Bangkok City Hall Unveils Plans to Organize Street Vending and Create Designated Hawker Centres
PUBLISHED: 10 Oct 2024 at 19:52
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has announced a comprehensive new set of regulations for street vendors in the capital, aimed at creating structured vending zones and enhancing public spaces.
These regulations align with a larger initiative to manage public areas effectively, according to city officials.
The BMA has specified that only Thai citizens facing financial hardship will be eligible to become street vendors. Additionally, they will not be permitted to hire migrant workers, among various other stipulations.
To gain permission as a vendor for one year, applicants must meet at least one of three criteria: possess a state welfare card, be purchasing a home under specific housing schemes, or receive welfare assistance from the government.
In the subsequent year, vendors must demonstrate their annual income does not exceed 300,000 baht, as verified through income tax submissions.
A one-year grace period will be provided for those vendors who have not previously filed taxes, allowing time to comply with the new regulations.
If a vendor’s income surpasses the 300,000-baht limit, they will lose their street vending rights. The BMA plans to assess this income threshold annually, factoring in economic conditions and inflation.
Approval for vendor applications will be handled by district offices, giving preference to those already registered in the tax system, with a lottery system in place for oversubscribed areas.
The BMA will evaluate the designated vending areas every one to two years, considering their effects on street configuration and traffic flow to ensure safe pedestrian passage.
Guidelines have been established to prevent vendor stalls from obstructing public spaces, including bus stops and entrances to facilities. Vendors must maintain a clear pedestrian pathway of 1.5 to 2 metres, and stalls will be restricted to a maximum area of three square metres, set back at least 50 cm from the road for safety.
An emergency exit space of at least 3 metres must be maintained every ten stalls.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt emphasized that the BMA’s long-term vision aligns with successful strategies seen in cities like Singapore, aiming to concentrate street vendors in organized hawker centres for cleaner, more efficient operations.
Currently, the BMA has no plans to expand vending zones but will review existing locations to ensure adherence to the new guidelines.
In the last two years, approximately 10,000 vendors have been relocated off Bangkok’s streets, with efforts to finalize hawker centre establishments continuing.
