The scene of motorcycles parking or riding on the pathway, people being in a queue to buy food from the street vendors on the walkway in the rush hour is a familiar view for me, as well as other people in Bangkok.
I admitted that wrongdoing actions have never been my concern and never thought that I would have to observe those people who did wrongdoing action and report those issues to the officials until I become a third-year university student. Wrongdoing reporting has been one of my major tasks for the first semester of the junior year from JM310 Editorial and Article Writing class.
For me, it is ordinarily tough for me to talk to the strangers, but It is even harder to report those people who need to work for their living. It is finally the time to face my distress and I will try my best on this duty.
I planned to go to Dusit District, Bangkok, of my first field observation since I have heard my aunt complained almost every day about the enormous amount of street vendors around her working area.
On the next day, as soon as I arrived in front of the Royal Thai Police Headquarters in the afternoon, street merchants start gathering up both on the pathway and the road in. From food stalls to lottery stalls, everything is you need is there, and the sellers are ready to sell them to the students and workers who come out for their lunch break and when they finished their work.
The aromatic scent of various kinds of street food slightly kicked the tip of my nose as I walked past the street food stalls, and people were giggling and having a fun conversation surrounds me and the whole area. This atmosphere is a sense of the perfect relaxing environment for those people after a tiring working day, but in some people, seems like it is not.
"I have been working here for about 20 years. Ever since there are street vendors selling stuff during the evening, they took the whole one lane " Kalyawee Lohasawad, a 50-year-old government officer at the Ministry of Education explained how the street vendors create some minor problems around the particular area.
According to 'Street Vendors: Urban problem and Economic potential' By Harlan Dimas (2008), Street vendors exist because of the necessity of demand and supply. Since street vendors usually offer low price goods, people who have long working hours with a low salary would be the primary customers. Moreover, Street vendors are similar to drugs and alcohol because as long as the need remains, They will still return sooner or later. (Dimas, 2008)
On my way back home, I went on the internet to find a contact for wrongdoing act reporting. Since I did not know who should I contact, I choose to report this case to Bangkok City Law Enforcement Department's official LINE account, 'รางวัลนำจับ'.
After I sent several text messages of accurate information, my necessary information, and pieces of evidence, three hours later, LINE notification popped up with one short message that the admin will take this issue in consideration.
I went back to Dusit area a few weeks later after my first wrongdoing report to do a follow-up. At the moment I walk towards that area, I can notice that there are no changes at all, and there are even more street vendors than last time I came here.
Waves of doubtfulness swoop down and tons of questions popped up in my mind, 'Have they cooperated with the municipal police officers yet? ' 'Why are the street vendors still here?'
As I continue observing the area, I quickly snapped some photos and decided to send a message to 'รางวัลนำจับ' LINE account to report and ask them for the second time about this case. Four hours later, the admin of the line account replied. The only one word 'Yes(ค่ะ)' on the left side of the chatroom makes me feel fidgety. It seems like they did not concern about the problem at all.
Since the beginning, I genuinely believe that Bangkok city law enforcement department would be able to help to solve these problems, but the response I got back disappoints me. At that time, I thought that wrongdoing reporting would not work anymore.
On another side of the city in the Watthana district, Bangkok, street vendors problem has occurred too. On the 12th September 2018, the second location for the wrongdoing observation. In the afternoon, the warmth from sunshine with a gentle breeze is perfect weather for field observation. From first sight, The pathway is crowded with locals and foreigners.
As I walked along the long sideways, street vendors were sitting there, waiting for the customers to approach them. Colorful t-shirts, famous elephant printed pants, and various kinds of counterfeit products are orderly hanging on the wall and table, waiting to be the lucky one that the customers will buy and take it home.
According to Act on the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country, B.E. 2535, Section 20, No one shall cook food, sell or distribute goods on the road or in public establishments, or will have to pay 10,000 baht as a fine.
