Banned from sidewalk, vendors in Bangkok set up food carts on street

[rijit]

you can't just up root people that have relied on street trading possible for decades. And the argument against them going into the road, is mainly argued by car drivers, well tbh they need culling more so than street traders. It could be argued that street traders give bangkok charecter look at international advertising. V often it will feature ?!! U got it,,, street traders. Tourism is attracted by them wheras u tell tourists the truth about the carcinogenic air quality caused by ridiculous amount of cars. and they'll more than likely run a mile. Manage cars properly and give street traders more space, and remember from little acorns grow mighty oaks.

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[Sandy Freckle]

I guess they wouldn't allow them to set up at the entrance to Lumpini Park ?

oopsy..., pardon me..., I got it wrong/didn't check.., I was assuming this was referring stalls on Silon Rd.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Sandy Freckle

[DrTuner]

Hawkers might be fine if it wasn't for the Thai way of innovating, ie. copying the same over and over again until the cancer fills every crevice. Just how many vendors for MSG laced palm oil do you need?

The hawker centers in Singapore work well and their internal competition keeps the ungifted away.

[Sandy Freckle]

Hawkers might be fine if it wasn't for the Thai way of innovating, ie. copying the same over and over again until the cancer fills every crevice. Just how many vendors for MSG laced palm oil do you need?

The hawker centers in Singapore work well and their internal competition keeps the ungifted away.

Yep.., that's a fact.

[mpetersen]

These are the "little people" trying to make an honest living. Maybe putting their children through school. Paying uni tuition so their grand daughter doesn't need to prostitute herself.

I get annoyed with street vendors selling fake drugs and stupid trinkets. But food vending is part of the culture. A staple of Thai living. A necessity.

Yes we have clean sidewalks in the west. Perfect hangouts for homeless, druggies, gangs, thieves and beggars.

I rather have food vendors and a vibrant culture of celebrating the unbearable a of city life. I see the Junta is doing its best to endear itself to their constituents. Shameful.

[DLock]

These are the "little people" trying to make an honest living. Maybe putting their children through school. Paying uni tuition so their grand daughter doesn't need to prostitute herself.

I get annoyed with street vendors selling fake drugs and stupid trinkets. But food vending is part of the culture. A staple of Thai living. A necessity.

Yes we have clean sidewalks in the west. Perfect hangouts for homeless, druggies, gangs, thieves and beggars.

I rather have food vendors and a vibrant culture of celebrating the unbearable a of city life. I see the Junta is doing its best to endear itself to their constituents. Shameful.

"Yes we have clean sidewalks in the west. Perfect hangouts for homeless, druggies, gangs, thieves and beggars."

​Haven't been to lower Sukhumvit in a while then?

That's all it is - druggies, gangs, thieves, beggars...and the United Nations of prostitutes.

[kennw]

Maybe you are forgetting that footpaths are public property. Unless officially sanctioned and use areas outlined they are generally controlled by dark or maybe grey influences. The people who suffer are those who rightly should be able to walk on the footpath with safety. I many cases the vendors occupy the space forcing pedestrians including those with small children and babies in prams to use the road. Notably Bangkok Soi 4 NaNa is a classic example. No I don't want to destroy the "atmosphere" of street vending but please have a compromise. Respect each others rights. Pedestrians have the right to (relative) safety of the footpath (motorbikes please note), and if BMA approve vendor selling areas, do so where there is sufficient space.

[ableguy]

More negative comments from expats and tourists...

Which would you prefer with all the jobs being lost?

Traffic problems or more thefts, armed robberies and burglaries.

When people lose it all like their business and jobs they lose it.

When they are hungry with no money they have nothing to lose.

So, you will be their first target!

Think before you post nonsense.

Do you want another Venezuela?

None sense post, what makes vendors think they own public places, answer bib taking a rent, both wrong who gives a rats ass if they have to stop making an illegal living, problem is everything that is illegal seems to be just fine for most Thais.

[teatree]

Yahoo. Good on them.

I support the continuation of thai street vendors in every way.

These people are making an honest living for a hard days work.

