Objection against street food

[SovietChild]

Apparently, some government officials want to ban the street food in Bangkok. When I first herd of this idea I was completely against it because the street food is kind of an icon of the country. However, after consideration I came to agree with who ever wanted to ban the street food because majority of travelers go to beach cities anyways, plus, it would help the pollution and maybe make the city even more expensive then it is right now. If street food were to move away from the capital to outside, then the wealth would spread around the country. For example if one wants the best street food one would need to go to a certain district.

 

Am I wrong? I think if the government does ban the street food the capital could become clean and western like. 

Edited June 15, 2017 by SovietChild

[observer90210]

hum...it might put the local apotik's off the business too, for the regular poo attakcs amongst street food patrons!!

Edited June 15, 2017 by observer90210

[SovietChild]

5 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

hum...it might put the local apotik's off the business too, for the regular poo attakcs amongst street food patrons!!

Have you seen what street food people do after they finish their day shift? Instead of using sinks to clean their dishes, they clean it outside on the streets. 

 

I like the street food don't get me wrong, but I like Bangkok too. And, if Bangkok does succeed to become like a western city then good for them. 

Edited June 15, 2017 by SovietChild

[observer90210]

2 minutes ago, SovietChild said:

Have you seen what street food people do after they finish their day shift? Instead of using sinks to clean their dishes, they clean it outside on the streets. 

 

I like the street food don't get me wrong, but I like Bangkok too. And, if Bangkok does succeed to become like a western city then good for them. 

I fully get the point not to worry sir!!...

[dotpoom]

6 hours ago, SovietChild said:

Have you seen what street food people do after they finish their day shift? Instead of using sinks to clean their dishes, they clean it outside on the streets. 

 

I like the street food don't get me wrong, but I like Bangkok too. And, if Bangkok does succeed to become like a western city then good for them. 

I don't see a lot of difference between washing dishes in a sink or a basin?

[FritsSikkink]

6 hours ago, SovietChild said:

Have you seen what street food people do after they finish their day shift? Instead of using sinks to clean their dishes, they clean it outside on the streets. 

 

I like the street food don't get me wrong, but I like Bangkok too. And, if Bangkok does succeed to become like a western city then good for them. 

The street food is there for the local people in the first place, not only for the tourists. They government don't want to ban street food and other stalls , they want to regulate it so people can use the pavement better again.

[jeab1980]

The vast majority of Thais in Bangkok are not rich Hiso types they rely on street vendors. Low cost food. How i destest westerners going to other cities around the 3rd world and trying to enforce there so called values on the locals.

[robblok]

39 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

The vast majority of Thais in Bangkok are not rich Hiso types they rely on street vendors. Low cost food. How i destest westerners going to other cities around the 3rd world and trying to enforce there so called values on the locals.

I understand you completely however its locals enforcing values on the locals. If you have seen the problems these steetfood seller create you might understand it better. The water drainage is clogged with the fat they throw away after their day of selling stuff making an already bad situation when it floods even worse. They also block all streets where they are trading. 

 

There are of course places where this does not happen and then I am all for street food if they dispose of their trash in a good way and don't block the streets.  We had street food in front of our village too, now its moved into a better place where they don't block everyone. Its now a bit more inside the village and they have to pay the village.. no more free trading but having to pay the village (seems fair), and in return their trash gets collected and they have a bit better shop (better roof ect). So things can be resolved, but it does mean they have to pay a bit. 

[timkeen08]

The vast majority of Thais in Bangkok are not rich Hiso types they rely on street vendors. Low cost food. How i destest westerners going to other cities around the 3rd world and trying to enforce there so called values on the locals.

I love visiting my Thai family in Bangkok. Many locals and tourists stop by to get their fresh and unique daily organic vegetarian creations. Lunch and evening meals for quick snacks made for take-out. Clean and safe. Minimal indoor cooking. I also love to get the best Pad Thai in country on a nearby side road vendor. The locals know which vendors to stay away from. Keep the vendors clean and safe, but keep them. The education and minimalistic regulation in store for the vendors can do some good. I love Thai food.

