Farewell to Sukhumvit soi 38
The owner of the land where these stalls operate died two years ago and his family has sold it to build a new luxury condominium that is in increasing demand in this central area of Bangkok. Which means that the building that houses this popular food hub it will be demolished soon leaving one less place available for lovers of street food.
The vendors of this central street operated every day from six in the evening until midnight offering all kinds of fish, meat, salads and juices for more than four decades and were shocked to hear the news of the building's demolition. Some of them have located their stalls elsewhere, while others have moved across the street in the hope of reaching an agreement with the authorities. A sign written on cardboard at the entrance to the street reads: "We will survive."
“ We'll stay until they kick us out . We are all looking for hope, we have been here a long time,” he says. Joe, 40 years old , one of the Soi vendors who has not yet found an alternative. "The other buildings around are very expensive and I can't afford them," adds another vendor, nongamm.
A blow to Bangkok street food
Many of the vendors came to this place when the road did not yet exist and it was just a river of sand , while others, like Joe, have taken over the business started by their parents or other family members. Since then they had become something like a family with whom they shared long days and long conversations over the years.
“My father started this business 40 years ago. He has changed so much from the beginning! ”, Recalls hey , a 51-year-old saleswoman. Luckily, she has managed to win back part of her clientele thanks to the maps she distributed of her explaining where they can find her from now on, in the Rama IV street.
After the disappearance of this mecca of street food, some alternatives have been opened. The Gateway Mall, located the I'm 42 of the same Sukhumvit street, at the stop of ekamai skytrain , has invited a dozen vendors to relocate their stalls, while the parking lot Sutti Mansion , located on the corner of the same street Sukhumvit 38, has become another of the most popular places after the announcement of the demolition of the building, despite the fact that it does not have the same authenticity and there is no space for all the vendors relocate all your posts here.
The new alternative of the same street
"I can't move to Sutti Mansion" , Explain Marley , 56 years old. “At the entrance there is already a stand that sells fruit juice. I have been preparing juices for 32 years in the same square meters of the street. I wanted to pay for my children's education. Now that I've done it, maybe it's time to retire."
In the meantime Bread , who used to prepare salads in a small restaurant on the ground floor of the building, has returned to her province in the hope of opening a new restaurant. "I'll try to save some money," the 40-year-old saleswoman explains.
Relocation to Sutti Mansion is not a solution for everyone
Some other alternatives to try authentic Thai food are the market of charoen krung , accessible from the Saphan Taksin skytrain stop; the market of Petchaburi Soi 5 , at exit 3 of the Ratchathewi stop on the same line; or the street Silom Soi 20 , at exit 2 of the Chong Nonsi stop.
The capital in recent months is seeing many of its iconic places disappear. Last December, for example, the famous amulets market ceased to exist , which was touted as a must-see in several of the city's travel guides. The place had more than a hundred stalls, and according to the believers, it was ideal to buy amulets and talismans that attract good luck or the cure for the darkest personal problems. But the drawback was its location, close to the Grand Palace, one of the busiest areas in Bangkok, which led to many complaints about traffic in the area. The City Council suggested that vendors move to other places such as Rama II street or the market in Bang Bua Thong , more than an hour's drive outside of Bangkok, so that the sidewalks could be made usable again by pedestrians and thus stop walking on the road.
The next objective of the City Council will be the flower market , another place of cultural importance that has been operating for more than 40 years, but is only 10 minutes from the Grand Palace area. In the meantime, Around 500 stalls will also soon disappear from the Khao San Road backpacker area ; half of them will disappear because they are illegal, while the legal ones will close when their contracts expire.
Last year the city also lost the famous lumpini boxing stadium , which opened in 1956, before the invasion of skyscrapers in Bangkok. The building was located in the business district and was forced to move to the north of the city, near the Don Muang airport, to make way for the real estate companies, leaving behind another of its tourist classics.
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One less foodie street in the city
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