Bangkok eliminating all street food vendors

[cdnmatt]

If you are following the story in the Bangkok Post and now the government's reaction to the story, the plan gets a bit more clear. It sounds as though, what they would like to see is for the street vendors to be in specific areas of the city and not spread out over every passable sidewalk. The country and the city yearns to modernize with the rest of the world and that includes getting rid of the stuff other countries or cities have long since disposed of.

Surfcrest

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic...et-food-areas/

That's still not much better. I guess for a street or two in Bangkok at some of the popular street markets this is possible, but again, the junta is delusional if they think they're rolling this out nationwide. What about the lady around the corner who says "moo-bing"? Or the other lady who sells grilled fish? Or the pork vendor down the street? Or the vegetable lady? Or the other lady who gets her ass out of bed every morning, and puts out a spread of fruits and veggies every morning on the sidewalk in front of her house? Or the guy who drives around in a truck all day full of watermelons and a loud speaker trying to sell them?

Does the junta really think they're going to put all these people out of work? Not fucken likely. Hell, Leo is thinking of selling prok here, because he's an excellent cook, and he wants to make his own money instead of using mine all the time, which is understandable. Want to know where he's planning to setup shop? About 10 feet from te house on the corner of the street, because there's loads of foot traffic including many school children. He doesn't need to get a government issued license just to cook some food for some kids.

Things are just fine the way they are. Again, we don't need government interference on this one, and instead, let people choose for themselves. If people decide they want to go to Tesco everytime they want some oranges, then that's what will happen, and the lady around the corner will be shit out of luck. However, for now everyone likes her fruit and veggies, including me, so leave her alone and let her scratch out a living.

[Surfcrest]

I remember as a kid sitting unbuckled in the back seat, opening up bottles of beer for my ``old man`` (That was the cool thing to call Dad behind his back...way, way back...LOL) who was driving. We had bread delivery back then...and milk...and the newspaper, twice a day. There was a truck that used to come around playing music box music, selling ice cream to kids and there was a shoe shine stand outside the Mall...where we parked for FREE.

Back home, escorts used to stand in certain streets after a certain hour...now they have ads in the Yellow Pages and in the back of our community newspaper.

Things change...and I think the current government has done a good job at cutting through the red tape that prevented previous governments from doing anything in Thailand, to the point where they are making great progress towards modernization. It`s not all good, it`s not all bad. I hope the stands in the Ari area survive! There`s some good ones there.

There`s still a hell of a lot of people in Thailand with only so much disposable income, so while street food may change...there will always be alternatives from the Thai`s ingenuity.

Surfcrest

[justaguy]

That's still not much better. I guess for a street or two in Bangkok at some of the popular street markets this is possible, but again, the junta is delusional if they think they're rolling this out nationwide. What about the lady around the corner who says "moo-bing"? Or the other lady who sells grilled fish? Or the pork vendor down the street? Or the vegetable lady? Or the other lady who gets her ass out of bed every morning, and puts out a spread of fruits and veggies every morning on the sidewalk in front of her house? Or the guy who drives around in a truck all day full of watermelons and a loud speaker trying to sell them?

Does the junta really think they're going to put all these people out of work? Not fucken likely. Hell, Leo is thinking of selling prok here, because he's an excellent cook, and he wants to make his own money instead of using mine all the time, which is understandable. Want to know where he's planning to setup shop? About 10 feet from te house on the corner of the street, because there's loads of foot traffic including many school children. He doesn't need to get a government issued license just to cook some food for some kids.

Things are just fine the way they are. Again, we don't need government interference on this one, and instead, let people choose for themselves. If people decide they want to go to Tesco everytime they want some oranges, then that's what will happen, and the lady around the corner will be shit out of luck. However, for now everyone likes her fruit and veggies, including me, so leave her alone and let her scratch out a living.

Not sure why you seem to think this would be ok for Bangkok, because that what this is about, the BMA does not have any jurisdiction outside of the Bangkok city limits. And it most certainly isn't ok for Bangkok.

[frequent]

Things change...and I think the current government has done a good job at cutting through the red tape that prevented previous governments from doing anything in Thailand, to the point where they are making great progress towards modernization. It`s not all good, it`s not all bad. I hope the stands in the Ari area survive! There`s some good ones there.

