Thailand becoming ‘garbage bin of world’

[DM07]

2 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Don't believe that this policy has anything to do with environmental issues, it's nothing but a cost saving exercise by the hotels! 

At least it is being sold as being "eco friendly"!

[spidermike007]

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Who supervises the local administrative organizations? And do the local administrative organizations have the technical know-how to properly oversee private companies operating in their territory?

 

No one (properly) and no they don't.

 

Here in Koh Samui, the incinerator broke down 5-6 years ago and still has not been fixed. So, waste is collected (badly, but it is collected) and then put into landfills which grow and grow and grow. The last environmental measure that I heard of on Koh Samui was a plan to cover the landfill sites with a tarp so that people didn't see them.

 

This is a country-wide problem and needs a country-wide solution of investment, education and infrastructure.

 

But, I ain't holding my breath.

 

Hmm... that isn't right; sometimes I have to hold my breath...

 

 

And the ugly, inconvenient and incredible truth, is that there is more than enough money to fix the incinerator. But, it is being spent by the mayor, on his personal desires and needs. Samui has long been a lawless land. For an island as gorgeous as it is, it is such a pity that few want to take responsibility for taking care of it.

[spidermike007]

A change in consciousness must start at the most basic level. Most Thais think plastic is the best thing ever invented, and the percentage of Thais that even consider the negative ramifications of plastic is incredibly small. This requires some education. I always do two things to avoid the consumption of plastic.

 

1. I bring re-usable bags with me every time I go shopping. I use the larger shopping bags I buy in the US, which are made of recycled materials. Most of the clerks have to be dealt with. Even when they see my bag, they still start putting the stuff in plastic. I always mai sai toom. No plastic! Then they start loading up my bag. Most look at me like I am from Mars. Do I care? Not one iota. About 1% thank me, and get it. Not many do. My Thai wife does not like bringing the bags to the store. I force her to. By now, she expects it, and sometimes even asks if I have any bags in the car, or on the motorbike. Same with the water bottles. It used to embarrass her. Now, it is second nature, as I have been doing this for so long, she expects it. So, if a Thai can be conditioned to follow these simple principals, then anyone can. 

 

2. I bring a bottle of water with me, every time I go to a restaurant. I refill my plastic bottles from the 20 liter bottles at home. It is easy. I never buy bottled water at a restaurant. This saves 300-600 bottles a year. I use a plastic bottle dozens of times. I never get any flack from the restaurants. Only once did someone say something to me. She said you cannot bring you own water. My response was if you serve the water in a glass bottle, and I do not have to consume a plastic bottle, I am happy to pay for that. She was lost. I told her to leave and get me my food. She went away. 

We simply cannot say we are concerned about the environment, and then do nothing about it. Action demonstrates commitment. Lack of action demonstrates nothing. 

 

Lastly, restaurants can demonstrate their commitment, by serving drinking water from the 20 liter bottles. It saves alot of plastic. They lose a small amount of revenue, by not selling thousands of bottles of water. But, their operation is still profitable, and they are making a real difference. There really is not need to be consuming plastic water bottles. At least not often. There are alternatives. Those damn bottles are a real culprit, when it comes to fouling the environment. 

 

There are many things we can do, if we say we really care.

 

[bluesofa]

20 minutes ago, kentrot said:

This video on June 7th Thaivisa.com  posting states the problem clearly. But the solution appears to be slow in coming. 

 

https://news.thaivisa.com/article/21534/video-bbc-report-on-thailands-plastic-problem

This goes directly to the plastic bag report:

https://www.facebook.com/BBCThai/videos/2102260999994929/

(hope it's OK to link directly?)

 

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 

{snipped} Lastly, restaurants can demonstrate their commitment, by serving drinking water from the 20 liter bottles. It saves alot of plastic. They lose a small amount of revenue, by not selling thousands of bottles of water. But, their operation is still profitable, and they are making a real difference. There really is not need to be consuming plastic water bottles. At least not often. There are alternatives. Those damn bottles are a real culprit, when it comes to fouling the environment. 

 

While I really do agree with everything in your post, I would imagine the problem is the perception by people that a sealed plastic bottle for their use only is more hygienic than a glass filled with drinking water.