After witnessing the environment and taking some pictures as shreds of evidence, I went straight back home, grabbed my laptop and I scrolled down on Google site for find another authority's contact that could help me to solve wrongdoing action issues. Then, I saw a website 'Rong Thuk Bangkok' (ร้องทุกข์ กทม.) with a contact number '1555'. As soon as I found the contact number, I did not hesitate to press the number and make a phone call right away.
'Hello, this is 1555 'Rong Thuk Bangkok', Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, we are at your service,' after a short moment of dialing, the woman's automated voice on the call starts, then small silent gaps on the phone call continues, my heart starts to tremble and to beat fast as if I am about to do something wrong.
'Hello, What kind of petition you want to report today?' Once the officer picks up my phone call, my voice went softer than my usual voice, and My brain cannot compile what do I have to tell her. I tried to concentrate, and continue to report.
During the call, I am impressed with how the officer listened to the problems, went into details such as asking for further information and also promise to cooperate with the multiracial police officers.
After I hung up the call, I feel relieved yet still concerned. It is my right as a Thai citizen to report those people who cause this action to the authorities, but I also feel pity for them because they also need to work for money to survive or to be able to support their family.
'You should not feel bad or be afraid to report them because you are doing the right thing,' Suddenly, a quote from my teacher, Ajarn Bruce Avasadanond, suddenly popped up in my mind.
He is right, there is nothing I should be afraid of.
A few days later, I received a phone call from one of the municipal officers from Watthana police station, giving me feedback from their field observation on street merchants.
"From what we have seen, most of the street vendors are selling only at particular areas such as under the eaves, which is exceptional. Have you seen any other street vendors on " The municipal police officer articulately replied. He does not sound like he is annoyed or tired at all.
I told him about several street vendors in front of the Korean Cultural Center that were selling the goods on the pathway. The police officer said he will go for observation and will report back as soon as possible.
A week later, I went back to the pathway in front of Terminal 21, from Sukhumvit 21 to 13, for wrongdoing follow-up. I expected that it would be fewer street vendors, but unfortunately, they were still there.
I walked back with disappointment. At that moment, I lost my trust towards to authority's credibility. It is impossible for me to be able to make a change.
All of a sudden, some lottery sellers started to move away from the area, one by one. I looked around, and most of the street vendors also start packing, or some of them already left the area. It was a suspicious situation. As I turned back, I saw a man in a dark khaki uniform walking towards me from the back, then I realized, he is a municipal officer who is on his duty for the field observation.
Bangsue district is also one of the locations that I witnessed wrongdoing action a few months ago after the first field observation in Dusit district. On 28th August, As I came down from Wongsawang MRT purple line station, and casually walked on the sideway back to my condominium from a tiring day at the university. The entire pathway empty until one more step before I reached the condominium's entrance, an old, light silvered-blue Honda Civic car was parked on the path and blocked the whole walkway.
As soon as I reached the back of the car, I stopped and slowly looked at the license plate number, then turn back and look around for the car owner — meanwhile, Two old ladies were struggling and almost fell to the sidewalk as they are trying to walk past by the car. This action seems to have a negative effect on the people who live in that area.
According to Land Traffic Act, B.E 2522 (1979), section 55, The driver shall not stop his vehicle in a traffic lane, except stopping close to the curbside and that there is no bus lane, on a footpath, on a bridge or in a tunnel, junction or where there is a No Parking traffic sign.
I quickly took a picture which can clearly see the license plate, and use it as a shred of evidence for an online reporting on Rong Thung Bangkok's website.
After the last wrongdoing incident, Bangsue municipal officer called me to give the feedback for the results of the municipal police's field observation.
"I understand that those vehicles that parked on the pathway cause many problems for both drivers and footer, we will try our best to solve this problem," the officer firmly.
According to FOI request I have received back from Bangsue precinct, The number of cars and motorcycles caught due to illegal actions such as parking on the pathway has increased from 16 vehicles to maximum 41 vehicles, including both cars and motorcycles, for the past months, from the 1st of January to 15th October 2018.
The police officer also added that municipal officers from Bangue precinct frequently went on the field to examine the number of cars and motorcycles parked on the pathway. I believe that their assiduousness is the reason that the number of vehicles that got caught has increased, and I hope that they will continue working on their duty diligently in the future.
