MERCHANTS at the popular Kimyong Market in the southern Thai town of Hat Yai shut down the market today (March 3) to protest against a fee increase imposed by the market’s administrators, Prachachart Thurakit said.
They later marched to the Hat Yai Municipal Office demanding that the fee increase be reviewed.
The market administrators had earlier told the merchants that the monthly fee will be increased from 1,200 baht to 3,000 baht a month, drawing the ire of the merchants.
Hat Yai Mayor Prai Pattano said the existing fee collection rates are considered too low by the Office of the Auditor General, and the municipality must comply with the Office’s recommendation.
To solve the problem, he said, the Hat Yai Municipality Office will not increase the fee. Each trader, however, will now have to pay 4,500 baht a year in tax.
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Top: A vendor selling som tam (green payaya salad) at Hat Yai market.Photo: John Ragai (CC-BY-2.0)
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