Bangkok’s street food under threat from gentrification

[webfact]

Bangkok’s street food under threat from gentrification

Chawadee Nualkhair

The Guardian

 

Millions of Bangkokians rely on – and love – the city’s myriad street food stalls, but as the city ‘develops’, vendors who have plied their trade for decades could be priced out or forced to move

 

BANGKOK: -- There’s a never-ending stream of customers outside Joke Samyan shophouse, all queuing patiently for a bag or two (or six) of jok, silken rice porridge dotted with the vendor’s signature fermented pork meatballs. But the future of one of Bangkok’s best-known street food vendors is in doubt as the Samyan area of south-central Bangkok gentrifies around it.

 

“We may have to move. We still don’t know,” says Nieb, the third generation of a family that has run Joke Samyan for the past 60 years. Neighbouring Chinese-Thai seafood restaurant Nakorn Pochana has already made plans to move to the suburbs, Joke Samyan is hoping its popularity will earn it a reprieve from its landlord, Chulalongkorn University, which has gradually been developing the area with condominiums and shops.

 

“They still haven’t told us for sure if they are going to renew our lease [it runs out in 2020],” said Nieb. “In any case, we will be open somewhere, that’s for sure.”

 

Full story: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/feb/12/bangkok-street-food-stalls-under-threat

 

-- The Guardian 2017-02-13

[trogers]

You meaning food in Bangkok will get cleaner and healthier?

 

No more throwing of food scraps and gravy down street drains and breeding rats and roaches that may visit the storage and surfaces of cooking and eating utensils?

 

No more blasts of street dirt and traffic fumes to enhance the exotic taste of street food?

Edited February 12, 2017 by trogers

[Get Real]

Yeah! Make the city as dull and boring as possible. First the market vendors, now the street food. What´s next? Cement instead of sandy beaches?

[SoilSpoil]

Good riddance, warmed up Klong water with MSG and reheated PUFA vegetable oils benefit nobody. Fresh markets this city needs.

[impulse]

I love street food.  

 

Well, at least the street food where they haven't been forced to take so much cost out of the product because of the rapidly rising cost of the ingredients conflicting with the resistance to increasing their selling price.

 

A lot like many of the food courts where the same erosion of quality has become noticeable just in the 6 years I've been here.  And it will keep slipping until they're able to increase their prices to keep up with the cost of their inputs.  

 

[exalll]

1 hour ago, Get Real said:

Yeah! Make the city as dull and boring as possible. First the market vendors, now the street food. What´s next? Cement instead of sandy beaches?

No sandy beaches in Bangkok. But indeed an ocean of cement. I have a friend who works in the top hotel in Hanoi, who tells me that guests arriving from Bangkok often comment how nice it is to arrive in a green city, having just come from a grey city

[trogers]

30 minutes ago, exalll said:

No sandy beaches in Bangkok. But indeed an ocean of cement. I have a friend who works in the top hotel in Hanoi, who tells me that guests arriving from Bangkok often comment how nice it is to arrive in a green city, having just come from a grey city

A grey city with smells emitting from under the sidewalks...

[Mousehound]

BKK is fast becoming a giant tedious mall filled with whinging whining ex pats who really want to live exactly as they did where they came from.  Pity they don't go back there.  I only got food poisoning once and that was from dinner at a five star hotel.  Never had a problem from a busy street vendor. 

[Get Real]

1 hour ago, exalll said:

No sandy beaches in Bangkok. But indeed an ocean of cement. I have a friend who works in the top hotel in Hanoi, who tells me that guests arriving from Bangkok often comment how nice it is to arrive in a green city, having just come from a grey city

Ok! Get what you are saying. With beaches I did not specifically mean BKK. Just about what more negative thing they might consider doing.

[eddie61]

4 hours ago, trogers said:

You meaning food in Bangkok will get cleaner and healthier?

 

No more throwing of food scraps and gravy down street drains and breeding rats and roaches that may visit the storage and surfaces of cooking and eating utensils?

 

No more blasts of street dirt and traffic fumes to enhance the exotic taste of street food?

Then, my friend, I suggest that you stick to clean and healthy food like KFC and Macd. 

At least your suffering of street food will be cut short by cardiac arrest rather than amoebic dysentry.