I admitted that wrongdoing actions have never been my concern and never thought that I would have to observe those people who did wrongdoing action and report those issues to the officials until I become a third-year university student. Wrongdoing reporting has been one of my major tasks for the first semester of the junior year from JM310 Editorial and Article Writing class.
For me, it is ordinarily tough for me to talk to the strangers, but It is even harder to report those people who need to work for their living. It is finally the time to face my distress and I will try my best on this duty.
I planned to go to Dusit District, Bangkok, of my first field observation since I have heard my aunt complained almost every day about the enormous amount of street vendors around her working area.
On the next day, as soon as I arrived in front of the Royal Thai Police Headquarters in the afternoon, street merchants start gathering up both on the pathway and the road in. From food stalls to lottery stalls, everything is you need is there, and the sellers are ready to sell them to the students and workers who come out for their lunch break and when they finished their work.
The aromatic scent of various kinds of street food slightly kicked the tip of my nose as I walked past the street food stalls, and people were giggling and having a fun conversation surrounds me and the whole area. This atmosphere is a sense of the perfect relaxing environment for those people after a tiring working day, but in some people, seems like it is not.
"I have been working here for about 20 years. Ever since there are street vendors selling stuff during the evening, they took the whole one lane " Kalyawee Lohasawad, a 50-year-old government officer at the Ministry of Education explained how the street vendors create some minor problems around the particular area.
According to 'Street Vendors: Urban problem and Economic potential' By Harlan Dimas (2008), Street vendors exist because of the necessity of demand and supply. Since street vendors usually offer low price goods, people who have long working hours with a low salary would be the primary customers. Moreover, Street vendors are similar to drugs and alcohol because as long as the need remains, They will still return sooner or later. (Dimas, 2008)
On my way back home, I went on the internet to find a contact for wrongdoing act reporting. Since I did not know who should I contact, I choose to report this case to Bangkok City Law Enforcement Department's official LINE account, 'รางวัลนำจับ'.
After I sent several text messages of accurate information, my necessary information, and pieces of evidence, three hours later, LINE notification popped up with one short message that the admin will take this issue in consideration.
I went back to Dusit area a few weeks later after my first wrongdoing report to do a follow-up. At the moment I walk towards that area, I can notice that there are no changes at all, and there are even more street vendors than last time I came here.
Waves of doubtfulness swoop down and tons of questions popped up in my mind, 'Have they cooperated with the municipal police officers yet? ' 'Why are the street vendors still here?'
As I continue observing the area, I quickly snapped some photos and decided to send a message to 'รางวัลนำจับ' LINE account to report and ask them for the second time about this case. Four hours later, the admin of the line account replied. The only one word 'Yes(ค่ะ)' on the left side of the chatroom makes me feel fidgety. It seems like they did not concern about the problem at all.
Since the beginning, I genuinely believe that Bangkok city law enforcement department would be able to help to solve these problems, but the response I got back disappoints me. At that time, I thought that wrongdoing reporting would not work anymore.
On another side of the city in the Watthana district, Bangkok, street vendors problem has occurred too. On the 12th September 2018, the second location for the wrongdoing observation. In the afternoon, the warmth from sunshine with a gentle breeze is perfect weather for field observation. From first sight, The pathway is crowded with locals and foreigners.
As I walked along the long sideways, street vendors were sitting there, waiting for the customers to approach them. Colorful t-shirts, famous elephant printed pants, and various kinds of counterfeit products are orderly hanging on the wall and table, waiting to be the lucky one that the customers will buy and take it home.
According to Act on the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country, B.E. 2535, Section 20, No one shall cook food, sell or distribute goods on the road or in public establishments, or will have to pay 10,000 baht as a fine.
After witnessing the environment and taking some pictures as shreds of evidence, I went straight back home, grabbed my laptop and I scrolled down on Google site for find another authority's contact that could help me to solve wrongdoing action issues. Then, I saw a website 'Rong Thuk Bangkok' (ร้องทุกข์ กทม.) with a contact number '1555'. As soon as I found the contact number, I did not hesitate to press the number and make a phone call right away.
