Street vendors Vs.State order : Bangkok’s recent crackdowns on stalls

Since a couple decades ago, as far as I could remember, street vendors are everywhere to be seen in Bangkok. After the school bell rang, I and my buddies ran fast toward the side of the road just to see  what those sellers had to offer us that day. If you have visited Bangkok once or more, I am sure it is a common sight to see street food hawkers and you might have tried some, as well.

However, right after the coup took place in 2014, the self-elected junta administration vowed to bring back the state’s order and cleanliness to Bangkok footpaths by getting rid of street vendors, as a part of the “Return Happiness to Thailand” Campaign. The “regulating” operation took place in major vending areas, not only making vendors follow strictly the laws, but also cancelling of designated vending areas, and crackdowns on old markets where unlicensed vending had been long practiced.

But the problem lies in the fact that the majority of street hawkers rely on their daily incomes to make ends meet. The simple act of prohibiting vending without any sincere support can be counted too irresponsible, for, crucially, the hawkers have always lived that way because law enforcement has never been strict and they were let to do so for decades. City officers, in accordance to their sphere of influence in different areas, illegally take commission fees from sellers who want to trade. And of course, the state always has realized this and sometimes taken part in it too. My point is that I do not think it is right to still maintain the way it used to be. I know, it makes the streets unclean, messy, and at times pedestrians are forced to walk on the streets instead of the footpaths. (Take Siam Square as a clear example.) But chasing them away without any true supports like proper subsidies or relocating them in good spots would be an act too irresponsible, for the state also has always played along in this bribery game. Some more proper mechanism to support street vendors should be provided.

(Siam Square footpath before the crackdown. Soooooo messy)

(Pratunam area)

(Protesters against the government crackdown. Picture from matichon.com)