Bangkok street vendors must be poor enough to operate: BMA

In a move that’s bound to shake up Bangkok’s bustling street food scene, new City Hall regulations will allow only “poor Thais” to operate as street vendors. The bold rules, signed by Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, have sparked controversy with their stringent requirements, including a ban on migrant workers.

Once published in the Royal Gazette, the new rules will go into effect, according to Aekvarunyoo Amrapala, spokesperson for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

Under the regulations, vendors must meet strict criteria: they must be Thai nationals, hold government welfare cards, pay off National Housing Authority properties, and receive welfare allowances from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. To qualify, their income, after deducting business costs, cannot exceed 300,000 baht annually.

“These rules aim to support low-income Thais while improving public spaces.”

Each vendor is permitted only one Thai assistant, and the entire operation must comply with public health standards. The rules also demand vendors ensure clear pathways for pedestrians, with a 1.5 to 2 metre-wide walkway, depending on the street size.

Stalls are restricted to 3 square metres and must be positioned on the pavement’s side, at least 50 centimetres away from the road for safety. Additionally, for every 10 stalls, a 3-metre gap must be left as an emergency exit, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, Bangkok City Hall planned to implement stringent measures aimed at regulating street vendors, targeting their income, enforcing tax compliance, and ultimately eliminating hawking on pavements. Governor Chadchart announced these measures following a meeting focused on enhancing the orderliness of the city’s surroundings.

In other news, an underground water pipe leak caused a footpath to collapse beneath the Fai Chai MRT Station in the Bangkok Noi district of Bangkok.

No injuries were reported in the incident. The official Facebook page of the Bangkok Noi District Office shared a picture of the collapsed footpath with a few words at about 4pm on August 25.