Food vendors fearful amid BMA move to sweep them away

[Smarter Than You]

On 4/19/2017 at 8:54 AM, geriatrickid said:

Good on the BMA  for finally doing what should have been done years ago. Here's why these food stalls need to go;

1. Health and safety: Tens of thousands of  consumers become ill in any given year after eating at some of these places.  Dozens if not hundreds die. Yes, dehydration caused by a serious GI infection does that in the tropics. Many of the worst offenders do not observe the most basic of food safety.

 

Of those dismissing the risk, do you know how hepatitis spreads? Depending upon the type, it can come from an infected person handling food, or it can  come from the sharing of the unwashed communal cups. This is a known reality associated with these types of places.

 

2. Taxes: These  stalls  do not pay  tax. They take  municipal services but pay nothing. It isn't fair to the honest operators.

 

3. Respect for basic public pension, health benefit and wage rules:  These stalls do not respect the  rules that other businesses must respect. They have an unfair advantage.

 

4. General cleanliness: The  mess and filth they leave behind are a public health menace.

 

Close them down now.

You think street food is unhygienic - don't eat it.

 

67 year old Pan makes 30,000 baht a month selling noodles at 35 baht a pop.

Taking away this mans livelihood helps Thailand how?

Where is Pan going to find work at his age?

How is he going to support himself without his business?

Pan is going to be a greater burden on the Thai taxpayer without his business than he ever was when he was earning his own money.

 

I think you'll find 99% of these businesses a one person operations so pension, health benefit and wage rules are irrelevant.

(Besides it would be pretty hard to undercut Thailand's already extremely low minimum wage)

 

You think Pan has an unfair advantage over 7-11?

 

[overherebc]

On 2017-4-19 at 9:25 AM, mtls2005 said:

4. General cleanliness: The  mess and filth they leave behind are a public health menace.

 

My favorite: watching the street vendor pour 10 liters of used cooking oil down the storm/sewer drain.

 

The open-air food courts, AKA hawker centers, in Singapore offer customers amazing, economical choices, and offer vendors a central supply of customers, electricity, water, etc. It's a win-win, but the government needs to push the ball forward. There are a fair amount of open-air food courts in Bangkok, typically located adjacent to wet markets. (Obviously there are a lot of indoor food courts as well.)

 

I think the "authorities" need a 'plan' rather than just issuing an order; but then issuing orders seems like a Thai social trait not easily modified.

 

Personally I like the food court concept.

On the other hand we have returned from Japan where every day I was happy to eat food in small road side restaurants and bars which is something I can't and won't do in Thailand.

You work it out.

[yooyoo]

On 6/3/2017 at 7:52 PM, YetAnother said:

how boring is this story; thais breaking the law and coming up with the age old excuses that defy logic

I agree... it is endemic... its all part of Thainess to break the law!!!