Disrespecting Crown Property

[Tofer]

It has occurred to me that the public spaces, roads and verges, coastlines, territorial waters, etc. are (I assume) considered Crown property, and as such the people littering these areas are, in fact, disrespecting Crown property and, by association, disrespecting the Royal Family. I was under the impression disrespecting the King was the worst offence possible in this country.

 

Obviously the Thais are well aware of the problem as we see droves of local people crawling around on their hands and knees cleaning up the rubbish discarded along the roadsides whenever a member of the Royal family are visiting the area.

 

Is there no way the authorities can get this across to the general populace and some elements of tourists? A simple signage and TV campaign would, IMO, perhaps make a considerable difference, if it were impressed upon people that littering is disrespecting the King, or do you consider that a stretch too far. Plus a system of fines and rewards for evidence against offenders, providing of course that suitable receptacles are provided and adequate refuse disposal facilities are established.

 

Perhaps the schools should introduce a monthly clean up campaign, and get the children out once a month to pick up the rubbish around their area. After all they already do it within school grounds, but this is probably a cheap labour solution as opposed to an educational exercise, pardon my cynicism.

 

They are killing the goose that lays the golden egg - 'tourism', slowly but surely! I frequently hear tourists remarking on the rubbish spoiling a beautiful country.

 

In our area, Krabi, there are many millions of baht being spent on roads, bridges, airports etc. to improve infrastructure and access to the area for visitors. Is it beyond their comprehension that people do not want to visit an unkempt area?, however much easier it is to get there.

 

Wouldn't a campaign to clean up the rubbish and provide suitable refuse receptacles and refuse disposal facilities be a worthy cause in the name of the King?

 

It certainly appears nothing else is going to educate or shame them into action.

 

I appreciate it is not the only place in the world with this problem, but quite a few countries have made serious inroads into solving it. Thailand appears to be doing nothing on a major scale.

 

Please no replies from members who consider this to be Thai bashing, it's not, I only hope that someone will read this post who has the connections to actually start a campaign / make a difference, for the benefit of all residents / visitors both Thai and foreign.

 

To those critics who may think I'm just a complainer, I'm not, I regularly clean the beach and the roadside in front of our property, filling bin bags on each occasion, quite disgusting actually, especially when I often pick up used / disposable nappies which have floated down the coastline from the residents in the stilt houses on the sea front. It is quite ironic that the builders who are constructing a resort nearby to us are the worst offenders, when they go to the shop past our property and return discarding their bags, wrappers and drinks cans/bottles along the way, I only hope that the owners are as concerned as we are and clean up their beachfront and roadside. Also the amount of rubbish that gets flung out of passing car windows is quite disturbing.

 

Pray let there be Thai members on this site who have a voice and can spread the word.

[mick220675]

I can sens your frustration Tofer, I also spend my time picking up rubbish from the front of our house and from around my wife's shop. 

 

Some things in Thailand change very slowly, it took years for the dog meat cars to be stopped. The crazy burning and rubbish dumping is still going on despite the last kings efforts to educate citizens about the need to protect the environment.

 

My daughters school dose educate students about the environment, but when they return home to see mum and dad dumping rubbish everywhere  and burning every thing they can, its going to be slow progress.

[Tofer]

5 hours ago, mick220675 said:

I can sens your frustration Tofer, I also spend my time picking up rubbish from the front of our house and from around my wife's shop. 

 

Some things in Thailand change very slowly, it took years for the dog meat cars to be stopped. The crazy burning and rubbish dumping is still going on despite the last kings efforts to educate citizens about the need to protect the environment.

 

My daughters school dose educate students about the environment, but when they return home to see mum and dad dumping rubbish everywhere  and burning every thing they can, its going to be slow progress.

Indeed, it probably will be a very slow process. Sadly it's likely I will be a forgotten memory by then!

Edited February 13, 2018 by Tofer

[Golden Triangle]

I don't know how long you have been living here Tofer but maybe like me you have a few Thai friends or relatives even, why not get someone to either take pics or a video of you doing your cleaning up after the lazy gits have dumped it outside your house or wherever and post it to your FaceBook account, that way all your Thai friends & relatives get to see what you have to do every day to keep your neighbourhood and maybe the penny will drop with them and they will think, Hey I shouldn't do that  A long shot I know but worth a go, these things go viral sometimes.

 

It is unfortunately a perennial problem here, I agree with your sentiment about TV and radio ads, not sure about the land belonging to the king ( public spaces, roadsides and such) 

 

Good luck with your campaign, I'm with you all the way mate. 

 

 

[Tofer]

23 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

I don't know how long you have been living here Tofer but maybe like me you have a few Thai friends or relatives even, why not get someone to either take pics or a video of you doing your cleaning up after the lazy gits have dumped it outside your house or wherever and post it to your FaceBook account, that way all your Thai friends & relatives get to see what you have to do every day to keep your neighbourhood and maybe the penny will drop with them and they will think, Hey I shouldn't do that  A long shot I know but worth a go, these things go viral sometimes.

 

It is unfortunately a perennial problem here, I agree with your sentiment about TV and radio ads, not sure about the land belonging to the king ( public spaces, roadsides and such) 

 

Good luck with your campaign, I'm with you all the way mate. 

 

 

Thanks for the support and suggestion, but I'm a bit camera shy. Also might get done for working....555