Some Bangkok changes

[Trongpai]

Silom night market vendors are being banned**: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/05/13/v ... be-evicted
I've not read about this in the Bangkok Post but last night one of the vendors told me it was true and they are not happy. I have mixed feeling on this. On one hand it would be nice to have a clear passage on the sidewalk and street but putting 600 people out of work? Some of the vendors I was told are going to relocate and others are just going out of business. You might be able to get some bargains now I just bought two shirts and I was "told" that he was selling for what he paid for them and he's just trying to get rid of all his inventory. The Silom market has been there ever since I first visited Bangkok in the mid 80's. Bangkok moves one step closer to becoming Singapore.

Second item that I've heard is that Hero is closing. Hero is a long established gay massage venue at the end of Sukhumvit 11. I've been expecting this as Sukhumvit 11 has been gradually being overtaken by up market gentrification. The same happen with Albury and the Banana Men's club. Hero was originally a newly built gay sauna a few years after the original Babylon opened, 1986. It then morphed into a massage venue in the mid 90's.

Albury never relocated but the Banana Men's Club did and is doing very well in very nice new digs on Sukhumvit 23. They have 17 modern rooms and a lot of massage boy of all types. https://www.facebook.com/Banana-Club-1097292940304199/ I hope Hero also finds a new home.

Hero is not closing due to lack of business, it was doing a booming business. The land just became too valuable and someone made an offer they could not refuse. Sukhumvit 11 used to be the Khao San road of the Sukhumvit area and had 5 gay venues. Now the last has gone. To get an idea of what's happening to Suk 11 go to the popular bar/restaurant 'Above 11' and look down. http://www.aboveeleven.com/

**Finders credit to Thaiworthy who sent me the Coconuts link.

[pong]

That silly idea that this ban would put 600+ people jobless is of course just that pitiful unrealistic thinking. IF they can sell, they can easily move to another spot-also enough of empty buildings that could be rented out. Its mostly a matter of not wanting to pay rent.

As the usual mark-up around Silom for shirts bought at BoBe would be like 4-5 times the wholesale price (excl. transport between these spots), even at ''half price'' it still would mean a 100/150% markup.

Go to Bangkapi/Happyland, be happy and see what clothes sell there. Be then even more happy and use the various m2m gay massage shops along Lat Prao Rd. for more happiness. Happyland there is also brimming with Khmer and mostly Burmese vendors.

[Trongpai]

Be then even more happy and use the various m2m gay massageshops along lard prao rd. for more happiness.

I would like to hear your reviews, recommendations and personal experiences at some of those massage shops along Lat Phrao. I'm all for happiness.

http://www.thaimassageboy.com/homepage/

http://thailand.world-gay-guide.com/en/ ... rea3_no=59

[Bangkokian]

That silly idea that this ban would put 600+ people jobless is of course just that pitiful unrealistic thinking. IF they can sell, they can easily move to another spot-also enough of empty buildings that could be rented out. Its mostly a matter of not wanting to pay rent.

Tosh!
Do you seriously think 600 vendors could "easily move to another spot" in the crowded Silom area? Or rent out empty buildings?
I walk that part of Silom almost nightly and sometimes have to turn sideways to pass another or even more drastic-- walk on the other side of Silom.

And do you think that they are there "rent free"?. Have you not seen the Taksakij (sp) collecting their contributions? Get real.

Bangkok's street markets are a worldwide tourist attraction. They are quickly being eroded by Bangkok administration -- have they really nothing better to occupy their efforts? Some think that they are trying to change Bangkok into Singapore -- god help us.

Their latest target is the flower market but the vendors are resisting -- good luck to them. If they are successful, they plan to tackle Sukhumvit.

The press release pointed out that they will not affect private land such as Patpong. I suppose some enterprising vendors will balance their wares on shop steps such as Boots.

[Up2u]

I have always enjoyed the Silom night market and yes it is a tourist attraction. I don't begrudge a vendor trying to make a living. In the past I would use the elevated Skywalk if in a hurry. Many people will miss the market.

[mahjongguy]

"Taksakij (sp)" Often spelled "tessakit". Look like police but are (merely) licensing enforcement, employed by the amphur, or in this case the BMA.

I lived in Silom for three years. I hadn't much use for the street vendors' products but didn't mind sharing the sidewalks with them. Except, they did not share! By having counters on both sides of the sidewalk, pedestrians could not get through.

If the city could somehow have managed the vendors, kept the sidewalks passable, there would be no need to remove them.

[Jun]

Whilst recognising it is a decision for the authorities in Thailand, I will be delighted if they get rid of those vendors.
Currently they have stalls on both sides of the pavement, which means the pavement is not suitable for it's intended purpose of getting from A to B.

Sympathy for them losing their jobs is misplaced. If retail anarchy is permitted, you will get all sorts of inconvenient retailers, in the wrong place and harassing people minding their own business. So move them on.

If banned, they can simply go and do something else. There will be plenty of people around the world in a worse situation.
If anyone thinks they should be allowed to continue, well there are plenty of suitable locations for them. For a start there is a scruffy shopping centre near Sala Daeng with about 5~6 floors, of which most are unoccupied. All they need is to turn it into a night market.

[Up2u]

Why we're at it, let's close the Patpong market too. That was always an aggravation when I had to walk from the Tartawan to the bars on Silom Soi 4. Screw those vendors.

[Gaybutton]

I have mixed feelings about it. There are certainly more areas besides the Silom area overloaded with vendors, but there are some aspects of their presence that I enjoy. While I too would like to see the vendors brought under some sort of control so that pedestrians can at least walk by, I also don't want to see Bangkok lose its "Bangkokness" and end up as sterile as Singapore.

[Up2u]

I have mixed feelings about it. There are certainly more areas besides the Silom area overloaded with vendors, but there are some aspects of their presence that I enjoy. While I too would like to see the vendors brought under some sort of control so that pedestrians can at least walk by, I also don't want to see Bangkok lose its "Bangkokness" and end up as sterile as Singapore.

Perhaps Moses can add a "Like" option in the too distant future.