Time’s up: Stallholders at Chatuchak weekend market told to leave
A double dose of drama and upheaval is brewing at Bangkok’s Chatuchak weekend market, as City Hall rings the alarm for 529 stallholders near the iconic clock tower. They’ve been ordered to vacate by April 30 to make way for a swanky redevelopment plan, sending a shockwave through one of the city’s most cherished shopping havens.
In a press conference that was anything but routine, Suksan Kittisupakorn, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s market office chief, laid bare the reasons for this sweeping eviction.
Flanked by senior officials, he addressed concerns about transparency in the market’s management and the decision to nix the contracts for hundreds of vendors.
Suksan took aim at allegations that his office had failed to remit collected rents from the market’s Project 30 section to the BMA over the past four years. Clarifying the air, he asserted that receipts were duly issued, and cash was channelled to the finance section, dismissing any claims of dodgy dealings.
Breaking down the numbers, Suksan noted standard monthly fees: permanent stalls cost 1,800 baht, green stalls 1,400 baht, and tree and plant stalls 900 baht.
Despite being run by the BMA, the market land is owned by the State Railway of Thailand, with the city shelling out a cool 169 million baht annually for its use.
Pandemic-era leniencies saw reduced rents, denting revenue in recent years. Revenue did see a boost in 2023-2024 thanks to supplementary fees.
Boldly defending the authority’s right to revoke rental contracts, Suksan underlined that late payment fines were far from exorbitant, contrary to critics’ claims.
Yet, the Chatuchak stallholders have not taken this lying down. They’ve fired off petitions to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, urging them to scrutinise the market office’s decision-making.
But Suksan insists changes are in the market’s best interest.
“The vending areas were less than picture-perfect.”
With the clock tower area primed to become a new tourist magnet, the BMA plans to refresh the market’s charms by developing the locale, paving the way for a fresh landmark.
Until now, stallholders had been given a temporary reprieve, with their occupation extended until April 30. Offers were made to relocate to alternate market spots with waived fees, yet only 15 vendors took the plunge, reported Bangkok Post
Of those affected, 122 vendors remain tangled in rent arrears, facing contract termination and potential legal action to recover debts.
As the countdown ticks on, both traders and bargain hunters are left grappling with an uncertain future. While one chapter closes for Chatuchak’s iconic stalls, a new vision beckons, promising to craft an even grander destination for locals and tourists alike.
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