Architects propose footpath compromise
Having watched vendors encroach on city footpaths for years, a group of architects has come up with a compromise for the use of public spaces in Ratchaprasong, which it is calling the "Jai dee inter section"
inter section
Meaning: a place where roads, lines, etc., join or cross each other
Thai Translation: สี่แยก
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Combining the efforts of architects, the private sector, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the project seeks a way to improve footpaths, making them accessible for pedestrians, vendors and wheelchair users alike.
"We've been taking up too much public space for private actvities," said Smith Obayawat, former president of the Association of Siamese Architects and the project initiator. Mr Smith said design was one possible solution to the problem.
If street vendors are allowed to continue selling on public spaces, their products must be displayed inside vertical boxes, instead of on tables which can be extended endlessly.
Using a box would prevent sellers from extending their product displays beyond designated areas, while the vertical boxes could leave more of the footpath' s surface for others.