Say Goodbye to Bangkok's Famous Street Food Scene

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Foodies, brace yourselves: it looks like Bangkok, the Thai capital known for its vibrant culture and rich street-food scene, is banning all vendors from its streets by the end of 2017. It's a huge blow to what many travelers consider to be the perfect places to experience local culture, with the city's Chinatown and Khao San Road being two of the most well-known foodie-friendly spots, where a mix of locals and foreigners — rich and poor — gather for cheap, authentic and undeniably mouthwatering street fare.

According to The Nation, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) wants all food vendors to be cleared from the sidewalks by the end of the year in order to promote "cleanliness, safety and order." BMA officials claim that vendors' trash litters the streets and leaves little space for pedestrians to pass. The Telegraph has also reported that these measures are in place because authorities are seeking to emulate Singapore's virtually aseptic streets.

Reactions from both visitors and locals so far aren't good. The endearing chaos of Bangkok's streets not only charms visitors, but supplies a ton of work for locals, whose makeshift food shacks that line the streets provide a unique culinary experience and are an essential part of the city's economy. Perhaps, as Bangkok resident Romdheera Phruetchon told The Nation, the BMA could instead work with vendors to set up special zones so they can continue to work — and preserve city's world-renowned street food culture — while working to clean up the city.

H/T: Wander Me

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