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[Emster23]

"... majority of travelers go to beach cities anyways..." It is not about travelers at all. Maybe you can't grasp that?

"... make the city even more expensive then it is right now. If street food were to move away from the capital to outside, then the wealth would spread around the country." And more expensive is somehow a good thing? Move it away from where the customers are? Gonna have special vans to take customers there?

 Seems your arguments are not well thought out, unless this is attempt to update Swift's "Modest proposal" (using Irish kids as food source)

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I understand you completely however its locals enforcing values on the locals. If you have seen the problems these steetfood seller create you might understand it better. The water drainage is clogged with the fat they throw away after their day of selling stuff making an already bad situation when it floods even worse. They also block all streets where they are trading. 

 

There are of course places where this does not happen and then I am all for street food if they dispose of their trash in a good way and don't block the streets.  We had street food in front of our village too, now its moved into a better place where they don't block everyone. Its now a bit more inside the village and they have to pay the village.. no more free trading but having to pay the village (seems fair), and in return their trash gets collected and they have a bit better shop (better roof ect). So things can be resolved, but it does mean they have to pay a bit. 

I have seen lived there for far to long. Not a major problem in my eyes folk have to earn a crust. Its all part of Thailand long may it continue. Locals engorcing values lol hiso's who have been indoctrinated into so called western culture.

[robblok]

23 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

I have seen lived there for far to long. Not a major problem in my eyes folk have to earn a crust. Its all part of Thailand long may it continue. Locals engorcing values lol hiso's who have been indoctrinated into so called western culture.

Your funny.. not a major problem.. look at the flooded area's and the fat they got from the drains there. Its a major problem. Problem is here that people don't care about rules and disregard them. Then when they are enforced they start to moan that they were too harsh.

 

The locals here are certainly not indoctrinated by the west, if anything Prayut is crazy just look at his comments on the cute singer. Had he be indoctrinated by the west he would not have minded as they often dance like that there. 

 

I am all for street food.. as long as they make sure people can still move and the fat and other waste is properly disposed off. (not dunked in drains to clog it up)

[wildewillie89]

12 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

I have seen lived there for far to long. Not a major problem in my eyes folk have to earn a crust. Its all part of Thailand long may it continue. Locals engorcing values lol hiso's who have been indoctrinated into so called western culture.

Isn't the idea to make the place safer? So people can actually walk on the footpath, rather than on the roads (as we all know how dangerous the roads are). We have all had to at different times, walk on a major road, due to either food stores or market stores clogging the footpath up. That's before we get on to the difficulties re hygiene testing the stalls, environmental factors etc etc.

Should there be a 'safe' set designated area where these street vendors can move to, and the locals can go eat? There probably is, they just don't want to pay the municipality spot each night as it will be more expensive than the spot they are paying now (if indeed they do pay it, or just move around). 

Is 'developing' really dropping to your knees to Western culture? Yeah, seat belts may be uncomfortable for some too. Should we just not wear them as it is an inconvenience for us? Safety should always come first- even in Thailand. 
 

[holy cow cm]

Foreigners complaining about safety and wanting Thailand to develop into a Singapore style. Your interpretation of upgrade is the same as the current regime, it is ruining the traditional aspect and raw fun of the country.  God forbid if someone twerks at an illegal cart situated on the sidewalk or street now. Life sentence in prison. Keep Thailand the same. 

[WhyYouTalkMeBad]

The vast majority of Thais in Bangkok are not rich Hiso types they rely on street vendors. Low cost food. How i destest westerners going to other cities around the 3rd world and trying to enforce there so called values on the locals.

I detest westerners who want to freeze bangkok in time and keep it 3rd world for their amusement.

Maybe bring the elephants back as well so westerners can take happy snaps feeding them bananas

Bangkok is growing up its what happens in developing countries.