 

If that attitude (whether genuine or an attempt at appearing aloof) can be overcome, I think it will go a long way to accepting the use of water from the 20 litre bottle.

 

[tigermoth]

4 hours ago, poanoi said:

hoping for a bio-degradable watertight bag that will break down within a year,

thailand salvation

There is to much of big business invested in the plastic manufacturing industry and although biodegradable plastic has been around for quite some years it is supressed by big business who already have trillions invested in the current industry.

[spidermike007]

11 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

While I really do agree with everything in your post, I would imagine the problem is the perception by people that a sealed plastic bottle for their use only is more hygienic than a glass filled with drinking water.

 

If that attitude (whether genuine or an attempt at appearing aloof) can be overcome, I think it will go a long way to accepting the use of water from the 20 litre bottle.

 

There may be something to that. But, I was referring to taking personal responsibility, and bringing our own bottle, refilled at home, from our 20 liter bottle. I always bring water to restaurants, and whenever I go out I bring a bottle, so that I not have have to buy one, therefore consuming another bottle of plastic. It is starting to be a bit painful buying a bottle of water, knowing where that bottle might end up. 

[marko kok prong]

so what i gather from the article is they are going to build many small incinerators which will be unable financially to filter /capture the toxins released by the burning. I doubt this will be an issue for many Thai's who seem to enjoy the smell of burning plastic. I would not place much trust either in the bigger plants,maintenance is generally not high on the agenda here.

[SpeakeasyThai]

I'm no environmental expert but the one thing i find remarkable is i hardly ever see a public rubbish bin. No wonder it's all just thrown anywhere and everywhere. Apart from convience stores that have them, I see nothing else in the way, shape or form of waste bins.

The Thai people need educating regarding dropping litter aswell. Sadly, that would be like pushing a grand piano up a steep incliff to get that message through. .... sigh.

[Wake Up]

Outside of India and parts of China - Rome is the dirtiest city in the world making Bangkok look clean and beautiful. So if Thais are 3rd world people, Romans are even worse. Having said that I don’t think Thais or Romans are 3rd world people. I also choose to not  live in India, China or Rome and complain daily on their countries expat forums. 

[SpeakeasyThai]

51 minutes ago, SpicyMeatball said:

Thailand disgusts me. People are so ignorant, careless, irresponsible, lazy & indignant. 

Where do you come from?

(I bet you won't reply to the question with the answer)

[lazeeboy]

I've been living in Thailand coming up 25 years mainly on Samui and have watch the island gradually become a slum leave the confines of the 3:4 star hotel and it really is a shit hole .this was a gradual thing not an over night thing .I see people in pickups with backs full of rubbish just pull up and dump there load because no one collects there rubbish .there is no easy solution to this 1 St the government needs to employ more dustman 2 ND charge everyone living on the island Thai and farang a set amount of say 20 baht which would cover the increase in costs of employing more workers 3rd fix the in cinerator to get the money to fix this go to every hotel and guest shop and business to pay a monthly figure without exception failure to pay take away there business license.5 th employ 3 or 4 overseer's to collect said monies 6 t check said collectors to make sure they do there job and don't run away with the money .maybe a charge against there property or car like banks do .lastly get the government to stop stealing the money and clean up this shit hole ...

[Artisi]

10 minutes ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

Where do you come from?

(I bet you won't reply to the question with the answer)

Probably from Utopia where everything is perfect. 

[Happyman58]

Drive through Ubonratchathani you think you are driving through a rubbish dump. There is rubbish everywhere. Thais have never been taught to put rubbish in bins Just throw it on the ground so easy. Then again you don't see too many rubbish bins put out by the local authorities. In our village, we have an area where you can take your rubbish and the truck comes and picks it up a Great idea. They have many blue bins there and easy to put the rubbish in But wait for it? The Thais are so Goddam lazy to lift their arms to put the rubbish in the bins they just throw it in front of the bins. So the bins are empty and the rubbish is piled against them. I suppose you can understand the Thai men would be awfully tired after a hard day laying the hammocks Sometimes you just bloody wonder 

[Artisi]

3 minutes ago, lazeeboy said:

