First Soi 38 closed, soon there’ll be no street food in Thong Lor, Ekkamai or Phra Khanong either

[webfact]

First Soi 38 closed, soon there’ll be no street food in Thong Lor, Ekkamai or Phra Khanong either

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Photo: killerturnip/Flickr

 

BANGKOK: -- The government has directed all street food vendors to halt sales on a popular section of Upper Sukhumvit.

 

By April 17, stalls in Ekkamai, Thong Lor and Phra Khanong will be forced to shut down, despite the fact that Bangkok was recently named, for the second year in the row, the city for the greatest street food in the world by CNN.

 

One vendor in Thong Lor told BK Magazine that a City Hall police officer handed him an announcement advising him about the forced closure and made him pose for a photo with the paper.

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/food-drink/first-soi-38-closed-soon-therell-no-street-food-thong-lor-ekkamai-phra-khanong-either/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-03-23

[PremiumLane]

Gentrification - they are destroying what makes Bangkok unique and interesting. 

[z42]

Dreadful abuse of ill gotten power here. Taking away people's livelihoods for no real clear and justifiable reason.

I hope these people club togrther and protest. This sham of a government is sowing the seeds of discontent.

The revolt i suspect will come before the year is out. The street food is 1 of the things that adds some real sparkle to BKK in my view

 

[craigt3365]

It's a relatively easy problem to solve.  But money is the driving factor.  Police and city officials make big money off this by allowing vendors to break the law.  All under the table.

 

As it is, the sidewalks are jammed, which is no fun.  All sorts of stuff is dumped directly into the storm drains.  Which are teeming with rats.  They have no facilities to properly wash the dishes.  And it's been proven diseases can be transmitted this way.  It was fun at first, but after time, not as much fun.  There are better options.

[Sphere]

GoodPeople™ condo or land plot prices sure to go up with this "beautification" program.

 

Next step, building khlong-side promenades to link up with ChaoPhraya promenade.  

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

They're going to drain away Bangkok life. Actually, they are well along in this careless act. They should have set up hawker areas and then cleared the sidewalks. Then again, any land available for such would be too expensive to set aside because of the need for another mall. They're going crazy with this in Saigon too, but they have designated new areas for vendors -- because authorities carry a lot of weight and have actual city plans. 

 

I turned away from street food years ago but there's a real need by the locals for access to quick and cheap meals. I wish all those unemployed vendors the best of luck. All that will be left are shophouse eateries paying expensive rents, which means, of course, rising prices. Welcome to the new Bangkok. Me, I'll be following the trail of expats heading for the exits. For many different reasons.

[0U812]

2 hours ago, z42 said:

Dreadful abuse of ill gotten power here. Taking away people's livelihoods for no real clear and justifiable reason.

I hope these people club togrther and protest. This sham of a government is sowing the seeds of discontent.

The revolt i suspect will come before the year is out. The street food is 1 of the things that adds some real sparkle to BKK in my view

 

Of course there is reason. Part of a reason that a  country moves from developing to 1st world is eradicating foot path squatters. 

Apart from the health risks and loss of income for the tax paying legal small resteraunts there is the danger of people getting crushed by a bus because they lost their foot path. 

Thank god they got rid of these vermin on lower Sukhumvit!

There is a reason why you can't open a hot dog stand on any street corner in the West 

 

Time for bangkok to grow up and act it's age! 

 

The hookers and motor bike taxis most effected can bring a sandwich from home ?

[BigBadGeordie]

An excellent move, for too long these peasants have siddled their way into Bangkok culture. They fail to understand that Royal Thai Cuisine does not involve a magnitude of chilli.

They must be taken off the streets and returned (by force, if required) to the barren landscapes of Issan. For they are not Thai, they are not pure, unlike us. For we are pure Chino/Thai and this is our land.

 

A land that has never been colonised.

 

We are the people.

 

PS. We also have guns.

Edited March 23, 2017 by BigBadGeordie
Typo

[petedk]

Why are you guys moaning????

 

Anything goes in Thong Lor. 

 

Drunken motorcycle taxis who double charge farangs

Pubs open all night. 

Buy alcohol 24/7 365 days a week.

Parking in no parking places.

Parking on the footpath (especially outside the police station)

Riding motorbikes on the wrong side of the road (being waved on by cops who do the same)

Riding motorbikes on the footpath (even the cops do it)

 

I love living here.

Edited March 23, 2017 by petedk

[gdgbb]

7 hours ago, z42 said:

Dreadful abuse of ill gotten power here. Taking away people's livelihoods for no real clear and justifiable reason.

I hope these people club togrther and protest. This sham of a government is sowing the seeds of discontent.

The revolt i suspect will come before the year is out. The street food is 1 of the things that adds some real sparkle to BKK in my view

 

" The street food is 1 of the things that adds some real sparkle to BKK in my view"

But that's not the view of residents and pedestrians who have complained about obstructed pavements in those areas.

