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

[Doc46]

What is wrong with the Law,, Have they only got Idiots there ? If one isn't allowed to sell their Shit on the sidewalk,For sure as shit the law enforces must be there to keep the road clear of the imbeciles that are touting the Law.

[razer]

Well I live nearby too and these sois are seldom used and never, ever saw a traffic jam in the vicinity of the vendors. They are off the sidewalks now so why not just leave them alone?

Maybe it's a diversion from other problems caused by poor city management?

I would prefer the city do something about the lousy rubbish collection and have more rubbish bins on the sidewalks that are not overflowing for days on end.

[DrTuner]

Get a trash truck and start throwing the carts in one by one. It'll get cleared fairly quick.

[Patje55]

What's next if they will be chased away from the side of the street?

The middle?

Hell why not block the whole street? We have to make our living too

Shortsighted as always

[chuang]

Innovative...

[tuanku]

Balance is hard to find here. Every aspect of living in Thailand seems to lurch from one extreme to the other. Rather than examining the problem, discussing it,(hard I know) with the vendors and coming up with a compromise solution that allowed some street vending but resulted in clearer footpaths, a blanket ban is imposed, leading to this reaction, leading to a new blanket ban, leading to a further protest and so it goes on. The same pattern is repeated with everything from gold mines to constitutions to deckchairs on the beach. Perhaps when the PM single-handedly reforms the education system he can include negotiation skills on the curriculum, leading, as always, by example.

[thai3]

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've been here for 8 years and eat street food all the time. I've never had a problem with it.

The only time I ever got food poisoning here was after a steak and kidney pie from Molly Malone's!

I think the street vendors are what make Bangkok the vibrant and exciting city that it is!

If they keep going the way they are, we'll end up like Singapore!

It's often unheigenic muck, and many use old discarded cooking oil that others have chucked out

Edited May 17, 2016 by thai3

[Roomuck]

So... Not a single job has been created by the Junta but thousands of small business owners and employees have lost their livelihoods. Imagine the economic impact when you consider the lost of income to thousand of suppliers. Only the rich and prostitutes can survive. Economic meltdown will occur when they banned prostitution. Then turn the lights out in Issan.

Only the rich and prostitutes can survive??? Complete BS

Thailand has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world. Anyone in business will tell you that it is hard to find and keep workers.

Maybe the prostitutes are feeding you a different line.

Many street vendors do very well for themselves. One I know personally earns 1000 baht a day selling grilled squid. Profit, not turnover. People don't sell street food because they can not find a job. It is because it gives them more money and freedom like most other people who start businesses.

Being told they can't trade on the footpath, so they move to the road. I love it. Lovely people these Thais, but as one Thai friend told me " Thai people are hard to control".

Good on em!

[billd766]

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've been here for 8 years and eat street food all the time. I've never had a problem with it.

The only time I ever got food poisoning here was after a steak and kidney pie from Molly Malone's!

I think the street vendors are what make Bangkok the vibrant and exciting city that it is!

If they keep going the way they are, we'll end up like Singapore!

I can remember in the late 1960s and early 1970s down in Bugis street bars and eating at Fatty's on Albert Street.

Bugis Street is now the Bugis shopping precinct.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugis,_Singapore

Albert street is still Albert street but has been "sanitised".

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_279_2005-01-26.html

Albert Street, originally lined with low, two-storeyed shophouses, was until April 1981, a popular open-air eating location serving good food till the early hours of the morning. The bars there only added to the lively night life. The most sought after eatery along this street was the Wing Seong restaurant commonly called Fatty's. It moved to Albert Court in 1986 while redevelopment of the area saw the other restaurants and food stalls removed to the Albert Complex. The Bugis-Rochor area is now an arts and entertainment hub, thus efforts are on to develop Albert Street similarly and bring back the bohemia of its long lost days. The Street is now a pedestrian mall and no longer open to traffic.

To me Singapore is unrecognisable from 40 years ago.

[billd766]

How strange that everybody seems to be blaming the government when it really isn't their problem.

It is the problem of the BMA under its Bangkok governor.

Address your whines to him if you wish.

He doesn't give a rats rrrrrrrrrrrrsssssss either.

[SoiBiker]

Can you name a big city that hasn't changed a lot in 40 years?

[The manic]

good for them- street venDorset and hawkers are the heart of Asia. Sukhumvit has been ruined for day time walks because of the absence of stalls. In Pattaya the vendors congregate around the Western HiSo shopping malls which is great. Bangkok is slowly being ruined by various authorities. Both tourists and locall are being harassed and bullied. It is supposed to be an international cosmopolitan exotic Asian Capital city . Now it's drab and dull as any Western boring city.

