UPDATE: Abrupt nighttime demolition of Rod Fai Market leaves vendors incensed

Rod Fai Market vendors gathered early this morning after hearing the first rumblings of a construction company hired by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to demolish the Rod Fai Market site without prior notice. 

Vendors were alerted via Facebook shortly after midnight that the construction company was employing 20 workers and five backhoes to level the property on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road. It is reported that the abrupt demolition infuriated vendors and caused a physical fight between vendors and construction workers, which involved rock throwing. The SRT’s officials had to step in to stop the violence.

This surprise demolition was a sequel to last Thursday’s efforts by the SRT to clear the site for construction of the Bang Sue-to-Rang Sit, “Red Line” Skytrain extension.

A noodle dealer told Dailynews that he was stunned and furious to see the abrupt demolition after the SRT had promised to give merchants six months to find a new location for their market. 

The Rod Fai Market’s Facebook public page posted last week that the SRT agreed to stop the demolition until the state enterprise prepared a new site ready for some 2,000 vendors. The decision was reached during an emergency meeting following the SRT’s first demolition attempt.

This morning, the Rod Fai Market wrote on Facebook that they would meet with the SRT at 10am today to seek explanations about last night’s abrupt demolition. Both the construction company and the SRT are now foreswearing responsibility for the operation.

The market’s grounds were severely damaged, backhoes having dug a trench of more than 200 meters into the asphalt surface.

“Rod Fai Market,” aka “Train Market”

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Photos: The Rod Fai Market’s Facebook page

 



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