Crackdown on Bangkok street stalls as pedestrians vie for space

[Oceanbat]

Id be happy if there werent metre deep holes ,or paving stones sticking up 10 inches, or electric poles slap bang in the middle or road signs at head height to inflict maximum damage alond with shop awnings at the same height to take an eye out or electric cables finished off with tape etc etc.....apart from that the street vendors arent my worry.they can stay.

If you want things up to Western standards you may have to start paying Western wages. Do they have sewage plants in Thailand?

Haha exactly! And then perhaps Thailand won't be so cheap anymore. Which is what I suspect a lot of people are more concerned about....

OB

[Commerce]

Most of the ones I walk past on my way from work sell utter crap. Be happy to see them and their Clavin Klein underwear disappear. The food ones I like but what's the answer if you can't regulate? They certainly aren't environmentally friendly with what they tip into the drains.

OB

You do realise you just contradicted yourself, purely in your choice of the likes and not likes of exactly the same thing? The food ones you like, but the 'Calvin Klein' [sic] ones you don't. If they are not environmentally friendly, as you say, then why on earth would you particularly like the 'food ones'?

[The manic]

Bonkers! The pedestrians are there for shopping, to buy things off the vendors.

[Commerce]

One has to bear in mind that these vendors are not purely targeting foreigners. Indeed, they are more selling to Thais and this has been a long term part of the culture.

To simply dismiss them takes away a lot of the cultural value that initially has impressed visitors, and has drawn people to the country. If Thailand ends with a cleaned-up capital, amongst other areas and cities, then I believe it is losing a great attraction. Why should BKK suddenly want to appear the same as the likes of purely clean cities of Germany or Norway, for example? Isn't it the 'quaintness' or almost 'cuteness' of olde world ways which attract, certainly Western, visitors and Thai visitors themselves?

I'm not for the motion of cleaning up the street sellers. I'd let them be, and promote attitude change towards what is a part of the culture. Nothing to do with education, politics nor TAT's aims. Night markets are a part of the ceremony of Thailand, in my humble opinion.

Quaintness creates a safety issue.

Cute.

Can you please explain in a little more detail?

[Keesters]

To the supporters of cluttered sidewalks please move to some other place that lives in the 20th century. Thailand is struggling to become part of the 21st and you are holding it back.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Keesters

[Oceanbat]

Most of the ones I walk past on my way from work sell utter crap. Be happy to see them and their Clavin Klein underwear disappear. The food ones I like but what's the answer if you can't regulate? They certainly aren't environmentally friendly with what they tip into the drains.

OB

You do realise you just contradicted yourself, purely in your choice of the likes and not likes of exactly the same thing? The food ones you like, but the 'Calvin Klein' [sic] ones you don't. If they are not environmentally friendly, as you say, then why on earth would you particularly like the 'food ones'?

Not really. Not everything is black and white. Sorry I wasn't clear. I mean I like them but can see the need for some sort of regulation. I'd not be sad to see the Clavin Klein underwear vendors gone. I would be sad to see the food vendors gone (because I like them you see) but I can understand they do need a bit of a cleanup.

OB

[spidermike007]

Those street vendors on Sukhumvit make it incredibly hard to walk on that side of the street. People tend to stop and browse, and it blocks the entire sidewalk. I have been using the other side of the street, as it is wide open and pleasant to walk. But, sometimes you have to walk on that side with the vendors, and it is a major pain. Something needs to be done. Seems like a good first step. But, someone is profiting from this. So, that needs to be addressed. Will it be addressed? Is upsetting the status quo on the agenda?

[wabothai]

Bangkok would be boring without the stalls and vendors.

[bkkjames]

Personally speaking, I think we have a solution.....

just move all the vendors to the lane nearest the curb - you know the one, where all the cars double park when / where they shouldn't in between shop owners and their illegal cones to prevent people from parking - over even driving.

[mikemac]

Id be happy if there werent metre deep holes ,or paving stones sticking up 10 inches, or electric poles slap bang in the middle or road signs at head height to inflict maximum damage alond with shop awnings at the same height to take an eye out or electric cables finished off with tape etc etc.....apart from that the street vendors arent my worry.they can stay.

If you want things up to Western standards you may have to start paying Western wages. Do they have sewage plants in Thailand?

Good point elgordo38 - A lot of the posters on TVF want things in Thailand to be just the way they were "back ome", only a lot cheaper, and with less stringent laws, less drama etc etc etc.

I do hope they one day find this Nirvana and let me know where it is.

[chicowoodduck]

Get all the alcohol carts and the like off the streets.....let people walk with some freedom.....?

[phil2803]

At last, an article which never uses the wrong word - footpaths - and uses the right ones - pavements and sidewalks.

We call them footpaths here. American English or UK English.

