Street food vendors in Bangkok’s Yaowarat (China Town) and Khao San Road areas face strict new regulations to allow them to stay in business.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will require that vendors undergo a two-day hygiene training course where they must pass a test, to present their medical certificates to the BMA Health Office every January and to get approval from respective district offices on their dish-washing practices and trash disposal methods.
The city is also considering implementing the strict measures in other areas including Soi Convent, Saphan Leung Interesection on Rama 4 Road and various privately-run overnight food markets, said Wanlop Suwandee, the chief adviser to Bangkok’s governor, on Monday.
Wanlop said officials would conduct a poll of tourists’ opinions in the Khao San area. Officials would also check on massage shops that reportedly set up seats on Khao San and Ram Buri footpaths and unauthorized booze-selling shops, he added.
Introducing the regulations, the BMA was setting up a mechanism for communities in the concerned areas to monitor the street hawker issue, he said.
He also warned that street vendors could not just expand their space onto footpaths by hiding behind the word “street food”, as such expansion could lead to be more problems.
The internationally recognized areas of Yaowarat and Khao San Road were targeted for cleanliness, safety and order improvement following news that Bangkok City was named the finest street food destination in the world by CNN for the second year earlier this year.
(Source:The Nation,Thailand)