Those that can't accept it better head off to Cambodia while you can for that delightful 3rd world experience but do it soon because guess what?

[jeab1980]

2 minutes ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

I detest westerners who want to freeze bangkok in time and keep it 3rd world for their amusement.

Maybe bring the elephants back as well so westerners can take happy snaps feeding them bananas

Bangkok is growing up its what happens in developing countries.

Those that can't accept it better head off to Cambodia while you can for that delightful 3rd world experience but do it soon because guess what?

Good for you. Another leave the country poster beacuse we dare to have a diffrent view. May i suggest!!!!!!!!

[wildewillie89]

2 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Foreigners complaining about safety and wanting Thailand to develop into a Singapore style. Your interpretation of upgrade is the same as the current regime, it is ruining the traditional aspect and raw fun of the country.  God forbid if someone twerks at an illegal cart situated on the sidewalk or street now. Life sentence in prison. Keep Thailand the same. 

Bit of a stretch.

I don't think clearing footpaths, when there are other designated areas that people can go to and get the same food, so their children don't have to walk on busy roads, is ruining anything. They are still experiencing their 'traditional' foods/people.

When did footpaths suddenly hold the key to all 'traditional aspects' and the 'raw fun of the country?'

The life sentence you speak of is the kid being mowed down by a car or motorcycle. 

[holy cow cm]

21 minutes ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

I detest westerners who want to freeze bangkok in time and keep it 3rd world for their amusement.

Maybe bring the elephants back as well so westerners can take happy snaps feeding them bananas

Bangkok is growing up its what happens in developing countries.

Those that can't accept it better head off to Cambodia while you can for that delightful 3rd world experience but do it soon because guess what?

Pathetic! Obviously you don't get out much or are a very dull person who's view point is worthless. I detest your detest, but at least I qualify for the long term over 20 yrs here to be able to state my feelings. Yes, i eat street food all the time. Even had durian 3 times this week and silk worm for dinner on Monday. And you probably store bought microwave meals? 

[WhyYouTalkMeBad]

I don't see a lot of difference between washing dishes in a sink or a basin?

Are you serious? How about fresh running water for rinsing. The 2 bucket system that was in use meant dishes were being washed and rinsed in the same grubby water

[ben2talk]

29 minutes ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

I detest westerners who want to freeze bangkok in time and keep it 3rd world for their amusement.

Maybe bring the elephants back as well so westerners can take happy snaps feeding them bananas

Bangkok is growing up its what happens in developing countries.

Those that can't accept it better head off to Cambodia while you can for that delightful 3rd world experience but do it soon because guess what?

Street vending is not about the price. It's called fast food - and is done so much better here than in the West. Breakfast menu alongside Central Bangna is extremely varied.. and there's no comparison. The price is obviousy more attractive in some cases.

 

Tell me, please, why you should force thousands of Thai's to stop buying at the street stalls when there's a perfectly good canteen that you actually must walk past to get there?

 

Do you think people should be prevented from buying fruit at 19 baht per kilo because Villa Market has the same product looking much cleaner at 40 baht?

 

Development is not always positive. Elephants were removed for good reasons, people selling breakfast outside Central isn't in the same class.

 

I think LOCAL councils need to be set up for any meaningful progression in these matters.

Edited June 16, 2017 by ben2talk

[WhyYouTalkMeBad]

Pathetic! Obviously you don't get out much or are a very dull person who's view point is worthless. I detest your detest, but at least I qualify for the long term over 20 yrs here to be able to state my feelings. Yes, i eat street food all the time. Even had durian 3 times this week and silk worm for dinner on Monday. And you probably store bought microwave meals? 

Ah didn't take long for the truth to come out. This is all about you and YOUR street food. Nothing to do with the poor thai people.

As long as you can still get your cheap charlie noodles eh?

[holy cow cm]

19 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

Bit of a stretch.

