Stop Trashing Thailand! Tourists show the Thais how to pick up litter!

[LM405]

Sadly, I've seen trash dumped into clean beautiful forests and just about any random place filled with greenery. It's going to take a long time to teach the locals how to clean up after themselves. 

[welovethailand]

How can we pick up some of these rapists and pedofiles? That would be worth the time, and would make a nice difference.

This trash needs to be "taken out".

[MadMuhammad]

4 hours ago, keithkarmann said:

I have noticed that some people always believe that there is someone below them to clean up after them. They think that have that they have superiority and cleaning up their own mess is beneath them. Probably more noticeable in Thailand.

It seems to be an ingrained belief. I was eating with a Thai girl from Korat at Chatachuk bus terminal recently and after we had finished my meal I threw my trash in the bin, piled our bowls and cutlery together and gave the table where I had spilt food a very basic wipe over.

My Korat girl looked at me like I was weird and asked ‘why bother, we have people for that.” This girl is from the jungle in Khet Dan Khun living on the poverty line so I feel it reflects on the Thai attitude of someone else will do it. 

[welovethailand]

How can we pick up some of these rapists and pedofiles? That would be worth the time, and would make a nice difference.

This trash needs to be "taken out".

[Sakeopete]

Part of the problem is that before plastic bags and foam was introduced into Thailand people used banana leaf. Naturally people would toss them into the ditch with no environment impact. Unfortunately the habit didn't change after plastic replaced banana leaf.

[Cranky]

3 hours ago, brenchng said:

Somebody needs to start from somewhere.?? Thank you !!

True but where is he going to out it?  Unless he intends to take it home, pack it and take it back to Farangland it will end up in the bin so it can be emptied back in to the ocean eventually.  Thailand's idea of recycling

[HHTel]

'Trash Heroes' movement.  Mostly but not all are farangs.  They operate every week-end in Hua Hin and elsewhere.  They do a great job and the more it's in the face of the locals, then slowly their attitude just might change.

[Cranky]

I recently started using the reverse osmosis machines and save over 2,000 baht and save using several hundred water bottles - every single month.   Previously at least one 12-pack of 600 ml water bottles per day for family of 5.

 

That's 360 or so less a month - or a whopping 4,320 plastic bottles and 12 grand a year.

[Cranky]

Oops 24 grand a year even

[nickmondo]

stop wasting your time is my advice.

if they are not going to do anything about it, then dont worry about it.

if you pick it up for them, they will just continue to do it.

Its ok, the stupid farang will clean for me is what they will say.

Trash Heroes in Hua Hin are doing loads of work like this, but the next day, already loads of plastic and crap where they cleaned.

[The Teacher]

Well done to these two guy's, might not make much of a dent in the amount of rubbish, but should shame a few Thai Politicians into action possibly mind you. It shows us Falangs do care about the land of smiles 

[Cyclone88]

4 hours ago, connda said:

I wonder when the authorities become embarrassed enough that they start busting trash-collecting tourists for cleaning up Thailand without a work permit?

Thai Media:
"Tourist Can't Just Come To Thailand and Do What They Want - Like Picking Up Trash!!!"  <cut to horrified locals suffering from lose of face>

Was waiting for that.

 

The old work permit never ceases to enter the topic.

About time some grew up, it's getting more than boring.

[Justfine]

I cleaned a beach once. Do I get a free beer?

[johng]

3 hours ago, mercman24 said:

yes every thai *its not my problem* on beach road Jomtien,  there was a piece of wood in the road,(accident waiting to happen to the unwary) every single vehicle swerved to avoid it,(not my problem) i stopped my bike and removed the killer object to the sidewalk,i waited ages for the photo shoot.but sadly, no one took my pic. lol ,(still it stopped you reading tomorrow, ) * scooter rider killed by hitting an object in the road*

Are you sure the piece of wood wasn't  a warning ? of some hazard ahead (its the internationally recognised symbol ?)

 

 

[chrisinth]

3 hours ago, BigC said:

People

used to pick up plastic to sell for recycling. All that plastic in the seas is profit. For every 100 kilos of plastic is about 14 baht 

 

i know not much but plastic can be returned into gasoline. Can be used to tarmac roads. It is litturally a waist to throw away

100 kilos of plastic = 14 baht?

 

That is a lot of plastic bottles you are talking about there...........................

[toolpush]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 

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 compel 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 water in plastic bottles. At least not often. There are alternatives. Those damn bottles are a real culprit, when it comes to fouling the environment. What can we do, if we say we care? It is so easy to say it is all their fault. But, we are the only ones we can control on a daily basis, right?

I have been in lots of restaurants where the charge for a 3 baht (wholesale) bottle of water costs upwards of 40 baht. You say they are giving up a small profit?

 

[madusa]

Here are the reasons for the rubbish strewn all over the places in Thailand.

Number one: The average Thai works for peanuts, they slough their guts out and end of the day what do they get? Tell me what do they get? Would they care a "f;;K" about rubbish? They are mentally very angry with their boss, their government, all the rich people they see driving around in big cars, and worst of all criminals who cheated them and went overseas  live a good life there, even photos on facebook to show this lady shopping in London with her evil brother. Would you be happy in this state of mind to care about the cleanliness of the country? You live in a country where you get unemployment benefits, you get minimum wages, your Union fight for you in industrial dispute. What do they get? Nothing,  O.

