Cluttering of thai streets with pushcarts, small stalls etc

[bigguy]

Last week the wife and I spent a week in BKK, actually stayed on Sukhumvit Soi 8. Both sides of Soi 8 has street vendors and 2 way traffic of hotel vehicles. motorbikes, tuk-tuks, and of course the wild west taxi drivers, and of course a lot of pedestrian traffic. For me its a challenge, can I survive the walk from the hotel to Sukhumvit without being run over or hit by a vehicle...Its just part of the THAI Experience.

The funny thing was on the Monday when we went for a walk my wife kept saying something is really wrong today, no vendors, she forgot about the Monday street cleaning, which never makes it way down Soi 8.

Personally I enjoy the vendors, but I do not live in BKK, and coming in from a village in Isan for a few days, I feel more like a tourist than someone that resides here.

And as others have said, its all part of the Thai Experience, stop bitching and enjoy it, or tolerate it, or move back home..

[captspectre]

Because the cops who should be enforcing the laws against it, are taking money to allow it.

almost every street corner on bkk should have some type of road side stall mostly ones selling food and if it happens in bkk it definitely happens all over thailand. I don't think it's against the law to set up some type of stall on the road if not it wouldn't be so widespread.

it is technicallyagainst the law, but the stall operators pay "tea" money to the cops.

[Fullstop]

It does seem that developing countries all see the need to clutter up their streets with people selling food, clothing and all manner of items which you don't really see in western nations.

If developing countries had the same level of social security for the unemployed as Western nations ... these "annoying" people cluttering the footpath to make enough money to eat would be lying in bed/the beach just like their western counterparts.

I'm guessing beggars piss you off too, so presuming you don't want them to starve...what alternative do you suggest for them?

Edited February 15, 2015 by Fullstop

[ronrat]

It is a bit galling when cart selling cocktails and beer parks himself in front of a bar that pays rent and key money and licences,Tthen turns on a sound system that can be heard from the moon. And gets upset when the farang bar owner tells him to move because he is blocking the entrance.

[Fullstop]

It is a bit galling when cart selling cocktails and beer parks himself in front of a bar that pays rent and key money and licences,Tthen turns on a sound system that can be heard from the moon. And gets upset when the farang bar owner tells him to move because he is blocking the entrance.

His problems are over.

http://www.thaivisa.com/news/thailand/alcohol-sales-banned-on-roads-pedestrian-areas-and-bus-terminals/11330/?utm_source=newsletter-20150215-1403&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news

Edited February 15, 2015 by Fullstop

[konying]

It gives the poor person who has no skills to be able to operate a simple business and make a living. Just goes to show you how many poor uneducated people there are. So it is accepted not only in Thai culture but other countries as well. Graft and payoffs come later.

Also an opportunity to borrow money from everyone and anyone they can and then disappear. Edited February 15, 2015 by konying

[Loptr]

Food stalls and people selling their wares on the streets is the basis for free enterprise... What would the OP prefer, an antiseptic shopping / eating environment run by a MNC like in the west? I came to Asia for the culture, all of it... If I wanted western standards, I wouldn't have moved to Asia...

[banagan]

Doesn't bother me, except for the food vendors who take up the scooter parking spots in nimmen on soi 9.

Cops don't mind this as its a good money maker when you're forced to park elsewhere... I got nabbed last week.

[chingching]

I think the OP has more in mind than just the food stalls. Where I live a neighbor dries fish. They have an unused fish rack which I have never seen used in 2 years, completely blocking the sidewalk. They park their truck so the bumper is against the drying rack, so you have to walk well into the street. At another street a welder has taken over the sidewalk with his spare bits and pieces. The pile is at least 6 feet high and flows about a foot into the street. Tho worse is Phenom Phen where they park on the sidewalk.

[Thaiready]

Its called "freedom" and not just another excuse to extract money and tell you how to live your life, as they do in the "nanny" countries.

I prefer the freedom to walk safely than the blocking of what little space that is available for walking. As far as the business aspect goes maybe many of these "Developing Countries" could be called "Developed Countries" if the Country wasn't deprived of tax revenues by these blockers of public walk-ways.

[Thongkorn]

In Thailand its called Trying to make a living, not Cluttering

[perdido]

I am so conditioned I feel "off" walking down the empty streets on Mondays.....

....could you please elaborate/ expand, and explain a bit more about what your meaning is?...

....thanking you!!!

[KhnomKhnom]

Silly Westerners want the whole world to look like their homes. Sure the streets are clogged........that is because street life here is ALIVE with people....... people being enterprising and not ...oops... not lazy and others wanting a convenient bargain from sellers they know.

America's streets are sterile gangways closed in by huge buildings and American's fear of being out of their car. The sidewalks are empty most places there because No One Walks and all are in fear of their own lands.

Lively street life, like Greenwich Village Manhattan and all over the "developing world" is a sign of LIFE; dead streets with high speed closed cars zipping along is DEAD.

Westerners....... get over Thailand or get out....... the faster the better.

[nithisa78]

Why do you care? The world is how we make it, no other way.

[nithisa78]

Its called "freedom" and not just another excuse to extract money and tell you how to live your life, as they do in the "nanny" countries.

I prefer the freedom to walk safely than the blocking of what little space that is available for walking. As far as the business aspect goes maybe many of these "Developing Countries" could be called "Developed Countries" if the Country wasn't deprived of tax revenues by these blockers of public walk-ways.

Solution ; go away. far, far away.

If you had any idea of what freedom even meant, you would not have made this post.