I've been living in Thailand coming up 25 years mainly on Samui and have watch the island gradually become a slum leave the confines of the 3:4 star hotel and it really is a shit hole .this was a gradual thing not an over night thing .I see people in pickups with backs full of rubbish just pull up and dump there load because no one collects there rubbish .there is no easy solution to this 1 St the government needs to employ more dustman 2 ND charge everyone living on the island Thai and farang a set amount of say 20 baht which would cover the increase in costs of employing more workers 3rd fix the in cinerator to get the money to fix this go to every hotel and guest shop and business to pay a monthly figure without exception failure to pay take away there business license.5 th employ 3 or 4 overseer's to collect said monies 6 t check said collectors to make sure they do there job and don't run away with the money .maybe a charge against there property or car like banks do .lastly get the government to stop stealing the money and clean up this shit hole ...

I agree, first trip to Samui was probably 22 years ago, even then not too impressed, second trip (forced on me) about 10 years back, just reconfirmed my previous thoughts and it had deteriorated to an even worse state - can just imagine what it's like now. 

[cardinalblue]

Nothing wrong with wanting to invite garbage as a business...it needs to properly managed with vision...thailand lacks management and visionary skills so not a good investment...

 

ones needs to have their own house in order and evidence suggests thailand does a horrible job of managing it own garbage and waste...

[tonyjimmac]

I really think the girls and boys on the check-outs at our local Tesco Lotus must have been trained never to use one plastic bag but as many as possible. I have seen three or four bags used for fewer than a dozen small items. No wonder the ditches lining every country lane and road are knee deep in discarded plastic...

[cardinalblue]

Many Folks here are complaining about the huge litter problem thailand has...

 

that is a different topic than commercial waste management as a business  what the author is addressing 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

This woman clearly needs her thinking adjusted in one of Big T's camps, then to leave her purse in the back of an honest taxi driver's cab, to be returned and widely reported, so we can all get back to normal.

[welovethailand]

I've been saying this for years. But now it seems when ever I comment, I get banned for a few days. All that grabage from other countries thats being dumped here is a crime. But, if you have money to spend, then, you can create more garbage while your here. 

Just my opinion....hope that helps.

[Aussieroaming]

9 hours ago, ukrules said:

They will probably arrest this woman due to some <deleted> up defamation law.

Rubbish

[ChaoDangChard]

very happy to see some more focus on this area. It a huge problem, thats only growing bigger every day

[sambum]

2 hours ago, tonyjimmac said:

I really think the girls and boys on the check-outs at our local Tesco Lotus must have been trained never to use one plastic bag but as many as possible. I have seen three or four bags used for fewer than a dozen small items. No wonder the ditches lining every country lane and road are knee deep in discarded plastic...

It's been mentioned a few times before, but if they started charging 5 baht per bag, that problem would almost certainly disappear quite quickly!

[SunsetT]

10 hours ago, ezzra said:

'Thailand becoming ‘garbage bin of world’

As far as undesirables, crooks and criminal residing here concerns, IT IS already the garbage bin of the world....

.......Full of white trash............?!

[khunPer]

Waste to energy can indeed be done as both an efficient and clean process, just read this...

ARC, Copenhill / Amager Bakke, Copenhagen, Denmark - Waste-to-energy plant with multiple purposes.

 

Quote

Energy efficient – clean air plant

Lars Juel Rasmussen is proud to build a plant that utilizes more than 100% of the fuel’s energy content, has a 28% electrical efficiency rate, reduces sulphur emissions by 99.5%, and minimizes NOx emissions to a tenth, compared to the former plant. The NOx-reduction is enabled due to a flue gas cleaning technology, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), which we will install in cooperation with the catalyst manufacturer Haldor Topsøe. This is the first installation of SCR in a Danish waste-to-energy plant. Hence, ski enthusiasts need not to worry about the air quality at the slope on the operating plant.

“State of the art technology at Amager Bakke has an incredibly high environmental performance. Not least because the plant makes full and efficient use of the energy contained in the waste. It is possible to process all types of waste as fuel and still obtain a high level of energy recovery. For instance, we are able to use the organic fraction contained in the waste very efficiently,” says Ole Hedegaard Madsen.

