City Hall yesterday said it will press ahead with its Khlong Thom Market clean-up campaign, dismissing complaints by affected vendors.
About 200 vendors take a stand against City Hall's plans to clear Khlong Thom Market.Pawat Laophaisarntaksin
Chief adviser to the Bangkok governor, Wanlop Suwandee, said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is committed to clearing Khlong Thom Market as it affects traffic and residents, especially at weekends.
He said he was also concerned about public safety if a fire broke out.
Mr Wanlop was speaking after about 200 vendors from the market submitted letters of complaint to City Hall.
The chief adviser said the BMA will today direct the market building's owners to remove all illegal structures including stalls encroaching on public spaces.
He said he will talk to 67 vendors who had earlier been allowed to stay at the market about moving to new locations with 2,000 other vendors.
BMA adviser Vichai Sangparpai said the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) had agreed to allow Khlong Thom vendors to relocate and use space under expressways in the Uruphong and Chong Nonsi areas.
Vendors who sell similar products will be grouped together in the new locations, he said, predicting the new sites will be just as popular among shoppers as Khlong Thom Market.
He said the vendors will be monitored to ensure they do not cause traffic problems.
Khlong Thom Market will close on Dec 27, he said, adding legal action will be taken against those who refuse to cooperate from Jan 3 onwards.
Elsewhere, vendors in the Victory Monument area have also submitted a letter of complaint to City Hall.
Vendor Patchara Sriyothee told the BMA that its clean-up campaign there has put at least 200 vendors in the area out of work.
The BMA responded, saying it will close off Silom to traffic between Rama 4 and Narathiwat Ratchanakharin roads for a Sunday flea market. The flea market, from 3pm to 9pm, will accommodate about 1,000 vendors. The road will be closed from 12pm for vendors to set up their stalls, starting on Sunday. The market will close for New Year and re-open on Jan 11.