Street food blues

Street food blues

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's effort to 'regulate' street food in Yaowarat and Khao San Road earned it plenty of brickbats from the public, who say the order will put a damper on all the excitement of eating out. Patipat Janthong
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's effort to 'regulate' street food in Yaowarat and Khao San Road earned it plenty of brickbats from the public, who say the order will put a damper on all the excitement of eating out. Patipat Janthong

3This year was a watershed year for Bangkok street food. In the first half of the year, international media outlets such as CNN lauded Bangkok street food as the best in the world.

The news was so good that it inspired Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to exploit street food as a magnet to boost tourism.

Accordingly, the BMA started to get tough on regulating street food on Yaowarat and Khaosan roads in the interests of putting on a good front for tourists.

Both streets are major international tourist spots. Critics feared the BMA's regulation under the newly appointed Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang might drive people away and rob such places of their natural colour.

The BMA denied it intended to ban street food on the streets, but insisted it merely wanted to regulate the trade and upgrade sanitary standards. It also wanted to reduce complaints about stalls obstructing traffic and pedestrian areas.

Bangkok governor Aswin said the BMA wanted to make street food on Yaowarat and Khao San roads a model for the rest of the city. The BMA set up committee comprising stake-holders such as residents, street food businesses, public health inspectors, and district officials.

In the upcoming year, the BMA also plans to extend the hand of regulation to seafood street food spots in Bang Khunthian and the floating market in Taling Chan district. Other targets are street food outlets in Thonglor Road, Sukkhumvit.

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