Forced eviction of Klongtom vendors begins in Bangkok

[webfact]

Forced eviction of Klongtom vendors begins today



BANGKOK: -- A combined force of several hundreds of metropolitan police, city police, and soldiers were deployed around Bangkok's largest Klongtom sidewalk market this morning to clear illegal vendors as the deadline for them to move out of sidewalks ends today.

The targeted vendors are those who illegally occupied sidewalk on several roads around Klongtom market.

They are those who erected their makeshift stalls, displayed their commodities on sidewalks of Mahachak, Luang, Kamrob, Sukhum, Suapa, Yommaraj-sukhum, Charoen Krung and Worachak intersection.

The time to begin the cleaning operation was set at 10.00 am Monday.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents.

They wanted to be relocated to large spaces beneath the expressway section at Urupong.

But this was rejected as the BMA has no jurisdiction on the areas which is under Expressway Authority of Thailand.

The BMA insisted that March 1 will be the last day to stay with no more relief, prompting some 300 vendors to petition the King at Siriraj hospital.

(Photo : ThaiPBS file)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/forced-eviction-klongtom-vendors-begins-today

-- Thai PBS 2015-03-02

[Stradavarius37]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

[Costas2008]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Problems with reading English, Stradavarius?

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

[trogers]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

And do you know the rental rates of hawker centres in Singapore? Bt100-200k a month.

[HeijoshinCool]

If the government had done its most basic duty, and provided these poverty stricken people an education when they were children, they wouldn't have to move anybody.

This is all they know how to do.

[NeverSure]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Problems with reading English, Stradavarius?

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

You didn't apparently read all of it. It says:

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

[scorecard]

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If the government had done its most basic duty, and provided these poverty stricken people an education when they were children, they wouldn't have to move anybody.

This is all they know how to do.

In many cases very true, but not in all cases, there are plenty of vendors who have become very efficient at buying stocks etc., etc., and operate many stalls and drive their top of the range Hondas etc to Paragon.

My Thai sons uni buddy comes from a family who had taken all of this to the extreme, they operate multiple food stalls at night time food markets across several areas of Bangkok. One example around the Petchaburi Soi 5 area, both sides of the main road, they have some 14 stalls.

Their entire operation is based on a value chain model, serious processes to cut down waste and other costs, best prices to buy raw materials etc., including raw food vendors delivering large quantities to a central kitchen free, rock bottom wages, below the legal minimum wage, lots of stolen electricity, in several cases they pick up other vendors for a fee (those that don't compete with their offerings) and take them to the markets, etc. This family have been well above middle class income for many years.

Edited March 2, 2015 by scorecard

[Fullstop]

several locations for the evicted vendors to trade.....they have to pay higher rents

Higher rent? Higher than zero seeing as they're illegal. And if they ARE paying rent ..... Who to?

[monkeycountry]

Look at the tent erected at the footpath. Where are pedestrians supposed to walk? How about the rights of all the people who live in the area and need the footpath to get around?

I hope the BMA kicks out, and continues to kick out, all these illegal vendors. They clearly do not care about the rights of others, so why should anyone care about the vendors?

[trianglechoke]

Take away an industry and replace it with???? What exactly???

People still need life money........... This won't be good for those who rely on this. It will look good for local politicians though and that's what really matters

[gyrosman]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Dude, I live in Singapore for over 2 years and tell me which street has vendors on the sidewalk? Yes, by the MTR not on the walking areas even in Gaylang.

Its time Thailand grows up. How about going to school and get an education ( Like the rest of Asia), to earn more than 200baht a day used to buy YABA and booze.

[Benmart]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Problems with reading English, Stradavarius?

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

The uncivil reply to Stradavarius seems to overshadow the validity of the question.

[Daniel Boon]

Higher education just translates into higher educated shop keepers / workers.

After leaving Uni, l went to a job placement agency and was told solicitors represented the largest number waiting for work ...

[cookee68]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Problems with reading English, Stradavarius?

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

They had the chance to move and like everything in Thailand, they think they are above the law with their threats, people need to walk safely on the pavements, so what is the problem, just move people will still look for them and buy their stuff, They want their cake, and eat it

[cookee68]

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Problems with reading English, Stradavarius?

