Flower vendors call off protest after dumping flowers to block traffic

[rooster59]

Flower vendors call off protest after dumping flowers to block traffic

BANGKOK: Flower vendors at Pak Klong Talad market last night dumped their flowers on the street to protest attempt by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to forcibly evict them from the pavements.

The vendors, numbering about 300, scattered their flowers all over the Chakphet street in front of the largest flower market after the Phra Nakhon assistant district officer Wuthichai Bunsot rejected their demand to continue selling on the pavements after the deadline yesterday.

The BMA has relaxed the eviction order for several months and had set yesterday as deadline for forced eviction.

The vendors’ retaliation to the eviction at 10.30pm caused heavy traffic jams on the main road down the Memorial Bridge from the Thonburi side.

According to the officer the BMA wanted to regulate sidewalk vending at Pak Klong Talad under the policy of the military junta to return all pavements occupied by vendors back to pedestrians, and to beautify the capital.

Vendors on pavements at this flower market has been told to prepare for final eviction on July 1 to new places arranged by the BMA since April.

During the period they were allowed to continue business from 8.30pm-00.30am only. But they still defied the eviction order.

Two negotiations were held last night but the vendors demanded to negotiate only with the Bangkok governor who had sole authority to decide.

Failing to meet the governor, the vendors then blocked traffic on the road with the flowers.

By 2am, the vendors agreed to call off the blockade for fear that the traffic would go worst if it lingered on till the morning.

But they vowed to return again if their demand is not heeded.

BMA later sent workers and trucks to remove the flowers scattered on the street and open it to traffic again.

But BMA officer insisted on regulating the pavement vending despite of the threat by vendors.

Vendors complained that the new places they were told to go charged them higher rental fees which they could hardly afford.

They claimed the new places were rented by non-traders who re-rent spaces to them to make profit.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/flower-vendors-call-off-protest-dumping-flowers-block-traffic/

-- Thai PBS 2016-07-02

[iReason]

Fine them for littering and charge them with obstruction and public danger.

SPECIFIC OFFENSES

TITLE VI

OFFENCE RELATING TO CAUSING PUBLIC DANGER

Section 227. Failure to Comply with Building Codes

Section 229. Danger to Public Ways and Traffic

[sahibji]

this is blatant disregard for and abuse of law.

offenders should be dealt with for hooliganism,

obstruction of justice and traffic and above all littering.

they should be made to clean up.

a mockery of the legal and social system.

can not believe it happening during military rule.

[Ulic]

Not sure I understand, it appears they finished their protest not cancelled their protest.

[Searat7]

You don't negotiate with people breaking the law. There is no respect for the law in Thailand. Will be interesting to see what happens on Silom Rd at the end of this month when vendors have to stop selling on the sidewalks. I think that there is a middle ground in some areas where they could allow vendors on one side of the sidewalk only....there would still be adequate space for pedestrians.

[Yme]

"the new places were rented by non-traders who re-rent spaces" If this is the case then the vendors complaints should be looked into.

[facthailand]

Obviously, none of the OPs have ever been to Pak Klong Talat. The flowers are beautiful, the vendors have all known each other fotr generations. The Flower Market is the essence of Thailand and our overseas visitors have been delighted with it for three decades.

The issue of sidewalk vendors is simply not black-and-white. The rules in Thailand have always been flexible on a human scale.

Before the coup, we had Wednesdays free of vendors in order to clean up. It was an adventure to walk in the Nana area with no vendors. But after a couple of times, the novelty wore off, and I found I actually missed them.

The Flower Market at Memorial Bridge and the Amulet Market at Tha Prachan were hurting no one. They provided photo-ops of the real Thailand.

This year's TAT slogan is 'Thainess'. Street food and vendors are a big part of that Thainess. Do the bureaurats actually think all those Chinese just want to hang out in shopping malls???