BANGKOK, Thailand – Bangkok’s spokesperson, Ekwaranyu Amrapal, announced that Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has signed a new regulation outlining criteria for street vending and sales in public spaces on September 19. The new guidelines aim to improve public safety and convenience while allowing street vendors to operate in designated areas.
Key criteria for vending areas include:
– Streets with three or more traffic lanes must leave at least a 2-meter space for pedestrians after setting up stalls. These areas will be reviewed every two years for suitability.
– Streets with fewer than three traffic lanes must leave a minimum of 1.5 meters for pedestrian traffic. These areas will be reviewed annually.
– Stalls can be no larger than 3 square meters, with a depth of up to 1.5 meters. They must be placed on one side of the road, leaving at least 50 centimeters from the edge of the road for safety.
– Every 10 stalls must leave a 3-meter gap to allow for emergency access and safe passage.
Additionally, vendors must be Thai nationals and meet certain conditions, such as being welfare cardholders, involved in low-income housing programs, or earning less than 300,000 THB annually. They must register with the district office and cannot own or operate other stalls in designated areas.
These new measures are designed to balance the needs of vendors and ensure that public spaces remain safe and accessible for all.