Edited February 15, 2015 by nithisa78

[nithisa78]

I think the OP has more in mind than just the food stalls. Where I live a neighbor dries fish. They have an unused fish rack which I have never seen used in 2 years, completely blocking the sidewalk. They park their truck so the bumper is against the drying rack, so you have to walk well into the street. At another street a welder has taken over the sidewalk with his spare bits and pieces. The pile is at least 6 feet high and flows about a foot into the street. Tho worse is Phenom Phen where they park on the sidewalk.

itch itch itch

[rgs2001uk]

It is a bit galling when cart selling cocktails and beer parks himself in front of a bar that pays rent and key money and licences,Tthen turns on a sound system that can be heard from the moon. And gets upset when the farang bar owner tells him to move because he is blocking the entrance.

Personally as a customer, I think its great.

[rgs2001uk]

I am so conditioned I feel "off" walking down the empty streets on Mondays.....

....could you please elaborate/ expand, and explain a bit more about what your meaning is?...

....thanking you!!!

Monday is the day in Bkk the streets are cleared of these stalls.

Its amusing to watch the confused farang tourists wondering where all the stalls have gone.

[rgs2001uk]

Its called "freedom" and not just another excuse to extract money and tell you how to live your life, as they do in the "nanny" countries.

I prefer the freedom to walk safely than the blocking of what little space that is available for walking. As far as the business aspect goes maybe many of these "Developing Countries" could be called "Developed Countries" if the Country wasn't deprived of tax revenues by these blockers of public walk-ways.

Solution ; go away. far, far away.

If you had any idea of what freedom even meant, you would not have made this post.

I have seen the future, its called Singapore, it frightens me.

RIP, Buckskin Joe Village, Soi 10, Clinton Plaza, Washington Square, Asoke market etc etc.

What frightens me even more, I will live long enough to see it.

[ggt]

This is such a small inconvenience to pedestrian traffic...these small portable businesses keep many families fed...keeps unemployment down...and is an honorable endeavor...

What you see as clutter is actually a small part of a well functioning economy...

[connda]

Just 19 posts I see. Haven't been in country too long yet. Don't worry, you'll either get with the program or you'll leave. Best of luck.

[dotpoom]

Once while out driving with my wife I started complaining to her about the amount of motorbikes with sidecars in Thailand holding up motorists, "They should be banned"...I said to her. She re[lied......."Do you not think they would prefer to own shops". From that moment on I understood and actually came round to admiring them.

PS. I still get mad as hell with them for having no lights, especially on the side cars while driving home at night to Bang Saray on the dark road and an awful lot of the time they are coming against you on the wrong side of the road on the hard shoulder.

Edited February 15, 2015 by dotpoom

[ozyjon]

Its called "freedom" and not just another excuse to extract money and tell you how to live your life, as they do in the "nanny" countries.

What about the freedom to walk on a pavement and not have to walk on the road towards oncoming traffic?

And get hit on the head by truck mirror,,

where does safety come into it and what

about the big pots of boiling hot oil i see,

free dom not = safety, and where does

all the rubbish go?

[willyumiii]

You are not in Kansas anymore Toto!

This is Thailand.

This is how Thai people and money of us expats want to live.

I left America for this kind of daily experience.

Ever see a drive up bank, pharmacy or food outlet in Thailand?

Those things keep the streets clear.

and they are in America!

[A1Str8]

Because it's difficult to comprehend that the streets are public area that do not belong to certain people so they don't have the right to do it.

[eldragon]

They have many stalls on the side of the road in NY selling hotdogs and others fast food.

Don't think it has to do with the country being developed or not.. More the food culture.

The difference here is there's so many that it's often times difficult and dangerous to get where you're going.

[eldragon]

This is such a small inconvenience to pedestrian traffic...these small portable businesses keep many families fed...keeps unemployment down...and is an honorable endeavor...

What you see as clutter is actually a small part of a well functioning economy...

Doesn't mean they can't be better organized. When pedestrians are pushed into a busy street b/c one of these families decided they needed a monopoly on both sides of the footpath, it's out of control.

[eldragon]

Its called "freedom" and not just another excuse to extract money and tell you how to live your life, as they do in the "nanny" countries.

They pay rent. Or they're supposed to. Either to the landowner or the city, depending on how the property lines fall out. And I think the ones that sprawl into the streets, like they do on Khao San Rd., pay the cops.

[Xircal]

Well, as others have remarked, this is Thailand and cluttered up sidewalks and pushcarts are all part of their culture.

But you'll be treated differently because you're a foreigner. Thais have this mistaken belief that all foreigners are filthy rich and they want some of it. So as soon as a foreigner wants to buy something, the price goes ballistic.

My gf bought some sliced watermelon from one of those pushcarts once and was charged 20 Baht which I thought was cheap. So the next day I thought I'd go buy some for myself. The lady sliced it up nicely for me and gave me a giant cocktail to use, but then asked me for 70 Baht. I told her I was there yesterday when my gf bought some and she only had to pay 20 Baht so why should I have to pay more than three times the price?

She kind of scowled at me and then grabbed another big slice of watermelon, sliced that up and handed it to me. So she was willing to give me a little more for my money, but no way was she going to give me the extra 50 Baht back.

I didn't argue about it, but vowed never to buy anything from her again.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Xircal

[NeverSure]

They have many stalls on the side of the road in NY selling hotdogs and others fast food.

Don't think it has to do with the country being developed or not.. More the food culture.

With all due respect, there aren't such things blocking roads or sidewalks. They have a city business license and are inspected and regulated by the health department.

The only ones I've ever seen are located in the parking lot of another much bigger business to which they pay rent. They certainly must not be blocking the normal flow of foot or vehicular traffic. If they are parked on a street or sidewalk it is zoned for that and there is still sufficient room for cars and pedestrians. There is no litter.

This is typical of what I see. The second one is in New York City.

Edited February 16, 2015 by NeverSure