 

"Dreadful abuse of ill gotten power here. Taking away people's livelihoods for no real clear and justifiable reason.'

No abuse of power, there are laws banning street vendors from obstructing the pavements, junta or no junta (it's the BMA that is enforcing the regulations).  In most cases displaced vendors are offered alternative places to mess up.

[gdgbb]

5 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

It's a relatively easy problem to solve.  But money is the driving factor.  Police and city officials make big money off this by allowing vendors to break the law.  All under the table.

 

As it is, the sidewalks are jammed, which is no fun.  All sorts of stuff is dumped directly into the storm drains.  Which are teeming with rats.  They have no facilities to properly wash the dishes.  And it's been proven diseases can be transmitted this way.  It was fun at first, but after time, not as much fun.  There are better options.

" But money is the driving factor.  Police and city officials make big money off this by allowing vendors to break the law.  All under the table."

Money is clearly not the driving factor, the vendors are being removed, that means no under the table money!

[gdgbb]

4 hours ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

They're going to drain away Bangkok life. Actually, they are well along in this careless act. They should have set up hawker areas and then cleared the sidewalks. Then again, any land available for such would be too expensive to set aside because of the need for another mall. They're going crazy with this in Saigon too, but they have designated new areas for vendors -- because authorities carry a lot of weight and have actual city plans. 

 

I turned away from street food years ago but there's a real need by the locals for access to quick and cheap meals. I wish all those unemployed vendors the best of luck. All that will be left are shophouse eateries paying expensive rents, which means, of course, rising prices. Welcome to the new Bangkok. Me, I'll be following the trail of expats heading for the exits. For many different reasons.

"They're going crazy with this in Saigon too, but they have designated new areas for vendors -- because authorities carry a lot of weight and have actual city plans."

 

Just as Bangkok's authorities did when they cleaned up Sukhumvit, vendors were offered alternatives.

[fruitman]

mweeeeehhhhh mweeeehhhh singapore ....bad...expensive.....mweeeehhh

 

Let them hire the shops along the sidewalks or go in a foodcourt....open a real restaurant...

 

Who wants to eat from a plate being washed in the sewers?? Or the vendors' hands washed on a dirty stinky towell all day?

 

They will find another place or way to bring the food around, don't worry. Or they can sell bento-sets to eat at home.

 

 

 

 

[craigt3365]

7 hours ago, gdgbb said:

" But money is the driving factor.  Police and city officials make big money off this by allowing vendors to break the law.  All under the table."

Money is clearly not the driving factor, the vendors are being removed, that means no under the table money!

The army came in and cleared out the streets.  It would have never happened if left to the police. Not saying the army isn't corrupt, just in different ways.

[impulse]

11 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

The army came in and cleared out the streets.  It would have never happened if left to the police. Not saying the army isn't corrupt, just in different ways.

 

Whenever I see that happening -cracking down on endemic corruption- I wonder if they're bringing happiness to the people, or just drying up the funding for their political enemies.  Maybe it's a little of both.

 

There's also an argument to be made that it's tough to crack down on corruption in one arena at the same time it's going on blatantly in the wide open in another.

 

I've got mixed feelings, as I enjoy the street food -especially fresh fruit- and recognize the draw for tourists, yet hate stepping out into traffic because the sidewalks are impassible.

[craigt3365]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Whenever I see that happening -cracking down on endemic corruption- I wonder if they're bringing happiness to the people, or just drying up the funding for their political enemies.  Maybe it's a little of both.

 

There's also an argument to be made that it's tough to crack down on corruption in one arena at the same time it's going on blatantly in the wide open in another.

 

I've got mixed feelings, as I enjoy the street food -especially fresh fruit- and recognize the draw for tourists, yet hate stepping out into traffic because the sidewalks are impassible.

Well put.  IMHO, and it's just that, an opinion, corruption had gone too far.  And the consequences weren't good.  So the army has been cracking down on this, which has been a huge source of income for the police.  And local officials.  They've gone after encroachment all over the Kingdom.  Sun beds in Phuket (which was a huge source of corruption money).  And here, street vendors, who pay money to the police and city officials to be allowed to break the law.

 

I use to enjoy the street food, but for just a bit more money, you can find the same stuff, and better quality, not far away in a proper restaurant.  Without having to sit on a busy street in small plastic chairs! LOL

 

The attitude here is they can pay a bit of money to the police to be able to do anything they want.  Not healthy for a country like Thailand.  Any country for that matter.

[KhaoNiaw]

In our area they cleared the food vendors from streetside and most of them are still around. Some of them have rented shop fronts which were just sitting empty, and others have found spots that are not sitting right on the street. It hasn't really reduced the availability of cheap food options and overall it's a big improvement. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by KhaoNiaw

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

9 hours ago, gdgbb said:

" But money is the driving factor.  Police and city officials make big money off this by allowing vendors to break the law.  All under the table."

