Thais have a culture of open-air dining, which is why street vendors are part of the vibrant Bangkok streets.
Street vendors in Bangkok can earn 500 baht ($12) a day, more than the salary of a dashing receptionist in luxury hotels in Thailand's capital Bangkok.
Along with the people in the suburbs of Bangkok, Vietnamese people also participate in the street vendors quite a lot. In Bangkok, this man from Ha Tinh has been selling here for a long time. He pushes a cart selling cold coconuts and fruits. His selling location is Trai Mit Pagoda, where many Vietnamese tourists come to visit every day.
To become a legal immigrant with a limited period of stay in Thailand, he must pay the local government 4,900 baht per month, including insurance, accommodation, security, etc. When paying, the government will give him a small piece of paper with letters and numbers written in a code, showing his full name, nationality, temporary residence, occupation, etc.
In addition to the amount of money that must be paid to the local government, the couple must rent a house for 3,500 baht near Trai Mit Pagoda for convenience in going back and forth to buy and sell. In their spare time, when needed, his wife has the task of selling on her husband's behalf, he helps the pagoda clean, carry things to the masons... He said; seeing that he is hard-working, the pagoda loves him very much, creating conditions for him to have a stable place to do business.
Like taxi drivers in Thailand, these street vendors are often poor and have come from other provinces. Many have spoken of having to pay protection money to the police, especially those selling in convenient locations.
However, in Bangkok, it is not only the poor who "join" the street vendors, but also those who have money to drive cars to sell goods on the street.
The city does not tax street vendors, but it does collect some revenue through fines. Those who want to clean up the streets argue that street vendors are not Bangkokians, do not pay taxes, pollute the streets, and therefore should be fined.
However, despite much debate about whether street vendors should exist in Bangkok or not, just like in Vietnam, street vendors are now becoming a unique feature of this city.
