Khao San Vendors Lobby to Postpone 49 Million Baht Renovation
Khao San Road’s famous street vendors are urging the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) to push back renovations at the backpacker mecca, which are expected to total 49 million baht and start in October.
The BMA has been aiming in recent years to clean up and beautify the world-renowned party street and get rid of street vendors that line the sidewalks.
The proposed measures and renovation have drawn a year-long standoff between the association of Khao San Road vendors and the Bangkok city government.
Once the remodeling starts in October, it is expected to be completed over a five-month period.
Khao San vendors are wary of the timing of the plan consider it’s is set to take place over the tourist high season in Thailand.
They also are clashing with a regulation that will restrict the time street vendors can operate from 4 pm to midnight, despite other streets in the area being allowed to start selling at 9 am.
Very few people outside the government are welcoming the changes to the tourist and nightlife hotspot, saying that the “cleaning up” the admittedly dirty road will lead to it losing its charm and the reputation its gained over the past five decades.
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