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

[sanukjim]

Some "BIG WIG" must want to take over the area for his own development.

[gdgbb]

2 hours ago, jamie2009 said:

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 ?

That's just not true, almost "Thai" condos do allow cooking, and most Thais do it and they cook using bottled gas.  You don't have to imagine the situation, it's a reality.

[0U812]

Most of the expats crying here don't even live on lower Sukhumvit but visit Nana Plaza once a year from nakohn nowhere and of course they see the bangkok Street seen as exciting. 

For us locals it is booooring and inconvenient. Who wants to be stuck behind an unwashed Arab and his entourage while they crawl through a one meter gap low balling trinkets. 

Only option is walk on Sukhumvit. Remember when we had elephants and one was killed by a truck? Well if he couldn't see an elephant what chance has a pedestrian!!!! 

 

Those that don't like it packup your vests and flip flops and head to chiang me where it's still a free for all ?

[gdgbb]

2 hours ago, wirat69 said:

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!!

Breakfast on Sukhumvit?  Try Sois 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7/1, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15.

[JayBird]

19 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.

there are better options. This isn't one of them. Take the vendors of the sidewalks, sure. But put them into food centers like in Singapore. Clean organized and numerous so easy access.

 

Simply removing them is not the answer. However sales at 7 11 and family mart may go up now

[JayBird]

1 hour ago, JimCrane said:

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.

Disagree. Street food is convenient from office to home. Also malls don't have much choices for Thai food ( ironically) except the food court which is not any better than street food.

 

Oh and Thais like eating at home while watching football or The Mask.

[LiorW]

15 hours ago, gdgbb said:

" 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.

Onnut market's vendors didn't obstruct pavements, yet, the place has been closed down because a new condo building had to be built there.

Maybe it was a matter of private owned land that switched hands, but still, this is an example to show that alternative places don't necessarily act as a good alternative.

[fruitman]

4 hours ago, jamie2009 said:

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 ?

Even hiso condo's have gasbottles and small kitchens...they also have roomservice.

 

I don't see the problem. And who likes to work/stand/cook on the streets all days?? 

[whoareyou]

1 hour ago, JayBird said:

there are better options. This isn't one of them. Take the vendors of the sidewalks, sure. But put them into food centers like in Singapore. Clean organized and numerous so easy access.

 

Simply removing them is not the answer. However sales at 7 11 and family mart may go up now

My understanding is they have been relocated. It was certainly mentioned in the original news article that they would be

There was also a post by a Thai guy that claimed to have have several stalls and was happy with the relocation.

 

None of us will really know since nobody knows those vendors on a swap phone numbers basis.

 

worse comes to worse there are plenty of factory jobs around but those crooks would rather die than actually get a real job ,pay tax and contribute to society...lazy slobs, no sympathy here

[khunken]

1 hour ago, LiorW said:

Onnut market's vendors didn't obstruct pavements, yet, the place has been closed down because a new condo building had to be built there.

Maybe it was a matter of private owned land that switched hands, but still, this is an example to show that alternative places don't necessarily act as a good alternative.

Wrong on both counts.

I live on On Nut and the section between Big C & Sukhumvit (Big C side) was overflowing with vendors on both sides of the pavement. They have been moved to an off-street market/restaurant area with an entrance next to Big C's parking exit. I was there yesterday.

 

As for Thong Lo, fruit the vendors on Sukhumvit charge rip-off prices and are not really any benefit to Thai workers in need of a snack.

 

Phra Kanong already has been mostly cleared of vendors on Sukhumvit between Soi Pridi and the klong bridge. As there is a large market in behind the shop fronts this was no loss.

 

Next will likely be the vendors along Sukhumvit between The Emporium & Soi 28. Plenty of off-Sukhumvit areas to move them to.

Edited March 24, 2017 by khunken

[NoshowJones]

12 hours ago, KhaoNiaw said:

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. 

Nothing wrong with vendors on the streets as long as they are not blocking the pavements and forcing pedestrians on to the road.

[JayBird]

17 hours ago, whoareyou said:

My understanding is they have been relocated. It was certainly mentioned in the original news article that they would be

There was also a post by a Thai guy that claimed to have have several stalls and was happy with the relocation.

 

None of us will really know since nobody knows those vendors on a swap phone numbers basis.

 

worse comes to worse there are plenty of factory jobs around but those crooks would rather die than actually get a real job ,pay tax and contribute to society...lazy slobs, no sympathy here

First of it is important to remember that there are many food stall workers who are over 30 (over 50 even).  They will not get a job in the factory due to age discrimination.

 

Also, if you earn less than 150k/year (I believe that's the correct amount), you don't pay taxes.  The factories don't pay enough that you would have to pay taxes.

[whoareyou]

First of it is important to remember that there are many food stall workers who are over 30 (over 50 even).  They will not get a job in the factory due to age discrimination.  

Also, if you earn less than 150k/year (I believe that's the correct amount), you don't pay taxes.  The factories don't pay enough that you would have to pay taxes.

 

The vast majority of stall holders selling sex toys and T shirts are young and lazy.

Granted some of the som Tam makers are elderly but many are not.

I don't know if there is age discrimination in factories. Sorting items on a conveyor belt is hardly rocket science.

Regarding tax then if it's true then all the better. They are legal and tax free.. But they still wouldn't do it!

 

Far more lucrative to set up a illegitimate business on stolen land.. That is simply unbeatable.

 

 

 

[gdgbb]

21 hours ago, LiorW said:

Onnut market's vendors didn't obstruct pavements, yet, the place has been closed down because a new condo building had to be built there.

Maybe it was a matter of private owned land that switched hands, but still, this is an example to show that alternative places don't necessarily act as a good alternative.

This thread is about street vendors.  Onnut Square was not on the street obstructing pavements, neither was it"maybe" privately owned, it was privately owned and the owner of that land had no responsibility for the vendors once their leases had ended, nor any responsibility to their customer's feelings.  It's just called business.  So it's a particularly bad example to show "that alternative places don't necessarily act as a good alternative."

[gdgbb]

23 hours 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".

 

 

 

Moving vendors does not put them out of business, they are usually offered alternative, authorised places to trade from if they are cleared from the streets.  That's what they do.

 

Obstructing and messing up public pavements is "a vital part of the freedoms and entrepreneurship that many Thais enjoy today regardless of their "class"."?  Since when?  Let them do what honest business people do to exercise their freedom and entrepreneurship...operate from proper areas!

[true word]

On 3/23/2017 at 5:23 PM, craigt3365 said:

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.

when you see rats in a society that never mind about these nasty deadly creatures you should ask your self is this OK!?

or am I drunk and then I would say who cares?? great input, by the way I feel better since I stopped eating local food.