The uniqueness of street food stalls add a charm to Bangkok, and this is what inspired artist Kiettisak Moungkum to create art when he was an undergraduate student. However, as a graduate student at the Faculty of Painting Sculpture and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University, he had to do field surveys of street vendors for his thesis and that's when he discovered the negative side of the business. As a result, Kiettisak's solo art exhibition, "Rules", reflects the problems of organising street vendors on pavements and public spaces.
"The street vendor business is very complicated. It involves many issues, including the rights of pedestrians, social class and conflict of interests. I became interested in these issues because I believe studying art can be useful to other people," said Kiettisak.
According to Kiettisak, the exhibition "Rules" can be interpreted in many ways.
"Rules can refer to the regulations that manage street vendors and maintain order in the city. However, rules can also be tools for a group of people to take control over vendors and make their lives difficult," Kiettisak said.
To gain insight from street vendors, Kiettisak conducted field surveys for years. He learned that street vendors liked to talk about their difficulties, but he could not reveal that he wanted to know their issues for his thesis.
"They would go against me if they realised I wanted to collect information for my thesis. I had to act like a normal customer and chat with them after purchasing their products. I discovered they had to pay for their space and lights for stalls. The person in charge of the area ordered street vendors to rent or purchase items that the vendors needed such as umbrellas, ice and ice buckets from specific stores. In my opinion, this is another kind of bribe," said Kiettisak.
Kiettisak chose to major in sculpture because he likes three-dimensional objects and feels when he displays objects incorporating light and sound, viewers can understand the vibes of his installations.
Colourful aprons hanging on the wall near street vendors often feature texts on fabrics. The texts express how street vendors feel about their stalls by saying: "We want spaces that have a lot of pedestrians. We agree to follow the rules but don't relocate us to a different area far from customers." Therefore, Kiettisak designed aprons after creating large sculptures and installations. He discovered that this small item could speak to viewers well.
"Viewers can understand how street vendors feel if they read text on the aprons. I also understood what vendors thought after I conducted field surveys. Most vendors agreed with re-organising street stalls, but they wanted to be in spaces where they still could sell products. They did not want to be in isolated spots. At the exhibition, there are photos of vendors who wear such aprons. I gave them to two vendors and they liked it," Kiettisak said.
A fibreglass pavement at "Rules" shows that most pavements in the capital are narrow and crowded, but street vendors invade the space with their stalls, signs and trash which causes inconvenience to pedestrians.
One model represents a pavement which is invaded by street stalls. The model is placed on top of a transparent glass box filled with sheets of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's street vendor regulations.
"This model presents the result of organising stalls from the BMA's viewpoint. Since there was no discussion between the BMA and vendors, regulations caused trouble for vendors. The BMA cancelled the presence of 600 street vending areas from a total of 773 permitted areas, leading to fewer street vendors," said Kiettisak.
Folding boards with glued-on aluminium pot lids, aluminium trays, steel tables, steel doors and other objects are also on display. The artist chose square boards to represent the framework or rules of the BMA vendors have to adhere to.
"This installation presents how street vendors try to adjust to the framework or rules that BMA regulates. Thus, I created an installation surrounded by frames and lines. Each object can be separated from others, so they are easy to set up and display," the artist said.
The last piece resembles 'a pipe' made of varied containers. It is another installation which reflects how street vendors try to adjust to rules and regulations.
"It also represents how street vendors are low-income people, so they cannot purchase expensive equipment to use at stalls. We see them adapt with what they have," he said.
The problem of the street vendor business in Thailand also gained attention from an art organiser in Taiwan after Kiettisak sent a small installation from "Rules" as part of the "Haiku -- Sculpture 2021 International Exchange Exhibition For Asian Art Universities In Taiwan" last month.
"I sent an installation along with a short article and the organiser became interested in the problems street vendors face in Bangkok. They asked me to present my work through a video call and also asked me to write an article for the university journal. I wrote about my process from field research to the creation of installations. I was surprised to know that they were also interested in issues we have," Kiettisak said.
After Chadchart Sittipunt became Bangkok governor, many people have hope he can make the city better. Asked if the governor can solve the problems of the street vending business, Kiettisak said Chadchart has excellent potential, but the artist is not sure if the governor can solve this issue. "I am not sure if the governor can solve this issue, but he may help street vendors by including them in projects he is organising such as music in the park and an outdoor cinema fair. If street vendors can sell their products at these events without paying for their spaces, it will be great, but I have no idea if it can happen," he said.
Kiettisak admitted that the street vendors cause many problems such as obstructing traffic and hygiene issues, but many people rely on them for convenience and reasonable pricing. He hopes that "Rules" will encourage people to talk more about their issues.
"Many people such as office workers and labourers count on street food. If there are no street food vendors, people will be affected. I hope the exhibition will encourage people to become more interested in issues related to street vendors and work to find solutions together. Street vendors should not be evicted, but they should be organised properly. If there can be a public hearing on this issue, it would be fantastic," concluded Kiettisak.
"Rules" runs at Bangkok Art & Culture Centre until July 31. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/baccpage.
