Policy Issues on Street Vending: An Overview of Studies in Thailand, Cambodia and Mongolia

Street vending and urban space for micro enterprises constitute an important policy theme that needs to be advanced further in development literature and policy. In many countries, urban space tends to be a highly political issue, involving many interests. Where street vendors are allowed to ply their trade—whether legitimately or not—they do so under inhospitable conditions, with no basic facilities, and under constant fear of harassment and damage to their goods. This report summarises findings from studies on street vending completed in the three countries covered by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID)-funded ILO Informal Economy, Poverty and Employment Project. This study characterises street vending in each of these countries and highlights the role of policies especially concerning the legal status of vendors, their social security, and allocation of urban space.