Quote

Superb efficiency and recovery of material resources

This is how efficient the technology of the Copenhill plant is:

400,000 tons of waste a year result in: 

 

• 99% energy efficiency.
• District heating for 160,000 households.
• Electricity for 62,500 households.
• 100 million litres of spare water recovered through flue gas condensation.
• 90% reuse of metals from waste amounting to 10,000 tonnes of metal a year.
• 100,000 tonnes of bottom ash reused as road material which saves large amounts of gravel.

?

[lvr181]

3 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

Many Folks here are complaining about the huge litter problem thailand has...

 

that is a different topic than commercial waste management as a business  what the author is addressing 

Agreed.

 

BUT the kingdom's Government has a history of not learning or willingness to learn from other countries experiences or technologies and applying them (maybe with some modification) to Thailand's "problem" areas! It appears that a lack of high order, critical thinking is missing in the country's rulers and they continue trying to re-invent the wheel, always with their heads buried in the sand!

Plenty of talking/promises happens! But very little measurable success occurs. Ebola cure comes to mind and water management, now the 'latest' push to address the dreadful road trauma - not going to happen! I'm sure TV posters can think of many other examples of farcical failures.

 

The Government, one day will learn that you can fool some of the people all the time or all of the people some of the time but NEVER can you fool all the people all the time! But they are not going to fool most of the rest of Asia and hardly anyone of the western world - should westerners have any real interest in this little country (apart from a military alliance perspective). There are some articulate educated people in the kingdom but unless they belong to the elitist ruling class their contributions would probably amount to little, because the elite fail to duly recognise and listen to them.

 

The PM and his political/Army cronies need to stop acting like petulant children, with their little hissy fits, and dig deep to drive Thailand to become a successful modern state that will benefit ALL Thais, not just the privileged few.

 

And now, back to the commercial waste management business......................  

[Cake Monster]

It is totally incorrect to call Thailand " The Garbage Bin of the World "

A bin has rubbish thrown INTO it

The Thais are on the inside of the" Bin " throwing out the rubbish

[akampa]

12 hours ago, Get Real said:

As long as there is no possibility to get people to follow rules regulary, there is no positive future for anything.

This also applies to  drivers not following rules of the road.

[SOTIRIOS]

...very misleading headline...hope that is not the nonsense printed in the Thai papers...

 

....foreign-bashing......and now world-bashing....???

 

...utterly insane....

[xtrnuno41]

What is unrecyclable waste? Iron, copper aluminimum, gold, all metals you can use again and i thought they are already inThailand. Urban mining, gets you quite some money.

Old clothes can be manufactured again, making for instance isolation blankets (homes)

Old oil, frying or car, paper, rubber can be reused.

Biological waste can be turned into fertilizer. Also the many wood and plants they burn for recovering land. You can make active carbon of it and spread it on the land, it holds minerals valuable for plants so crops. 

Glass as making new glass bottles and so on.

PET bottles , they can be renewed over and over again. In Holland there is a big PET recycle factory.

Maybe the man should look at series like "how do they do it" or similar series, have some university students/graduates  have studies abroad on how to recycle.

With the technology of today we can do way much more than ever.

 

What about water? you have RO installations with uv- sterilization which can provide super clean water from any water. If your water system (pipes ) can handle (keep it clean) it saves Thailand about billions of plastic bottles.

7 million tons of garbage not disposed properly ! Well let Thai work and have big garbage trucks collect all from the people to handle ! Many places where people have to handle it themselves so they just throw it around or burn it.

 

Fact is Thailand and more countries in the east, for instance Indonesia,  are too lazy to handle.

I see again the Koh Samui incinerator, still not working.

I wouldnt be surprised if Thai people import garbage and throw it around, easy money.

A mafia dont care about a thing but them selves. WOnder how many barrels of toxic waste is laying in the ground of Thailand.  

 

There are more countries lacking waste, as you can see the movies like Pakistan or what ever, as they are demolishing ships on the beaches. Ships not wanted anymore and only for scrap.

If you see those movies , you think <deleted>, oil, chemicals and other shit spread all over into the sea.

People "working" there unprotected, as it is  cheap for the companies to get rid of their ships, while the workers die for a pennie.