 

Edited February 13, 2017 by eddie61

[Eagle60]

Sad. It is happening all over the world. Independent businesses disappear. Places of individual character go. Took the soul right out of London, my old home. Same happened in San Francisco. That friendly community is gone. Owned by the very wealthy, brand shops, designer bars and all rather tedious and unexciting. Progress I guess, but at what cost. Designer shops, hotels, investment condo's and expensive chain bars. At night so boring. In the day the streets are just full of faceless people. The street vendors in Bangkok were and still are, an integral part of the cities appeal and spirit. The office workers love it as they can eat for low cost and it helps a people who are poor and work very hard. They do not have the arrogant freedom some of you complainers have to be so dismissive about a part of Thai culture and their city. I can assure you 99.999% of Thai people like the street stalls. They are packed at lunch time with office workers, packed at night. Twenty years ago no expats complained about them, as they were of the adventurous spirit, who loved the smells, the different colours, the spice, the vibrant atmosphere. It was exciting. Sadly those rather  bland  types of people from overseas (not all) started coming who want everything pigeon holed like a filing cabinet.  With them came the moaners and the ones who want it to be the same as where they come from. Boring and bland.  Yawn yawn…go and live in in one of those bland cities who are left with only buildings. I love the street stalls and never once got food poisoning when I lived there over 15 years. Loved chatting to the friendly family who served the food. How could anyone with an ounce of spirit and good nature not like it ? It’s the fun and interest of SE Asia. Stop complaining. It’s boring to hear. Try climbing a mountain. No Tesco at base camp. Sorry no MacDonald’s at the top ! Or would you complain about that too ? Come on its cool and different. If it was like where we came from, would you want to be here anymore ?

 

Edited February 13, 2017 by davidcc
text

[Eagle60]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

I love street food.  

 

Well, at least the street food where they haven't been forced to take so much cost out of the product because of the rapidly rising cost of the ingredients conflicting with the resistance to increasing their selling price.

 

A lot like many of the food courts where the same erosion of quality has become noticeable just in the 6 years I've been here.  And it will keep slipping until they're able to increase their prices to keep up with the cost of their inputs.  

 

Me too ! Love the friendly faces of my local ones. Food is low cost and on the whole very tasty.

[mcfish]

Then, my friend, I suggest that you stick to clean and healthy food like KFC and Macd. 
At least your suffering of street food will be cut short by cardiac arrest rather than amoebic dysentry.
 

For a few baht more you can eat in the many fantastic and clean food courts. I gave up street food after observing how they clean the dishes. The same dirty water. Over and over..

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[trogers]

1 hour ago, eddie61 said:

Then, my friend, I suggest that you stick to clean and healthy food like KFC and Macd. 

At least your suffering of street food will be cut short by cardiac arrest rather than amoebic dysentry.

 

Most old timers like me don't dig fast food either. Soups, salads and fish are the favourites, and readily take away from any supermarket counters.

Edited February 13, 2017 by trogers

[trogers]

1 hour ago, eddie61 said:

Then, my friend, I suggest that you stick to clean and healthy food like KFC and Macd. 

At least your suffering of street food will be cut short by cardiac arrest rather than amoebic dysentry.

 

Those recycled corn or palm cooking oil and grilled meat and pork knuckle rice are really healthy street food...for the heart...

 

http://www.india.com/food-2/reusing-cooking-oil-not-a-great-idea-168914/

Edited February 13, 2017 by trogers

[Sphere]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok’s street food under threat from gentrification

 

I wouldn't worry much....so far it's well survived ratification, soidogpoopdustification, cockroachification........

 

[Thaidream]

The reason those in power and the wealthy are trying to do away with street food in Bangkok is the same reason they try and control everything in every country. It's called greed and selfishness. The wealthy and their powerful minions want to put up expensive condo's and restaurants and do away with the vendors as the vendors are their competition.  The street food and other vendors are the heart and soul of Bangkok . What is driving away the tourists is the horrid traffic and high prices. It is becoming impossible to move around Bangkok and the city is now filled with  foreign pubs; foreign restaurant chains; and foreign hotel names all at a much higher price than the Thai vendors and Thai hotels. Tourists come to Bangkok for the exotic feel. Take that awway and what have you left exept another Paris or New York.

Why would anyone want Bangkok to look and feel like London, New York and other large Western cities?  The gentrification will destroy one of the World's great cities and throw literally thousands of poor and hard working small business people out of work.