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

The uncivil reply to Stradavarius seems to overshadow the validity of the question.

I thought it was a civil reply, and a valid point,

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

There goes cheap food...

[Muhendis]

If the government had done its most basic duty, and provided these poverty stricken people an education when they were children, they wouldn't have to move anybody.

This is all they know how to do.

No such thing as a poverty stricken street vendor but I agree about the education issue.

[irwinfc]

i'm sure they'll be back this weekend. heck, they're probably setting up their shops right this moment!

[Daniel Ingalls]

Pay higher rents to whom? if its a public street and sidewalk who is paying who for the space? Shopkeepers are renting spaces to these peddlers? Is this income being reported to the correct Government Ministries? Bangkok is loaded with peddlers selling illegal goods stolen or smuggled into the country. If they crack down on theses peddlers,and make them pay for a freelance peddler's license, maybe this new housing tax could be abolished. I have no sympathy for theses peddlers selling cheap plastic trash, and junk. Where is the law enforcement on the 7% tax not being collected by these people?

Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Problems with reading English, Stradavarius?

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

[cup-O-coffee]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. If people in the area do not buy anything from those places, then they have a right to gripe... otherwise...! I also think it a bit ludicrous to act out the way they usually do and always focus on those who will put up the least resistance, as well as probably providing the least amount of kickback to those doing the ousting. Food vendors are absolutely the LEAST concern here in Thailand, in my view... but they do make for good photo ops and meaningless statistics that the lazy do-nothings are doing something, when in fact all they are doing is making it possible for people to be able to walk a bit more to the left or right without engaging the energy to do otherwise. Nothing good will come out of this. People now will have no money to pay the bills because others want to walk in a straight line, whereas makeshift minivan stops and bus stations can block traffic for hours and it gets no attention. So many problems here brought on by sheer lunacy.

[Stradavarius37]

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Don't just kick them out - give them somewhere to go. Singapore has its hawker centers for food stalls - Set up similar, for food and misc vendors in Bangkok. Thing long term, not just day to day. ( yes i know, wishful thinking...)

Problems with reading English, Stradavarius?

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has arranged several locations for the evicted vendors to trade but the vendors rejected saying they are inconvenient for customers to go and that they have to pay higher rents."

Looks like Zorba the Greek didn't have his coffee yet...

[impulse]

Tens of thousands of folks converge on the area every weekend when the vendors are set up. Mostly locals, but lots of tourists with sweaty tourist money. I'm usually one of them every weekend.

It's one of the areas that gives BKK some flavor you just can't find anywhere else. Used to be the same in Chinese cities, but they've all (well, mostly) been driven out in favor of uber shopping malls. It was so sad to watch that happening in China where I lived.

And it's so easy to give them a wide berth if that's not your cup of tea.

I'll miss them if they are successfully driven out.

[kaorop]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. If people in the area do not buy anything from those places, then they have a right to gripe... otherwise...! I also think it a bit ludicrous to act out the way they usually do and always focus on those who will put up the least resistance, as well as probably providing the least amount of kickback to those doing the ousting. Food vendors are absolutely the LEAST concern here in Thailand, in my view... but they do make for good photo ops and meaningless statistics that the lazy do-nothings are doing something, when in fact all they are doing is making it possible for people to be able to walk a bit more to the left or right without engaging the energy to do otherwise. Nothing good will come out of this. People now will have no money to pay the bills because others want to walk in a straight line, whereas makeshift minivan stops and bus stations can block traffic for hours and it gets no attention. So many problems here brought on by sheer lunacy.

Yes very very low hanging but visible fruit. Pathetic really.

[madmax6889]

If the government had done its most basic duty, and provided these poverty stricken people an education when they were children, they wouldn't have to move anybody.

This is all they know how to do.

he government dosnt do anything..

BUT its not the government .. look there is a school these &lt;deleted&gt; have been to it..

its them theyer stupid nothing about school..

ever see ones of those &lt;deleted&gt; read a book???

or ever tried to describe the difference between iron and stele to them or something technical like that.. theye dumb because they want to be. you try to initiate some intellect into their hollow heads and they'll resist like little kids..

and to think same fools also get jobs in the government..

you ask 90% of thai people what the metal zinc is and they wont know.. but they'll know what is angry birds hahahah