Local residents dive in to clean filthy Patong canal

By Waranya Prompinpiras

 

Patong council worker Theeraphong Penmit cleans the canal every day after owrk, and his friends join him on Sundays. Photo: ’Storm Garbage’ / Facebook

 

PHUKET:-- Tired of no action from officials, one local resident in Patong has spearheaded a campaign to carry out his own ongoing clean-up of the Pak Bang Canal, which empties into Patong Bay at the southern end of the beach.
 

The campaign, which sees local residents clearing litter from the canal and washed up strewn along the banks, follows the initiative of Theeraphong Penmit, who works for the Patong Municipality Division of Sanitary Works, failing to get any action taken to get the canal cleaned up.

 

“My house is near Kalim Beach, but I drove my boat to be repaired at Pak Bang Canal in December. That’s when I saw that the canal had a lot of trash both floating in the water and along the banks,” Mr Theeraphong explained.

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/local-residents-dive-in-to-clean-filthy-patong-canal-71116.php#xU9s7lfXkR2wAAvJ.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2019-04-16

Patong’s trash hero rewarded for collecting garbage in filthy canal

By The Thaiger

 

PHOTOS: Patong Police / Theeraphong Penmit / Newshawk Phuket

 

A Phuket boy has been rewarded after setting an excellent example for the rest of the Patong community.

 

8 year old Kosin Ta-ngam, who is studying at Sai Nam Yen School in Patong in Pratom Suksa Three, has been collecting garbage in the filthy Pak Bang Canal and along Patong Beach since the beginning of this year.

 

He lives with his grandmother and other relatives. His grandmother has been looking after Kosin since he was 10 months old.

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/patongs-trash-hero-rewarded-for-collecting-garbage-in-filthy-canal

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-04-16

Perhaps they need TAT to get involved here as it is in a high tourist area. TAT Trash Authority of Thailand.

2 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

Perhaps they need TAT to get involved here as it is in a high tourist area. TAT Trash Authority of Thailand.

Looks like the kid could run the real TAT single-handed.

I just hope he doesn't absorb the bullshitting that TAT are renowned for.

Brave little fella...

Just now, bluesofa said:

Looks like the kid could run the real TAT single-handed.

I just hope he doesn't absorb the bullshitting that TAT are renowned for.

I was more concerned with why his parents and the "authorities" allow an 8 year old to be swimming in "the filthy Pak Bang Canal". Good on the boy for trying, shame on the adults for allowing it.

Just now, ratcatcher said:

I was more concerned with why his parents and the "authorities" allow an 8 year old to be swimming in "the filthy Pak Bang Canal". Good on the boy for trying, shame on the adults for allowing it.

The 'adults' probably have no idea of what dangers lurk in the water.

 

Well, hopefully, they will never allow a river in Thailand to get like this, although I've heard some keep trying.

https://www.google.com/search?q=most+polluted+river+in+indonesia&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzhvrG4dThAhW1_XMBHfBAAdQQ_AUIDigB&biw=1280&bih=590

Would it not help if a net were to be dropped across the location and pulled up and emptied a couple of times a day?  Simple and effective but maybe beyond reasonable thinking for some people.  That way the boy can collect what he needs to earn some money by selling the bottles, etc. on to the local scavenger.

'nuf sed.

17 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

I was more concerned with why his parents and the "authorities" allow an 8 year old to be swimming in "the filthy Pak Bang Canal". Good on the boy for trying, shame on the adults for allowing it.

Perhaps the parents are recyclers (soi scavengers) and encourage his contribution to the families income.... I notice no non recyclable rubbish in the lads treasure trove, and note also that my rubbish is ransacked weekly for these exact items

6 hours ago, farcanell said:

Perhaps the parents are recyclers (soi scavengers) and encourage his contribution to the families income.... I notice no non recyclable rubbish in the lads treasure trove, and note also that my rubbish is ransacked weekly for these exact items

Good points. We live in the country but are fortunate to have a garbage pick up once a week. We practice plastic, glass, metal recycling and the rest goes in the truck or compost.

Since there is still a lot of poverty in the country, plastic bottles and cans rarely last long by the roadside as pickers are always on the lookout to make a few satang. The areas around Phichit are relatively clean except for the odd pile of construction drywall etc that mysteriously gets dropped off when no-one's looking.