They can always emulate the Singapore solution - hawker centres

[justaguy]

I remember as a kid sitting unbuckled in the back seat, opening up bottles of beer for my ``old man`` (That was the cool thing to call Dad behind his back...way, way back...LOL) who was driving. We had bread delivery back then...and milk...and the newspaper, twice a day. There was a truck that used to come around playing music box music, selling ice cream to kids and there was a shoe shine stand outside the Mall...where we parked for FREE.

Back home, escorts used to stand in certain streets after a certain hour...now they have ads in the Yellow Pages and in the back of our community newspaper.

Things change...and I think the current government has done a good job at cutting through the red tape that prevented previous governments from doing anything in Thailand, to the point where they are making great progress towards modernization. It`s not all good, it`s not all bad. I hope the stands in the Ari area survive! There`s some good ones there.

There`s still a hell of a lot of people in Thailand with only so much disposable income, so while street food may change...there will always be alternatives from the Thai`s ingenuity.

Surfcrest

Let's just say that I strongly disagree with your notion that the junta has done good things. Precious little examples exists of things that changed for the better. Of course with article 44 superpowers, judicial and legislative procedures can be circumvented. Charter they operate under was self written. Thailand IS a dictatorship with the NCPO running the show with no oversight, no accountability, no transparancy and human rights being seriously curtailed.

Meanwhile Thailand's economy is in decline, the house hold debt up and the current government is going to end up with a deficit that will make Yingluck's rice scheme look like child's play.

Anyway, this is the BMA, but of course the Junta replaced the democratically elected Sukhumband with someome they control, article 44...

So even this little gem is being excecuted by someone with no electoral mandate whatsoever..

I don't think any democratically elected governor would do this because it would be political suicide. And rightly so.

[Surfcrest]

Well, I think it's fair to say the current political situation has not stimulated a lot of real investment into Thailand and for that reason, Thailand's economy has not reached it's potential. But things are happening, investment is being made by the government into well needed infrastructure projects, which is stimulating real estate investment...if nothing else and is setting Bangkok up well for the future, when democracy returns and the economy shifts gears.

I`d like to think the current government has taken a good bite out of the corruption that existed rampantly and at all levels and that things are getting done more efficiently now, as a result.

Surfcrest

[Manforallseasons]

I`d like to think the current government has taken a good bite out of the corruption that existed rampantly and at all levels and that things are getting done more efficiently now, as a result.

Surfcrest

You are naive!

[frequent]

You are naive!

Those who aren't following closely see the odd story about corrupt policemen being locked up and think "At last, they're cracking down on corruption". A friend who follows Loony Expat Central (aka. Thaivisa) tells me that was a common reaction when those stories first started to break. The reaction was more muted when it emerged that the only corrupt policemen being locked up just - and this is a pure coincidence you understand - happen to be close relatives of the about-to-be-divorced 3rd wife of someone whom Surfcrest would prefer us not to name

As for every other corrupt policeman, army officer or bureaucrat - it's Business As Usual

[justaguy]

Well, I think it's fair to say the current political situation has not stimulated a lot of real investment into Thailand and for that reason, Thailand's economy has not reached it's potential. But things are happening, investment is being made by the government into well needed infrastructure projects, which is stimulating real estate investment...if nothing else and is setting Bangkok up well for the future, when democracy returns and the economy shifts gears.

I`d like to think the current government has taken a good bite out of the corruption that existed rampantly and at all levels and that things are getting done more efficiently now, as a result.

Surfcrest

Oh my, the army is the most corrupt institution in the country and the Corruption index has worsened. The only corruption they have dealt with is alleged corruption lf their political enemies. By the way Thailand will not return to democracy. The 'approved' constitution has given 250 appointed senators the power to send any government the electorate elects packing. Funny to see you indeed are buying the propaganda and lies of the current government. By the way many of the infrastructure projects were initiated by previous governments. There is precious little this one deserves credit for, and a lot of ills they introduced into this society.

This bunch has ensured Thailand will be run by select few elites whilst still calling it democracy. Precious few are buying the nonsense..

[cdnmatt]

Modernization of Bangkok? It's a military dictatorship who refuses to relinquish power back to the people, so unsure how modern that is. Besides, isn't Bangkok expected to be under water in about 20 years? I thought they were moving the capital to Chiang Mai.