[DLock]

Id be happy if there werent metre deep holes ,or paving stones sticking up 10 inches, or electric poles slap bang in the middle or road signs at head height to inflict maximum damage alond with shop awnings at the same height to take an eye out or electric cables finished off with tape etc etc.....apart from that the street vendors arent my worry.they can stay.

If you want things up to Western standards you may have to start paying Western wages. Do they have sewage plants in Thailand?

Good point elgordo38 - A lot of the posters on TVF want things in Thailand to be just the way they were "back ome", only a lot cheaper, and with less stringent laws, less drama etc etc etc.

I do hope they one day find this Nirvana and let me know where it is.

Not at all.

Many of us live here and don't need the crap these street sellers sell...but we have to use the footpath to get around.

But, if you wear Justin Bieber T-shirts, copy Rolex, copy Raybans, need Viagara, enjoy copy CD's and think a vibrator makes a great gift for your Teerak, then I understand you.

[Monkeyrobot]

It least I won't burn my hand on the hot BBq walking home mow trying to weave my way through the maze.

[Jim walker]

junta vows to "clean-up" Thailand's image. this I must see and wonder when it will start and how long it will before returning to Thailand as normal including Bangkok street vendors by the end of this week back to business as usual.

[brewsterbudgen]

I'd quite like to be able to walk down the street without it being an obstacle course, and I don't really give a shit if that fits into some idea of how you think the city should look.

Is it really that difficult? I can appreciate that Bangkok's footpaths are not very stroller/wheelchair friendly, but they're hardly an obstacle course! Good grief!!

[Keesters]

Id be happy if there werent metre deep holes ,or paving stones sticking up 10 inches, or electric poles slap bang in the middle or road signs at head height to inflict maximum damage alond with shop awnings at the same height to take an eye out or electric cables finished off with tape etc etc.....apart from that the street vendors arent my worry.they can stay.

If you want things up to Western standards you may have to start paying Western wages. Do they have sewage plants in Thailand?

Good point elgordo38 - A lot of the posters on TVF want things in Thailand to be just the way they were "back ome", only a lot cheaper, and with less stringent laws, less drama etc etc etc.

I do hope they one day find this Nirvana and let me know where it is.

Not at all.

...but we have to use the footpath to get around...

from one shop that pays taxes to another shop that pays taxes and don't want these stalls that pay minimal if any taxes.

[Commerce]

Most of the ones I walk past on my way from work sell utter crap. Be happy to see them and their Clavin Klein underwear disappear. The food ones I like but what's the answer if you can't regulate? They certainly aren't environmentally friendly with what they tip into the drains.

OB

You do realise you just contradicted yourself, purely in your choice of the likes and not likes of exactly the same thing? The food ones you like, but the 'Calvin Klein' [sic] ones you don't. If they are not environmentally friendly, as you say, then why on earth would you particularly like the 'food ones'?

Not really. Not everything is black and white. Sorry I wasn't clear. I mean I like them but can see the need for some sort of regulation. I'd not be sad to see the Clavin Klein underwear vendors gone. I would be sad to see the food vendors gone (because I like them you see) but I can understand they do need a bit of a cleanup.

OB

Fair enough. Regulation as regards to goods sold would be a better solution. However, does it really cramp up walking, as other posters insinuate? What happened to patience, and the appreciation of being permitted to be long-term guests here? I don't belive that living in BKK, and I did do for 4 years, causes any founded problems at any night market, or day market for that matter, to interfere with my function nor my rush to get nowhere fast. Yet again, I do believe such markets are an attractive asset to the culture, and to wipe them out in an attempt to appear Westernised is not a positive goal ?

[Jim walker]

If the pavements do ever get cleared at least that would take many motorbikes off the roads and safer for us car drivers with motorbikes sticking to the pavement lane.

[cup-O-coffee]

Oh noble Thailand!... to always go, at every level of society, where there is the least resistance to fight back or resist. Your legacy continues to outshine the empty words that you are so fond of hearing your own self speak... audience or no.

My vote is to keep the yummy food vendors and remove the accessories to zones.

[bheard]

There are losers here as well as the vendors.

In Korat I know the following story, told to me several years ago, to be true. I was told this by one of 4 vendors outside a shop.

The shop in questiion - a gold shop on a corner, busy corner - one side on the main drag, the other side on a walkway into the Klang Plaza.

On the main street side, two vendors (one selling food, my informant, the other fixing watches), on the angled corner of the shop another vendor selling cheap jewelery, and on the Plaza entrance side another large stall with the vendor selling clothes. Altogether they paid rent of 17,000B/month. Who to? THE GOLD SHOP OWNER!

17,000B, enough to pay a few bills eh. It's a common practice, if your stall is in front of a shop and backing onto that shop, you pay rent to that shop. Thainess.

As soon as this is stamped out the better IMO.

And get the motorcycles off the footpaths! Either driving or parked!

