Street food vendors under siege: reassessing spatial justice in Soi Convent, Bangkok, Thailand

Between 2016 and 2018, Bangkok was celebrated as the ‘Best City for Street Food,’ reflecting its vibrant vendor culture. At the same time, a military-led government advanced a ‘reclaiming pavements’ policy, framing vending as urban underdevelopment. This paper employs spatial justice to examine how such policies affect vendors’ rights to public space in Soi Convent. Using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews (Dec 2018–Mar 2019), and user-behavior tracking, it contrasts vendor-free Mondays with regular weekdays. Findings reveal vendors’ cultural and economic value despite congestion challenges. The paper concludes that Bangkok’s 2023 plan should integrate vendors into inclusive urban design and governance.