The day Soi 18 died
Sukhumvit Soi 18 in Bangkok was until recently a vibrant soi filled with life. Now there is just a tent where three policemen sit.
The vendors are gone. The customers are gone. I feel sorry for the officers who must have better things to do than try to stop someone from selling fruit or grilled chicken.
I feel sorry for the food vendors whose business has gone. I feel sorry for the office workers whose food source has gone.
For tourists, instead of finding a vibrant and character filled soi, they now find a boring concrete pavement. Will they return?
What makes a place attractive is its character, its life and its personality. The street vendors are a dynamic and real part of Bangkok’s appeal. Bangkok is a great and dynamic city, but one of its most valuable assets is its people, including street vendors and the life they bring to the city.
J Sampson
