SRT offers deal to vendors at Rot Fai market
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In a bid to end a dispute over the destruction of the Rot Fai Market in Bangkok's Chatuchak district, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said yesterday that it would allow vendors to sell their wares in a nearby area for five months.
The decision came after a meeting with the vendors’ representatives to solve the conflict that arose overnight when around 20 construction workers moved in with heavy equipment to demolish the market.
About 300 vendors clashed with the workers and prevented them from continuing.
SRT governor Prapat Chongsanguan said he would allow the vendors to rent a nearby storehouse area for five months.
After the end of the contract, the vendors must move elsewhere.
Jarat Roikaeo, a vendors’ representative who attended the meeting, said he would discuss the proposal with about 1,000 other vendors.
“I agreed with SRT’s decision and will move to the new area,” Jarat said.
He added that many vendors from Rot Fai were planning to move to a market on private land on Srinakarin Road.
The new area is now under construction and is due to be finished within the next five months.
SRT has been trying to evict the vendors from Rot Fai Market to make way for Bangkok Metro’s Red Line.