[Jip99]

good for them- street venDorset and hawkers are the heart of Asia. Sukhumvit has been ruined for day time walks because of the absence of stalls. In Pattaya the vendors congregate around the Western HiSo shopping malls which is great. Bangkok is slowly being ruined by various authorities. Both tourists and locall are being harassed and bullied. It is supposed to be an international cosmopolitan exotic Asian Capital city . Now it's drab and dull as any Western boring city.

Good riddance, they were a bliddy nuisance.

[Berty100]

That's what happens in a lawless country.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

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!

Bangkok street food can be particulary delicious, what you say is not true, some of them are even far better than the traditionnal restaurants..the ones who sell bad food do not last long, as words spread quickly. However some restaurants sell overpriced food for less quality.

To avoid congestion I have another solution : take bus, taxis, BTS, MRT, motosoi and stop subvention of cars.

The reason of congestion is mostly due to : 1 guy/1car...

[GeorgesAbitbol]

I can read some farangs here do not like the street food, mostly because of the nuisance: do you have alternative jobs or income solution for them?

I bet you don't!

[NoshowJones]

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've been here for 8 years and eat street food all the time. I've never had a problem with it.

The only time I ever got food poisoning here was after a steak and kidney pie from Molly Malone's!

I think the street vendors are what make Bangkok the vibrant and exciting city that it is!

If they keep going the way they are, we'll end up like Singapore!

Street vendors are OK as long as the sidewalks are wide enough and they only occupy one row, not like Lower Sukhumvit where they occupy two.

[NoshowJones]

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 agree, but read my previous post #49.

[Jip99]

That's what happens in a lawless country.

Hmmmm! So it wasn't law enforcement then ?

[Squeegee]

NEVER buy or eat so called "street food" in Bangkok. Its poison !

Mindless. Can just imagine the sort of bubble you live in, and you're welcome to it. Stay classy.

[falang khinok]

Pom rak thai streetfood ..period...

[Merylhighground]

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>

Edited May 17, 2016 by Jai Dee
flame comment removed

[greenchair]

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 agree, but read my previous post #49.

Sorry can't find the post.

Anyway, to all the miserable sods that would have these people lose their jobs, they are breaking any laws.

They were in the past protected by the highest law in the land.

The constitution of 1997 and 2007, both had very strict economic necessity laws and laws to protect all small business from larger corporate laws. I am not sure if the current constitution protects them. And anyway section 44 overrides all laws anyway. That is why for all these years nobody could shut them down.

Know your constitutional rights.

They have a right to make a living, which is higher than the right to having a pretty pavement. Well done thai people

[NoshowJones]

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 agree, but read my previous post #49.

Sorry can't find the post.

Anyway, to all the miserable sods that would have these people lose their jobs, they are breaking any laws.

They were in the past protected by the highest law in the land.

The constitution of 1997 and 2007, both had very strict economic necessity laws and laws to protect all small business from larger corporate laws. I am not sure if the current constitution protects them. And anyway section 44 overrides all laws anyway. That is why for all these years nobody could shut them down.

Know your constitutional rights.

They have a right to make a living, which is higher than the right to having a pretty pavement. Well done thai people

I'm sorry, it is #48, my mistake. Just stating that they should not be on both sides of the sidewalk blocking people from walking past and forcing them on to the road

as what sometimes happens in lower Sukhumvit Road at certain times.

Edited May 17, 2016 by possum1931

[slapout]

Many cities across Thailand have solved the problem of vendors on footpath by declaring certain areas of the city as " Walking street areas" Where the streets are closed to vehicles and venders can set up on footpath and/or street. Shoppers just have to navigate through the open spaces.

This is done at designated times of the day/week and they might have several different areas that this is done on different days. CM has done this and it has worked fairly well. You still have a few businesses who try to hog the footpath, a few set up in the street and disrupt traffic, but they do not seem to last long.

[rijit]

^^ 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?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Because buses and taxis aren't affected by traffic?

Weird suggestion.

What's strange about suggesting an alternative in a car clogged city , what's. 'weird ' is you not seeing that.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited May 17, 2016 by rijit

[SoiBiker]

How is taking a taxi a helpful alternative to getting stuck in traffic?

[rijit]

One less car on the road.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[SoiBiker]

One less car on the road.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

A taxi is a car, no?

[kingalfred]

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?

its not the "expats and tourists" who are wanting to move vendors. It's their same nationality guess who?, thais! Edited May 17, 2016 by kingalfred