Under the last of the summer sun, Thai hawkers dish up noodle soups flavoured with garlic and coriander, and prepare spicy papaya salads to order by hand. The sea of women in floppy brimmed hats, cooking street food under multi-coloured umbrellas, looks straight out of Bangkok, but this is western Berlin. The mix of cultures and colours adds to the brightness of the sunshine and the city feels warmer for it. Thai Park, an open-air food market and popular tourist attraction usually wraps up at the end of October. But this year it is ending on a troubled note because the illegal market might not be allowed to resume in 2018. There are serious problems on the horizon, and the worry is clear to see on many faces.
Since August, Berlin officials have been discussing the market’s fate. For more than 20 years, Thais have congregated on the same stretch of green turf called Preussenpark, catching up and sharing traditional feasts. This is the way they did things back home. This is the way they have always done things. Passers-by caught whiffs of the authentic fare, from frying catfish and honey-dribbled banana fritters to sizzling pork and chicken satay, and began asking if they could buy some. Today, dozens of vendors peddle off picnic blankets and hand-woven mats, cooking with portable and disposable grills, in blatant disregard of regulations on health, safety and the use of public parks. The informality adds to the culinary experience, which is probably why street food is so enjoyable.
The Germans, however, are not very good at turning a blind eye. Rules are rules, and they are not in the habit of overlooking them. It’s just not in their genes, although, it has to be said, they have tried very hard. Until now district officials have done little more than conduct stony-faced visits – after all, Thai Park enjoys cult status after being featured in Berlin travel guides and foodie blogs over recent years. And tourism attractions are not something to be taken lightly.
But what started out as a small community get-together might only have itself to blame because it finally became too popular for its own good. This year, vendors flocked to the park on Fridays in addition to the usual Saturdays and Sundays due to the high demand. Mathias Heinrich, the publisher of Farang, a German magazine about Thailand, estimates that about 60,000 visitors descend upon the market every weekend, which is perhaps twice as many as last year. The word seems to have got around and it has not gone unheard.
The authorities say they don’t want to shut down the market, but would like to find a solution that meets food, hygiene and business standards. Surely, they argue, the situation can be managed in a way that suits all parties. However, supporters of the market are sceptical over whether it can continue under German bureaucracy, which is well-known for being rigid. There may be too much of a gulf between the carefree Thai people and the by-the-book Germans.
The district office won’t say how long it will take them to reach a decision, only that the process involves many different parties. But, as surely as night follows day, the authorities will make their move. Meanwhile, vendors are still keeping their fingers crossed that they’ll be able to set up next year. They have always felt that luck was on their side, and this is not the time to look at life in any other way. Many of the vendors are extremely concerned because working their patch in the park represents their only way of making a living, as well as giving them a chance to meet up with friends and enjoy their own culture. In hard times, this was a way of softening the pain of being away from home. The spectre of unemployment looms large for these charming and hospitable people.