[torpedo1970]

Nahh. All this gives life to the city. Do we really want to see Bangkok turned into yet another bland, faceless capital city, with clean, well paved, streets, well dressed people, and starbux and KFC on every corner?

while tourists are readily found haggling over knock-off handbags, T-shirts or cut-price DVDs.

How many of them do you think come back if Bangkok turns into yet another bland, faceless capital city

These people come here because of this....

[granuaile]

Those street vendors on Sukhumvit make it incredibly hard to walk on that side of the street. People tend to stop and browse, and it blocks the entire sidewalk. I have been using the other side of the street, as it is wide open and pleasant to walk. But, sometimes you have to walk on that side with the vendors, and it is a major pain. Something needs to be done. Seems like a good first step. But, someone is profiting from this. So, that needs to be addressed. Will it be addressed? Is upsetting the status quo on the agenda?

When I have to go to Sukhumvit, I've started doing that as well... Faster and the vendors there don't block the entire sidewalk...

[Yann55]

Quote : "We must return most sidewalks to the people," said Police Major General Vichai Sangparpai, claiming vendors had colonised around a dozen of the city's main roads, obstructing people and traffic as well as damaging the environment.

Damaging the environment ? in Bangkok ? OMG and here I was not realizing that there was such a thing as an environment to damage in Bangkok. Thank you Major General for opening my eyes !

Once they remove all the vendors from Silom and Sukhumvit Road for example, these two magnificent avenues will be restored to their amazing beauty and glory. Can't wait. Who needs to eat a soup moo daeng in the street anyway, or som tam, or phat kaprao with egg-on-top ? As for tourists, I'm sure they have no use for those cheap T-shirts and trinkets, I'm sure they'll much prefer to enjoy the glorious sight of vendorless Bangkok avenues.

[Godders]

Is Thailand destined to become another Singapore, clinically clean and utterly boring, with enough rules, regulations and red tape to strangle every bar girl in Big Mango? Millions of tourists and thousands of foreign residents will hope not. People flock to Thailand for what it is, not for what it may become if a bunch of puritanical and petty bureaucrats get their way.

The freewheeling lifestyle and teeming streets are part of what makes Thailand different to other destinations in South East Asia. These constant clampdowns on "unlawful" vendors, who in many cases are providing services holidaymakers and expats clearly enjoy, may well affect visitor numbers. Even worse, they are robbing many Thais of the means to support their families, with no Western-style welfare safety net to help them.

Didn't somebody once say that the road to hell is paved with the good intentions?

[frankwhite]

The street stall are the character of Bangkok. Remove them and tourism drops more.

[Oceanbat]

I agree with you to some extent. But you've just mentioned tourists and and expats. Not Thais. I'm trying to think of a wealthy country that has street vendors like Thailand. I might be wrong but I can't think of one. If the Thais want to advance their economy, make their children's lives better than theirs then it needs to start somewhere. Enforcing the law is usually a pretty good start and a better functioning city would go a long way to increasing productivity. Given the structural issues I doubt they will succeed however.....

[SoiBiker]

I'd quite like to be able to walk down the street without it being an obstacle course, and I don't really give a shit if that fits into some idea of how you think the city should look.

Is it really that difficult? I can appreciate that Bangkok's footpaths are not very stroller/wheelchair friendly, but they're hardly an obstacle course! Good grief!!

There are sections on the soi I live on where you have no choice but to walk on the road, such is the amount of clutter.

[farangmick]

One has to bear in mind that these vendors are not purely targeting foreigners. Indeed, they are more selling to Thais and this has been a long term part of the culture.

To simply dismiss them takes away a lot of the cultural value that initially has impressed visitors, and has drawn people to the country. If Thailand ends with a cleaned-up capital, amongst other areas and cities, then I believe it is losing a great attraction. Why should BKK suddenly want to appear the same as the likes of purely clean cities of Germany or Norway, for example? Isn't it the 'quaintness' or almost 'cuteness' of olde world ways which attract, certainly Western, visitors and Thai visitors themselves?

I'm not for the motion of cleaning up the street sellers. I'd let them be, and promote attitude change towards what is a part of the culture. Nothing to do with education, politics nor TAT's aims. Night markets are a part of the ceremony of Thailand, in my humble opinion.

Absulutely. Might feel different if I lived around Soi 11, but since we only pop down to Bangkok for a couple of days shopping now and then, the street traders do not bother me. When we go to meet family or friends come to visit, they love the atmosphere.

[Oceanbat]

I'd quite like to be able to walk down the street without it being an obstacle course, and I don't really give a shit if that fits into some idea of how you think the city should look.

Is it really that difficult? I can appreciate that Bangkok's footpaths are not very stroller/wheelchair friendly, but they're hardly an obstacle course! Good grief!!

There are sections on the soi I live on where you have no choice but to walk on the road, such is the amount of clutter.

I was driving down my soi the other day and almost took out a kid in a stroller as the mum went to go around a vendor. It was seriously frightening.

OB