Defining Street Vending Types

Following the diagram on ‘street vendors’ classification’, I thought it is important to define each street vending type.

Licensed- Street vendors who have obtain licenses to vend in a particular area. They usually pay tax to the government.

Squatting- Street vendors who have not obtain licenses to vend in a particular area or street vendors who do vending in the countries where street vending is illegal. They are usually subjected to harassment and are compelled to pay bribery to maintain their business. 

Stationary - Street vendors who stay and vend in a one place throughout the day (static vendors) or most of the day (semi-static vendors).

Picture By: Y. A. Yatmo

Picture By: Y. A. Yatmo

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   Picture By: Y. A. Yatmo
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

 Mobile – Street vendors who walk around the city to sell their goods and services. They can be fully mobile or partly mobile (they may stay and vend in a one place for a short period to time)

Picture By: Y. A. Yatmo

Picture By: Y. A. Yatmo

Picture By: Y. A. Yatmo

On-street – street vendors who vend beside the roads.

Off- street – Street vendors who vend in area like a local market.

Food item – Street vendors who particularly sell foods.

Non- food item – Street vendors who sell goods and services which are non-food. 

Street Venders' Classification

Different experts have categorized street vendors into different ways. Therefore, I wanted to create one platform that shows all different classifications and relations in between these classifications. The below given diagram is what I came up with after a literature review on Street Venders' Classification.

Street Vendors' Classification - Created by: Ishara.W

At Least Once In Your Life You May Have Bought Something From Them, But Did You Ever Care To Think About The Stories Behind Them?

Kuala Lumpur: Jalan Alor Street Vendors – Photo by: Don Thomas

        Along with the economic recession in 2009, it was predicted that 59 million people could lose their jobs, while 200 million people worldwide would live below $2 per day.  53 million would be added to absolute poverty.  In the same year, the World Bank stated that there would be a financial gap of $270-200 billion in developing countries (Reuter, 2009). As UNDP has stated developing Asian countries have a higher rate of informal employment. Moreover, it was expected that economic crisis would greatly impact on these informal sectors other than increasing the rate of unemployment (Chhibber, Ghosh & Palanivel, 2009). Some of these informal employers could be street vendors in India which counts up to 10 million of the total population (Bhowmik, 2005: 2256), hawkers from Dhaka city which counts up to 90,000 (Bhowmik, 2005: 2257), or any other street vendor from Asian cities who provide a great deal of service to the society.

Street Vendors have been integral part of our Asian city cultures for centuries. Street vending is one of the major self employments of urban poor. Not only the urban poor, but the large number of rural migrants with their indigenous products and resources also survive through street vending (Timalsina , 2011: 2). Street vending not only provides a source of income, but other kinds of services to urban society which neither municipalities nor the other companies can provide. They provide cheaper goods and services to the customers. A study shows that buyers of street foods in Thailand bought street food minimally once a day (Kusakabe, 2006:10). Informal economy which includes street vending tends to be the largest source of revenue for developing countries (Timalsina , 2011: 2). However, almost in every Asian country street vending is not a legal activity. Therefore, authorities do not recognize their contribution to the society and to the economy. They constantly face harassment (Timalsina , 2011: 3).

With the increasing rate of street vending, some issues have already emerged. They occupy the foot path of the streets which results in traffic congestions. Moreover, in these congestions hijackers and thieves try to get benefits and create social problems. The municipalities who are concerned about the city beautification complain against the pollution that street vendors create (Timalsina , 2011: 3)

Therefore, it is important to understand the real situation from both perspectives.  It becomes complicated because the context of street vending and urban governing changes according to the regions. ‘Street Vending in Asia’ will try to explore aforementioned information throughout our journey.