I don't think clearing footpaths, when there are other designated areas that people can go to and get the same food, so their children don't have to walk on busy roads, is ruining anything. They are still experiencing their 'traditional' foods/people.

When did footpaths suddenly hold the key to all 'traditional aspects' and the 'raw fun of the country?'

The life sentence you speak of is the kid being mowed down by a car or motorcycle. 

Sorry Charlie. My over 20 +yrs here and kids raised entitles me to view things as I like. Have almost seen it all and experienced almost all. Food carts on the paths and streets are an institution here and need to stay that way. Designated spots? Hog Wash. Might as well go to a restaurant then as that too is designated as you would say, proper. We differ in thought. 

[sanemax]

3 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

How i destest westerners going to other cities around the 3rd world and trying to enforce there so called values on the locals.

Its the Thai Government trying to eradicate Street food , it isnt Westerners .

Westerners are just giving an opinion on forums

[Gary A]

You can be assured that many more Thai people eat street food than farangs. Street food is affordable for them. Farangs can just go to a restaurant and eat there. As a side note, I have never gotten sick from street food but have gotten sick from farang restaurants. As far as them washing their dishes on the street, they use Bangkok tap water. I was drinking Bangkok tap water for several years before I knew where it was coming from. My landlady brought my water to me in those large translucent plastic bottles. I happened to see her filling those bottles. The water went through a ratty filter that had the original years old filter that had never been changed. I did buy commercial bottled water after that. I wouldn't recommend drinking Bangkok tap water but apparently it didn't hurt me.

 

My favorite street food was duck soup. It was absolutely delicious. The old lady brought a huge kettle of it to the same place every day. She sold out every day and if you didn't get there early she would be sold out and gone for the day. Some vendors may dump the dish wash water down the street drain but others strain it and take home the scraps. I once asked what they do with the strained scraps and was told it was for their chickens and that they didn't want the smell of spoiled food near their carts..  

[ben2talk]

1 minute ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

Ah didn't take long for the truth to come out. This is all about you and YOUR street food. Nothing to do with the poor thai people.

As long as you can still get your cheap charlie noodles eh?

You're being rather offensive. Actually, points about having some running water are very valid - but saying street food is for cheap charlies is way off the mark.

 

If you have more money and wish to avoid places that aren't expensive enough for you, then help yourself - don't spoil life for many folks who just want variety without a stupid budget.

 

Some folks spend 6 to 8 thousand every morning on breakfast, that's good for them - but you know, they don't ever waste their time looking down on me for preferring a boiled egg with soldiers, or a bag of Jok to take home.

 

The best crispy pork/noodles in bangkok, the very best Vietnamese noodles, and a few others I can bring to mind - half are street stalls, the other half are rather dark dingy old shops in side soi's.

 

There's only one place I want to buy my noodles - the best and freshest available within 10km of my house is a steel unit that sets up next to a Family Mart. The same goes for breakfast, when I'd rather go out instead of cook there are 3 very good vendors in the soi - there are no equivalent shops.

 

You do understand that this city is not planned, right? New buildings put up with no parking, new villages put up without enough locations for restaurants or eateries?

[holy cow cm]

3 minutes ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

Ah didn't take long for the truth to come out. This is all about you and YOUR street food. Nothing to do with the poor thai people.

As long as you can still get your cheap charlie noodles eh?

No actually not. Get to one of the points. Thai in offices and businesses count on the easy to get cheap outside food available for where they don't have to go really far to get. Now the Gov has made it harder and inconvenient to many of Thais. Office workers and businesses do not have that much money every month, so it makes it affordable for them price wise and time wise. As of cheap charlie. Go look at the cost of durian. I also just built a new 4 bedroom house. Cheap has nothing to do with it for me PAL!

[wildewillie89]

1 minute ago, holy cow cm said:

Sorry Charlie. My over 20 +yrs here and kids raised entitles me to view things as I like. Have almost seen it all and experienced almost all. Food carts on the paths and streets are an institution here and need to stay that way. Designated spots? Hog Wash. Might as well go to a restaurant then as that too is designated as you would say, proper. We differ in thought. 

