News Forum - Bangkok’s first free street-food space welcomes hawkers, street vendors

[Thaiger]

Bangkok opened its first free street-food space in the city for hawkers and street vendors yesterday, in an attempt to keep cluttered pavements free from obstruction. City governor Chadchart Sittipunt launched of the “Hello Hab-Re” (Hello Hawkers) project outside Samyan Mitrtown on Rama IV Road yesterday. Street food is a quintessential part of the Bangkok …

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[Ev7]

Was just on sukhumvit 11 last night near Nana.  Street hawkers still take the sidewalks, still piles of trash, still  week old oil on the sidewalk and street, still dead rats near the sidewalk about 2ft from food being sold and eaten, still has vehicles parking on the side of the road with 7-Eleven, still many big box trucks some of which are openly selling marijuana while the rest remain closed and taking up precious space on the tight street.  Suggestion to Bangkok is block off these roads at night make them strictly pedestrian.  It's a small step.  Other suggestion is hire more city workers to clean trash, wash the old oil off the street, and maybe repair the broken road and sidewalk.  If you expect an increase in tourism you should be increasing your city crews to keep the place clean so we don't have another pandemic like the black plague.

[Pinetree]

I gave up on street food in Asia many years ago, having seen the standard of hygiene, or lack of it, cheap meat and chicken left in the heat and unwashed salad and vegetables. Street food may be okay for the locals and tourists, but not for me.  I value my health too highly. 

[Saunk]

1 hour ago, Ev7 said:

Was just on sukhumvit 11 last night near Nana.  Street hawkers still take the sidewalks, still piles of trash, still  week old oil on the sidewalk and street, still dead rats near the sidewalk about 2ft from food being sold and eaten, still has vehicles parking on the side of the road with 7-Eleven, still many big box trucks some of which are openly selling marijuana while the rest remain closed and taking up precious space on the tight street.  Suggestion to Bangkok is block off these roads at night make them strictly pedestrian.  It's a small step.  Other suggestion is hire more city workers to clean trash, wash the old oil off the street, and maybe repair the broken road and sidewalk.  If you expect an increase in tourism you should be increasing your city crews to keep the place clean so we don't have another pandemic like the black plague.

It wouldn't be Bangkok without these things, it's part of the charm and what makes BKK..BKK.

[Saunk]

1 hour ago, Pinetree said:

I gave up on street food in Asia many years ago, having seen the standard of hygiene, or lack of it, cheap meat and chicken left in the heat and unwashed salad and vegetables. Street food may be okay for the locals and tourists, but not for me.  I value my health too highly. 

I stopped eating street food after my first trip to Thailand...just not worth the high risk of getting sick and ruining ones trip, especially when you can get basically the same food for essentially the same price at the food courts.

[Johnnyb2]

2 hours ago, Ev7 said:

Was just on sukhumvit 11 last night near Nana.  Street hawkers still take the sidewalks, still piles of trash, still  week old oil on the sidewalk and street, still dead rats near the sidewalk about 2ft from food being sold and eaten, still has vehicles parking on the side of the road with 7-Eleven, still many big box trucks some of which are openly selling marijuana while the rest remain closed and taking up precious space on the tight street.  Suggestion to Bangkok is block off these roads at night make them strictly pedestrian.  It's a small step.  Other suggestion is hire more city workers to clean trash, wash the old oil off the street, and maybe repair the broken road and sidewalk.  If you expect an increase in tourism you should be increasing your city crews to keep the place clean so we don't have another pandemic like the black plague.

I get what you are saying, but don't forget it's sukhumvit soi 11 you are referring to. It's a soi and area i rarely visit myself. I would suggest you to do the same. Plenty of cleaner and more civilized areas around 

[Marc26]

This is just my opinion and I respect people worrying about getting sick

 

But I honestly don't know why anyone would come to Thailand and not partake in street food

 

That IS Thailand to me...............it is the essence of the place

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Saunk said:

I stopped eating street food after my first trip to Thailand...just not worth the high risk of getting sick and ruining ones trip, especially when you can get basically the same food for essentially the same price at the food courts.

A new trend in Bangkok, which is exciting, is many Thai chefs who worked in Michelin star fine dining restaurants have opened more casual street food type restaurants

 

So it is like an elevated street food experience.........

 

I have a few on my list to try in 2 weeks

 

They are obviously more expensive though

[Pinetree]

11 hours ago, Marc26 said:

This is just my opinion and I respect people worrying about getting sick

But I honestly don't know why anyone would come to Thailand and not partake in street food

That IS Thailand to me...............it is the essence of the place

Not for me its not.  Cheap, poor quality street food, the World over, is a sign pf poverty and  lack of a basic level of hygiene.  It is so here too, with food being prepared and served beside main roads filled with fumes and other pollutants, only the very basic washing faculties, often beside drains and no regulation. Good on you if you like it and survive it, but not me. 

[Skip]

And this free space did nothing to alleviate the problem...