'Hello, this is 1555 'Rong Thuk Bangkok', Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, we are at your service,' after a short moment of dialing, the woman's automated voice on the call starts, then small silent gaps on the phone call continues, my heart starts to tremble and to beat fast as if I am about to do something wrong.
'Hello, What kind of petition you want to report today?' Once the officer picks up my phone call, my voice went softer than my usual voice, and My brain cannot compile what do I have to tell her. I tried to concentrate, and continue to report.
During the call, I am impressed with how the officer listened to the problems, went into details such as asking for further information and also promise to cooperate with the multiracial police officers.
After I hung up the call, I feel relieved yet still concerned. It is my right as a Thai citizen to report those people who cause this action to the authorities, but I also feel pity for them because they also need to work for money to survive or to be able to support their family.
'You should not feel bad or be afraid to report them because you are doing the right thing,' Suddenly, a quote from my teacher, Ajarn Bruce Avasadanond, suddenly popped up in my mind.
He is right, there is nothing I should be afraid of.
A few days later, I received a phone call from one of the municipal officers from Watthana police station, giving me feedback from their field observation on street merchants.
"From what we have seen, most of the street vendors are selling only at particular areas such as under the eaves, which is exceptional. Have you seen any other street vendors on " The municipal police officer articulately replied. He does not sound like he is annoyed or tired at all.
I told him about several street vendors in front of the Korean Cultural Center that were selling the goods on the pathway. The police officer said he will go for observation and will report back as soon as possible.
A week later, I went back to the pathway in front of Terminal 21, from Sukhumvit 21 to 13, for wrongdoing follow-up. I expected that it would be fewer street vendors, but unfortunately, they were still there.
I walked back with disappointment. At that moment, I lost my trust towards to authority's credibility. It is impossible for me to be able to make a change.
All of a sudden, some lottery sellers started to move away from the area, one by one. I looked around, and most of the street vendors also start packing, or some of them already left the area. It was a suspicious situation. As I turned back, I saw a man in a dark khaki uniform walking towards me from the back, then I realized, he is a municipal officer who is on his duty for the field observation.
I was very grateful towards Rong Thuk Bangkok; they eventually make it happen. They make me believe that I still have hope to make a change for society.
As soon as I reached the back of the car, I stopped and slowly looked at the license plate number, then turn back and look around for the car owner — meanwhile, Two old ladies were struggling and almost fell to the sidewalk as they are trying to walk past by the car. This action seems to have a negative effect on the people who live in that area.
According to Land Traffic Act, B.E 2522 (1979), section 55, The driver shall not stop his vehicle in a traffic lane, except stopping close to the curbside and that there is no bus lane, on a footpath, on a bridge or in a tunnel, junction or where there is a No Parking traffic sign.
I quickly took a picture which can clearly see the license plate, and use it as a shred of evidence for an online reporting on Rong Thung Bangkok's website.
After the last wrongdoing incident, Bangsue municipal officer called me to give the feedback for the results of the municipal police's field observation.
"I understand that those vehicles that parked on the pathway cause many problems for both drivers and footer, we will try our best to solve this problem," the officer firmly.
According to FOI request I have received back from Bangsue precinct, The number of cars and motorcycles caught due to illegal actions such as parking on the pathway has increased from 16 vehicles to maximum 41 vehicles, including both cars and motorcycles, for the past months, from the 1st of January to 15th October 2018.
The police officer also added that municipal officers from Bangue precinct frequently went on the field to examine the number of cars and motorcycles parked on the pathway. I believe that their assiduousness is the reason that the number of vehicles that got caught has increased, and I hope that they will continue working on their duty diligently in the future.
For the past three months of continuous wrongdoing observation and reporting has proved to me that we can learn something outside the classroom, also with a life lesson. After all those failures and disappointment we have encountered, there is still hope for us to achieve it, In this case, we are able to help create a better society. Never give up before trying your best and be fearless to do the right thing are the main keys to the success.
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