What has 20+ years got to do with anything at all? Why do posters on this forum always use that as if it gives some sort of credibility? Doesn't it just mean you are living in the past/comfortable and are not prepared to move forward? I know change scares some people, but come on. If you had lived here for that long, you should probably know the designated areas that sell food. Most people generally learn that as a first thing when moving into an area. 
 

As the wife is a Director of Public Health, within the very Ministry that has to deal with such issues, then I think the nuisance complaints, dangers, hygiene and environmental issues are well founded. You are aware, that the government is sick of paying out civil lawsuits to people who sue them due to losing loved ones, yeah? Even if 'legal' areas, if the the stall clogs the footpath, and a person is forced to walk on the road due to the clogging and gets hit, they can sue the local government. 

Even not having any information regarding the processes such stalls must go through, common sense dictates that safety should come first. 

[ben2talk]

4 minutes ago, Gary A said:

Farangs can just go to a restaurant and eat there. As a side note, I have never gotten sick from street food but have gotten sick from farang restaurants.

Farangs and Thai's can just go to a restaurant. This isn't about Rich vs Poor. I agree about cleanliness - I got sick once from chicken-rice at Ramkhamheang (in 2008), but three times in restaurants (proper ones, not streetside cafe's... the worst was 13 coins). That wasn't about dirty water, more about bacteria in the food...

 

The only Thai's I ever met that are too rich for street food are the kind of folks you'll never see outside anyway. These issues won't affect them, because you'll never see them eating in canteens, or most other public eateries... though I did catch one grabbing coffee in Ikea - very curious what he was doing there, because he doesn't really do shopping.

 

Interestingly, despite being wealthy enough to make your eyes water, he WILL eat 'street food' that is brought to him by his staff.

 

Now there's a thing.

[holy cow cm]

5 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

What has 20+ years got to do with anything at all? Why do posters on this forum always use that as if it gives some sort of credibility? Doesn't it just mean you are living in the past/comfortable and are not prepared to move forward? I know change scares some people, but come on. If you had lived here for that long, you should probably know the designated areas that sell food. Most people generally learn that as a first thing when moving into an area. 
 

As the wife is a Director of Public Health, within the very Ministry that has to deal with such issues, then I think the nuisance complaints, dangers, hygiene and environmental issues are well founded. You are aware, that the government is sick of paying out civil lawsuits to people who sue them due to losing loved ones, yeah? Even if 'legal' areas, if the the stall clogs the footpath, and a person is forced to walk on the road due to the clogging and gets hit, they can sue the local government. 

Even not having any information regarding the processes such stalls must go through, common sense dictates that safety should come first. 

Common sense is, if the food looks bad or not clean enough for you then you don't eat it. Even at malls in the food courts has some dis-favorable places one would not eat due to the lack of care or hygiene. Get serious.  Lawsuits? Think about the irony of that statement. government sick of paying out? Hardly, as it hardly happens because it is either behind closed doors payout or the years drag on and the person cannot afford to keep the sue movement going on as it is always dragged out here to be eons.  

 

Because long term in the trenches over 20 yrs does give the credibility if one has experienced living on farms in Issan, in Bangkok, and in the Northern Mountains. I'm in Bangkok all the time, and i also have Thai family over in the Bangna area I stay with all the time as well. Immersed in the real Thailand. And you? .. Only back home 2 times in 18 yrs with a total of 24+ here.  My statement is from experience and that of raising 3 kids here which one is 22, another 16 and the other 14. How much are you truly involved in Thai society? 

[Gary A]

I ate street food nearly every day for several years while working in a prosperous Thai factory. We didn't leave the premises.  The company driver would take our orders and bring the food back to us. You could find no food better than what we ate. Unfortunately the factory workers had to eat at the company cafeteria.