[Krungbin]

5 hours ago, Mousehound said:

BKK is fast becoming a giant tedious mall filled with whinging whining ex pats who really want to live exactly as they did where they came from.  Pity they don't go back there.  I only got food poisoning once and that was from dinner at a five star hotel.  Never had a problem from a busy street vendor. 

Neither did I in a 17 years time...

 

[trogers]

17 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

The reason those in power and the wealthy are trying to do away with street food in Bangkok is the same reason they try and control everything in every country. It's called greed and selfishness. The wealthy and their powerful minions want to put up expensive condo's and restaurants and do away with the vendors as the vendors are their competition.  The street food and other vendors are the heart and soul of Bangkok . What is driving away the tourists is the horrid traffic and high prices. It is becoming impossible to move around Bangkok and the city is now filled with  foreign pubs; foreign restaurant chains; and foreign hotel names all at a much higher price than the Thai vendors and Thai hotels. Tourists come to Bangkok for the exotic feel. Take that awway and what have you left exept another Paris or New York.

Why would anyone want Bangkok to look and feel like London, New York and other large Western cities?  The gentrification will destroy one of the World's great cities and throw literally thousands of poor and hard working small business people out of work.

I wonder if you hope Bangkok and Thailand remain poor and exotic in your eyes, and never progress like where you come from.

 

Wasn't your city and home nation exotic 50 to 60 years ago? So, progress killed off the exotic appeal?

Edited February 13, 2017 by trogers

[mcfish]

The reason those in power and the wealthy are trying to do away with street food in Bangkok is the same reason they try and control everything in every country. It's called greed and selfishness. The wealthy and their powerful minions want to put up expensive condo's and restaurants and do away with the vendors as the vendors are their competition.  The street food and other vendors are the heart and soul of Bangkok . What is driving away the tourists is the horrid traffic and high prices. It is becoming impossible to move around Bangkok and the city is now filled with  foreign pubs; foreign restaurant chains; and foreign hotel names all at a much higher price than the Thai vendors and Thai hotels. Tourists come to Bangkok for the exotic feel. Take that awway and what have you left exept another Paris or New York.
Why would anyone want Bangkok to look and feel like London, New York and other large Western cities?  The gentrification will destroy one of the World's great cities and throw literally thousands of poor and hard working small business people out of work.

Hmmm did it occur to you that thais may want their streets back? It's not all about the once a year visitor.
Bangkok was the last Asian city to have the foot paths Gridlocked with food carts and rubber dildo, fake cotton t shirts and wooden frogs.. Mostly just over priced garbage.

Those food cards were for the most serving hookers and motor taxis. Some backpackers.. Who cares, time to move on

It's called progress, it's how a developing country develops. The tourists do not come here to buy the above. Bangkok is becoming a grown up city and the Thais deserve it!

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[Thaidream]

You are completely wrong. It is not progress. It is greed.  Greedy developers want to put up more malls and condo's for high end customers while the middle class and poor have to move out of the city. It is not just about tourists- it's about the Thai population that has to put up with the greedy and selfish. The same happened in my county.  Look at San Francisco right now- most people cannot afford to live in the city and home ownership in America is at a 50 year low.

 

All the Thai people I know and I know plenty are against the gentrification plans. they well know that prices in Bangkok will continue to skyrocket and that they will be priced out yet many will have to work there. The commute is already horrid and once the gentrification marches on and people have to move farther away- the commute will be intolerable. This is not progress- it is the continual destruction of great cities so a few well connected wealth people can get richer and richer at the expense of the rest. It is not sustainable in Bangkok nor San Francisco or Los Angeles or any of the other large World cities. Populations won't stay quiet forever. It is the duty and responsbility of governments to provide affordable services for their population.

[mcfish]

You are completely wrong. It is not progress. It is greed.  Greedy developers want to put up more malls and condo's for high end customers while the middle class and poor have to move out of the city. It is not just about tourists- it's about the Thai population that has to put up with the greedy and selfish. The same happened in my county.  Look at San Francisco right now- most people cannot afford to live in the city and home ownership in America is at a 50 year low.
 
All the Thai people I know and I know plenty are against the gentrification plans. they well know that prices in Bangkok will continue to skyrocket and that they will be priced out yet many will have to work there. The commute is already horrid and once the gentrification marches on and people have to move farther away- the commute will be intolerable. This is not progress- it is the continual destruction of great cities so a few well connected wealth people can get richer and richer at the expense of the rest. It is not sustainable in Bangkok nor San Francisco or Los Angeles or any of the other large World cities. Populations won't stay quiet forever. It is the duty and responsbility of governments to provide affordable services for their population.