Would the rich that want the pavements back rather they were selling drugs and stealing? ??

Three cheers to the street sellers, the absolute charm of thai culture and life. Suu Suu! !

3

I think 'the rich' would not like them to sell drugs and steal, but rather move to another part of the pavement where there is actually room for them to operate without causing a nuisance to people trying to walk.

We can keep the street life and have common sense and consideration for others at the same time.

[djayz]

Urge foreigners to NEVER buy or eat so called "street food" in Bangkok. Its poison ! As well as encouraging more congestion on sidewalk,or,it appears on the actual road now!

I don't really think that foreigners boycotting these street vendors would have much of an impact on their overall sales. It's not like we make up a high percentage of their sales.

[kennw]

Yahoo. Good on them.

I support the continuation of thai street vendors in every way.

These people are making an honest living for a hard days work.

Would the rich that want the pavements back rather they were selling drugs and stealing? ??

Three cheers to the street sellers, the absolute charm of thai culture and life. Suu Suu! !

3

I think 'the rich' would not like them to sell drugs and steal, but rather move to another part of the pavement where there is actually room for them to operate without causing a nuisance to people trying to walk.

We can keep the street life and have common sense and consideration for others at the same time.

Totally agree there needs to be consideration on both sides. But don't let the mafia,BIB stc control the sites and make sure people can still walk along the footpath. Unfortunately many vendors are totally inconsiderate, and so we end up having to walk on the road to our risk. Thus they bring these crackdowns upon themselves.

[djayz]

I understand the argument that the streets and roads are public property, but hundreds of thousands of people "earn" a living this way. What'll happen to them if they have no place to set up their stalls? Who'll feed their families? Rhere's no easy solution.

[returnofthailand]

ah finally, now I can walk on the sidewalk... and walk faster than 500 meters per hour.

and shops can show their window now... and you can enter into shops.

Edited May 25, 2016 by returnofthailand

[anotheruser]

Clearing a bit of pavement space is not going to suddenly turn Bangkok into Singapore. Lets not over-react here.

This is exactly how it began in Singapore in the early 1970s.

Its about a whole lot more than 'clearing a little pavement' space'.<snip>

If that is the case it is a step in the right direction. Singapore had to begin somewhere and now so does Bangkok. I know this opinion isn't the most popular opinion but money aside I would rather live in Singapore.

Edited May 26, 2016 by anotheruser

[Gary A]

I have never gotten sick from street vendor food. I can't say the same about farang restaurants.

[returnofthailand]

I have never gotten sick from street vendor food. I can't say the same about farang restaurants.

right and I think it come that street food vendor cook only a dish and it s fresh every day . restaurants have the tendency to save the unsold food in fridge and resell it even after the date of consumption plus workers don't always clean hands as everything is hidden from customers. Edited May 26, 2016 by returnofthailand

[stickyrice2000]

I felt safe with these street vendors around at night. That's what make Thailand different from other countries. I think proper zoning by the City Hall, monthly fee collection of the space, trash bin disbursement and health inspection would be a proper solution. I don't expect it to be 100% sanitary, but just a proper food handling checkup. This is their way of life.

[samsensam]

^^ Take a bus or a taxi.... V harsh just to up and take peoples incomes away. I`m wondering were any alternatives offered to people who had been there a long time?

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hummm... very bad to block public walkways preventing the elderly, those with young children and everyone else inbetween from moving safely around the city AND preventing the disabled and blind leading as normal life as possible. these ILLEGAL street vendors have an choice - they can sell in a legal place and pay rent and tax as others do - the disabled have no choice.

[returnofthailand]

do you prefer being hit by a car because you can not walk on the side walk or do you prefer sellers to be hit by cars because they can not sell on side walk.

I think the side walk is not a market, not a church... a side walk is a side walk... Walk! not side market. walk...

[Gary A]

I have walked up and down Sukhumvit many times, probably hundreds of times. I had no problem getting through. I found it interesting and it is part of the Bangkok experience. Let these working folks alone and concentrate on getting rid of the scammers and dopers.