Street vendors and motorcycle taxis get new rules
The Cabinet on Wednesday approved new plans to manage street vendors and motorcycle taxi operations on Bangkok footpaths, including paying fees to occupy public space.
Ministers agreed short-term and long-term measures for reform of the law on occupation of public places and pavements in the Bangkok area.
In the short term, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Metropolitan Police, Public Health Ministry and Department of Land Transport will cooperate to create clear policies and plans for management of street vendors and motorcycle taxis in public areas.
In the long term, there will be a clear set of criteria for legitimate operation of “street businesses”, taking into account local conditions and the needs of people and local stakeholders. Tourism and livelihood hubs for small-scale street entrepreneurs will be created to boost the cultural identity of communities.
The new law will require hawkers, stalls and motorcycle taxi operations to pay a fee for the use of public places or roads. Meanwhile a committee will plan the use and management of public places for small-scale enterprise in Bangkok and at the national level. The committee will also supervise vendors and moto-taxi stops in public places as well as complaints channels.