I can't really see how removing vendors from foot paths could influence the land available for development. A foot path will always be there.

I think you are getting confused with developers buying out small shops etc.

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[trogers]

1 hour ago, mcfish said:

I can't really see how removing vendors from foot paths could influence the land available for development. A foot path will always be there.

I think you are getting confused with developers buying out small shops etc.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk
 

In fact, the main cause of small shops selling out to developers is that their shop frontage were being blocked out by footpath vendors.

 

They could not upgrade and provide better goods or services and this devalued the rental and sales value of their properties, and became easy targets of takeovers.

[nuakmuaynina]

this is sad. I've never gotten ill from street food, and I like to be able to pop out and get some fruit or sticky rice etc whenever I like. Its one of the things that makes Thailand what it is, if you want to go and live in singapore do so. I know plenty of Thais who are not hookers or motorbike taxi drivers who buy street food as well. 

[mcfish]

In fact, the main cause of small shops selling out to developers is that their shop frontage were being blocked out by footpath vendors.
 
They could not upgrade and provide better goods or services and this devalued the rental and sales value of their properties, and became easy targets of takeovers.

Looks like that problem solved then

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[mcfish]

this is sad. I've never gotten ill from street food, and I like to be able to pop out and get some fruit or sticky rice etc whenever I like. Its one of the things that makes Thailand what it is, if you want to go and live in singapore do so. I know plenty of Thais who are not hookers or motorbike taxi drivers who buy street food as well. 

Bit late to tell me go live in Singapore.. That would be a valid point BEFORE they cleared the streets, not after lol

I guarantee you the majority of people crying over this do not live amongst it. Once a year visitors from nakhon nowhere to Nana Plaza and miss their 10 beef sticks at 3 am.
If you have to do a Congo line dance just to attempt walking down Sukhumvit every single night then you would understand. All the Thais I know that live amongst it are elated but then again they are not tuk Tuk drivers or street hookers either.

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[HerbalEd]

14 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

Good riddance, warmed up Klong water with MSG and reheated PUFA vegetable oils benefit nobody. Fresh markets this city needs.

You obviously don't know where to get good street food. Or perhaps you're just pessimistic.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Like many other posters I have lived here for many years and enjoyed the street food and the food halls. Making the footpaths actually negotiable for pedestrians is indeed a fine idea, but keeping that in mind, street food and vendors do provide for local needs not just backpackers in tourist areas. Cheap food is essential if you work  six days a week in a factory for less than 100 dollars a month.

Many food halls are now charging so much rent and regulating prices that the vendors cannot make a profit and many now have few sellers and little choice.

The 'Middle Path" used to be  a Buddhist doctrine, but it seems to have been replaced with "Profit Rules".

[new2here]

Like many other posters I have lived here for many years and enjoyed the street food and the food halls. Making the footpaths actually negotiable for pedestrians is indeed a fine idea, but keeping that in mind, street food and vendors do provide for local needs not just backpackers in tourist areas. Cheap food is essential if you work  six days a week in a factory for less than 100 dollars a month.
Many food halls are now charging so much rent and regulating prices that the vendors cannot make a profit and many now have few sellers and little choice.
The 'Middle Path" used to be  a Buddhist doctrine, but it seems to have been replaced with "Profit Rules".

I agree.. I don't think the answer is, or should be no vendors.. I they serve and fill a real demand or niche of the market and loosing them I think would be detrimental for some and be a loss of one thing that makes Thailand - Thailand... I also think that there's room for an improvement in terms of how they're set up, where they are and (perhaps most importantly) insuring that basic levels of hygiene are practice..

Yes, this is Thailand.. and words like regulation, enforcement and hygiene don't always go hand in hand or have the same meaning as they might in other parts of the world, but I think it's doable and that if pushed/rolled out properly and embraced by the public, could be realistic.


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[mcfish]

It's an end of an era. Wasn't that long ago that elephants roamed the streets along with the crazy late night street scenes of make shift bars, lady boys everywhere, mixed in with Nigerian drug dealers.
But did farang really expect bangkok to be wrapped in a time warp forever for their viewing pleasure. And if not when exactly was it going to be OK for bangkok to move on?

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