In a noteworthy decision, street food stalls will be banned from all of Bangkok’s main roads under a clean-up drive. The announcement has prompted uproar and anguish in a food-obsessed capital famous for its spicy roadside cuisine.
“All types of stalls including clothes, counterfeit goods and food stalls will be banned from main city roads,” Wanlop Suwandee, a chief advisor to Bangkok’s governor, said. “They will not be allowed for order and hygiene reasons,” he added.
Officials maintained that the city’s street vendors obstruct the foot paths, leaving little space for pedestrians. They also claimed that these vendors litter the streets. However, people from the metropolitan say that this chaos is a part of capital’s appeal and charm.
“If you want to clean out all the vendors it’s like you are cleaning out our culture itself,” said Chiwan Suwannapak from Bangkok tour agency. “If they go against the vendors, that will that affect business and it will affect the charm of Khaosan,” said Sanga Ruangwattanaku, the president of a business association on Khaosan Road.
According to critics, an attempt is in progress to remodel Bangkok into a Singapore model.
