployed to ensure strict compliance.

Do I understand correctly that vendors are officially allowed to block the pedestrian footpaths from 7pm to 2am on Silom Road?

you do understand correctly.

The new vendor rules are also under trial in terms of how they improve congestion etc !

If new measures are not liked or found suitable then vendor street trading will be stopped entirely.

Problem is the new idea of 7pm start is stupid as clashes with gridlock traffic & also without the ampur policing sensible policy on amount of stalls near MRT/BTS stations & narrow section walkways nothing really improving drastically or for the better.

[daveAustin]

I'm with the clear them 24 hours crowd. Not from all streets but certainly from Silom and upper Suk. Please drop the 'it's poor people just trying to make a living' line. It is not. These guys and their masters are raking it in and are a nuisance. This is 2014 and that is a main financial district, not a non-floating market. Thai culture will be kept perfectly in tact by shifting them to appropriate areas.

[NamKAheng]

Shame on you! Taking the bread (sorry the rice) of the mouth of the BIB

[noitom]

Picking on the Thai little and ordinary people. Where are the crackdowns on Thai big men, money launderers, banker, inside traders, Thai business hustlers, and bribe takers? A bust of a guy selling fish balls from a stall for poaching on the road sends a poor message about the seriousness of these crackdowns and the true intentions of the government which seems to be making the elite's lives easier.