Charoen Krung is one of the oldest parts of the city and is the first road that was built when Bangkok expanded to this side of the city. As land prices in the city have skyrocketed in the past few decades, small shops have been replaced with chic cafes and restaurants, malls and high-rise condos. To me, government and city policymakers care more about maximising land use, without considering how the residents will really live in it. The city administrators reclaim public space from street food vendors, without seeing the real function and making it a tourist attraction. We used to have all sorts of small businesses by local operators, from small shops selling simple yet tasty noodles to mom-and-pop shops, from stationery shops to hardware stores.

Source: Bangkok Post September 09, 2020 22:52 UTC