Number Two: They also know if they organize any group to put things right in their working conditions they will end up in prison on false charges and worst may even disappear and their family wouldn't be able to find them. Would you think about rubbish on the streets with this sort of mental anguish on your mind? They put their priority on finding more money to feed their families right? Not priority in cleaning up the city or streets or sea beach. They say "fvvK the rubbish I have lot more problems than this little rubbish."

If you ask them do you think like that? Of course they are not stupid to say "ah yes, yes, exactly" they are not stupid so please don't ask them this sort of question. You can figure out what they think but you wouldn't be able to get a straight answer from them (especially not from a Thai national got me? Still don't get it? This special Thai mentality to protect themselves from shame or the want of "Face" is an ingrained character of Thais- no mistake about that) Other nationalities, Vietnamien, malaisen, may admit but not the thais.

Number Three:

Now they see Malaysia forms a new government through legitimate voting with very strong potential to reduce corruptions they are even more angry with the authority for keeping them down.

So please don't talk to them about rubbish until the Thais are happy with their choice of government and their lives then they will start cleaning up the country.

If you Farang want to live in a clean country please go to Japan, the whole country is like a hospital. I studied the language there- you will not be able to find another country cleaner than Japan. Oh, b4 I forget japanese children 2day have weak immunity due to lack of exposure to bacteria or dirt. "An Epidemic of Absence"

[johng]

8 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

100 kilos of plastic = 14 baht?

 

That is a lot of plastic bottles you are talking about there...........................

I think its more like 1 kilo is 14 baht...loads of scavengers around my area  scour the bins 4-5 times per day..anything of any value is soon taken away  plastics,glass,paper,wood,metal,batteries even old oil.

[johng]

13 minutes ago, madusa said:

and worst of all criminals who cheated them and went overseas  live a good life there, even photos on facebook to show this lady shopping in London with her evil brother.

If either one was allowed to come back and compete in free and fair elections...they would win.

 

16 minutes ago, madusa said:

Oh, b4 I forget japanese children 2day have weak immunity due to lack of exposure to bacteria or dirt. "An Epidemic of Absence"

Maybe they make up for it with "immunity to radiation" 

[khunPer]

16 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I am looked at like an alien if I deny a plastic bag and put things in a shopping bag brought with me (tales from the village market).

Just go on denying unnecessary plastic bags, after a while they'll know you're a weird alien and accept your strange un-Thai behavior – I talk from experience – after a while they might even realize that you're not that weird after all...?

[HHTel]

2 hours ago, Cranky said:

I recently started using the reverse osmosis machines and save over 2,000 baht and save using several hundred water bottles - every single month.   Previously at least one 12-pack of 600 ml water bottles per day for family of 5.

 

That's 360 or so less a month - or a whopping 4,320 plastic bottles and 12 grand a year.

Be very careful with those machines.  Recently, most of them failed the quality test because they were badly maintained.

Check who is responsible for the machine.

Check that they do change the filters regularly.

 

My wife will travel further than necessary to a machine that she knows is kept clean, filters changed etc.  She has spoken with the guy responsible and checked that he's doing his job.

[marquis22]

It would take a few million farang to clean up the whole of Thailand at that rate!

[kannot]

7 hours ago, keithkarmann said:

I have noticed that some people always believe that there is someone below them to clean up after them. They think that have that they have superiority and cleaning up their own mess is beneath them. Probably more noticeable in Thailand.

maybe from Bangkokonians but  in the  villages they  couldnt  give a  crap an throw it anyplace  they  can

[peperobi]

4 hours ago, Disillusioned farang said:

That is a very untrue and stupid statement ! My guess is you are still in the ‘honeymoon’ stage ! Lol

Only FYI, I'm here 23 years and believe me I saw a lot of peoples like you just kick out the trash anywhere. Stupid can be only the peoples that have nothing else to say! Congratulation!

[Winky Wilson]

It's sad to see all the trash piles scattered around Thailand. Thais have little desire which is part of being Buddist. Maybe this has something to do with it. Too much desire creates suffering. Maybe their attitude is .... My Ben Rai..Leave the trash..too much suffering.

[Rimbuman]

7 hours ago, ice4351 said:

There should be a national campaign to "Keep Thailand Clean and Beautiful"

So true!!! Make Thailand clean and beautiful again!

[Rimbuman]

1 hour ago, Winky Wilson said:

It's sad to see all the trash piles scattered around Thailand. Thais have little desire which is part of being Buddist. Maybe this has something to do with it. Too much desire creates suffering. Maybe their attitude is .... My Ben Rai..Leave the trash..too much suffering.

Many Thai desire money all the time, I see this every day.

[harleyd61]

[smew]

It would take all of the visitors combined clean up effort to make any gains to clean up Thailand.  Filthy country Thailand is becoming, why am I staying here?: wife and a son that’s why. 20 yrs here and: Thais lazy, selfish me only worries, have no respect for their own country always think that some one lower on the food chain scale should clean after them and collect their garbage. Not a single beach on this side of Thailand is clean enough to be swimming in. School teach no environmental values at all. So very sad, some one said: how do we know the schools are closed?: no new garbage around!

I am ashamed when my friends and family come to visit as I have no answer why there is so much garbage all around!

[osandpo]

Seem to be lots of holier than thou creeps trashing the Thais on here. I wonder how many of you ever show an example by picking up litter? 

I (and Thai friends) pick up beach litter everyday.

You see it here and overseas. I can assure you there’s just as much garbage on European beaches these days. Just google 2 minute beach clean and you’ll see it’s a worldwide problem