Silom Walking Street closes for two months

[webfact]

Silom Walking Street closes for two months



BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will call off the popular "Silom Walking Street" for two months when the capital enters the rainy season.

Mrs Supawadee Sithikornphaibul, director of Bang Rak district, said today that the closure of the walking street for two months from June to July is the policy of the BMA for safety sake.

Normally the two-month period is the rainy season in the capital and there is potential threat to life from electric leaks as sidewalk vendors used electricities for their stalls and there are also stage shows, she said.

Vendors, traders, shoppers and pedestrians might not be safe if the power lines laid on the sidewalk leak, she said.

In realisation of the safety of all concerned, the BMA then decided to call off walking street activities on Silom Road for two full months, starting from June 1 to end of July.

She also said should there be any change in the policy, the Bang Rak district officials will inform the public again.

Silom Walking Street has become a tourist attraction and a popular shopping place on Sunday as it sees one of Bangkok’s most famous roads closed down, making way for huge pedestrianised zone that gets packed-out with hundreds of food, fashion, and electronics vendors.

It runs every Sunday from 15:00 until around 22:00 and is particular easy to find in the centre of Bangkok – directly underneath Sala Daeng BTS Station.

The Silom Walking Street projected kicked off at the start of 2015 .

Unlike most evening and night markets in Bangkok where pedestrians shuffle along at a snail’s pace, often crammed into narrow, steamy walkways, Silom Walking Street offers a much more pleasant shopping experience. Vendors line each side of the pavement, meaning visitors have the entire two-way road for walking space.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/silom-walking-street-closes-for-two-months


-- Thai PBS 2015-05-28

[Katipo]

I nearly choked. Is this actually some, no, wait, it can't be... but it is.... foresight!

[maidee]

2015 : in stead of fixing the leaks, it is easier to warn people not to come here

good for business

that will improve the image of thailand as a (safe ? ) family holliday destination

seems like the moo baan where i live... hole in the ground for months, in stead of fixing it => just put a warning sign

[chadillac666]

The life we choose to live

[Johnnie99]

I can tell you that it was hardly a 'walking street' anyway.

The number of vehicles racing up and down in the inside lanes was a danger to all and sundry.

And what on earth is the point of moving all the stalls off the pavement (sidewalk to the colonials) into the middle part of the road?

[realenglish1]

I can tell you that it was hardly a 'walking street' anyway.

The number of vehicles racing up and down in the inside lanes was a danger to all and sundry.

And what on earth is the point of moving all the stalls off the pavement (sidewalk to the colonials) into the middle part of the road?

So you don't have to walk on the sidewalk and get bumped all the time or stand while some tourist is looking at something

Guess you don't like room but like to be squeezed

[BernieOnTour]

Rainy season June to July??? LOL

- put some pressure on the vendors to increase the "fees"?

[PETERTHEEATER]

No chance of enforcing an electrical safety code on the vendors? Wait, how stupid of me, we're talking about the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration here, they can't enforce anything!

[Queenslander]

Don't fix the f-in problem…just ignore it by closing the street…<deleted>!

[upinthesky]

2015 : in stead of fixing the leaks, it is easier to warn people not to come here

good for business

that will improve the image of thailand as a (safe ? ) family holliday destination

seems like the moo baan where i live... hole in the ground for months, in stead of fixing it => just put a warning sign

Do you think they will fix the leak? Even if it is prevented something wrong still happen. This is Thailand, Guy!

[upinthesky]

Rainy season June to July??? LOL

- put some pressure on the vendors to increase the "fees"?

Read before you comment. The place is free for vendors.

[fareastguy]

Applying the same logic I wonder if the whole of Phuket will be closed for two months during the rainy season as a safety precaution... due to it's wiring problem ??

[Suradit69]

Wow. Eleven responses to a fairly innocuous announcement and all of them snide, pointless comments.

There certainly are a lot of cranky old dears who rely on Thai Visa Forum for an opportunity to aimlessly vent their personal frustrations with life at anything that's handy.

[pitrevie]

I just long for some pavements where I can walk in safety and not be in danger of having some motorcycle hit me in the back. As for the roads I am quite content for the motor vehicles to monopolize that 7 days a week.

[nonb]

Nothing to buy there, anyway

[Broeno]

When this really is a problem, close down Thailand for two months.