Money is clearly not the driving factor, the vendors are being removed, that means no under the table money!

Wrong the restaurants are paying them to remove their opposition (the street vendors).

[craigt3365]

18 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

Wrong the restaurants are paying them to remove their opposition (the street vendors).

Maybe not paying, but for sure complaining.  Makes sense.  You pay a lot of rent for a restaurant only to have somebody setup shop right outside your door and offer food for 1/2 the price.  Can't blame the restaurants for not being happy with that.

[jamie2009]

Thais rely on Street Food as their Accommodation doesn't normally include Cooking facilities and they are not allowed to cook in rooms, just imagine a Condo building full of Portable Gas Stoves ?

[Thaidream]

The gentrification of Bangkok continues which is a huge mistake. It will eventually  destroy the Bangkok tourist industry. Why make Bangkok look like New York, London or tokyo. Street vendors give Bangkok the feel of an exotic city with a difference. Once the street vendors are gone and Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza closes- most foreigners will simply scratch Thailand off their list.

[wirat69]

2 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

Wrong the restaurants are paying them to remove their opposition (the street vendors).

Try getting breakfast in the area. Can't find on Sukhumvit now. Walk a long way to find an open restaurant shop, by which time it is lunchtime!!

[Oxx]

Of course, Singapore got rid of its street food vendors by moving them to permanent "hawker centres" with plumbing and electricity.  No drop in the quality of the food, much more hygienic, and still a tourist attraction.  It's a pity that the Thai authorities couldn't take a similarly enlightened approach, and chooses to deprive the cooks of their livelihood, and the people of convenient, cheap eats.

[craigt3365]

13 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

The gentrification of Bangkok continues which is a huge mistake. It will eventually  destroy the Bangkok tourist industry. Why make Bangkok look like New York, London or tokyo. Street vendors give Bangkok the feel of an exotic city with a difference. Once the street vendors are gone and Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza closes- most foreigners will simply scratch Thailand off their list.

As mentioned above, Singapore pulled this off quite nicely.  It's not for me, but it is a great city.  For many, losing Soi Cowboy and Nana aren't that big of a deal.

[Tracyb]

I live close to Sukhumvit Soi 38.  Although some vendors have disappeared from 38, many still carry on operations......on the sidewalk.....every night.  Wondering when they will close down.  Maybe they are paying someone to stay open???  (sarcasm).   I feel sorry for the vendors but...... 

 

Now that the sidewalks are cleared of vendors, the motorcycle riders will have more space to run and take down pedestrians walking there.  Maybe the police could find some inspiration and work on clearing the sidewalks of machines....  Posted signs don't seem to be working!

Edited March 24, 2017 by Tracyb
Spell check

[JimCrane]

Thais don't like what tourists like. Thais like ac malls where thee sun don't shine.

 

The ones who eat street side do it from financial necessity. Eating on the street loses face.

Edited March 24, 2017 by JimCrane

[expat_4_life]

People (in the west) love to complain about the 1% .... the wealthy.

 

This is exactly how it gets started, putting hard working people that support their family's by any means

possible with the limited skills they have, out of business.  What do they then do?

 

It destroys a vital part of what makes Bangkok a vibrant and interesting city.

 

I do not see anything positive in this closing of street vendors .... it destroys the means many Thais

have at their disposal for support and further erodes a vital part of the freedoms and entrepreneurship

that many Thais enjoy today regardless of their "class".

 

 

 

[craigt3365]

8 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

People (in the west) love to complain about the 1% .... the wealthy.

 

This is exactly how it gets started, putting hard working people that support their family's by any means

possible with the limited skills they have, out of business.  What do they then do?

 

It destroys a vital part of what makes Bangkok a vibrant and interesting city.

 

I do not see anything positive in this closing of street vendors .... it destroys the means many Thais

have at their disposal for support and further erodes a vital part of the freedoms and entrepreneurship

that many Thais enjoy today regardless of their "class".

It's breaking the law.  One big problem here.  With some corruption money, you can do almost anything.  Then when they start enforcing the law, everybody complains.  They know they are breaking the law but don't care.

 

If they want to sell food on the street, then lobby the government to do it legally.  Don't circumvent the law by paying off officials to do so illegally.  There are ways around this, but Thais tend to take the easy route.  There are many things these people can do to make money.  Plenty of jobs around.  Legal ones.

[sanukjim]

Well the los government have now outdid themselfs in stupidity with this law.Thai people "EAT OUT MOST NIGHTS" every day of their lives and this generates an income for many families and in the long run the city as well,.how stupid can a government get ? WOW !

[Jai Dee]

Several troll posts and replies have been removed from this thread.