Neighbours are burning plastic at night times.

[andy72]

its developing world low education 

 

happens everywhere regular as clockwork in India sunset light the garbage

& yes maybe its a mosquito thing to

but dumb 

 

you cant tell them

 

its Thailand dont start s..h..i..t 

 

if they don't get bored with it 

 

move its a <deleted>  compromise 

 

welcome its like living in a council estate in some areas in England 

 

it is what it is

 

human race dont you just love them

[talahtnut]

I stuck a bin in the road, to dump all the

plastic waste, me neighbours all use it,

and a lovely old lady comes with a trolley

every couple of days and carts it off. I give

her a glass of whiskey and a chat every time

and everyones happy.

Don't know your position, but if you can, it

might be more of a social solution, rather

than getting the law involved.

 

[cardinalblue]

Pure ignorance on the individual level and unfortunately the gov level whose job is to educate and change behavior...then comes enforcement and punishment 

[Ireland32]

On 6/21/2020 at 9:56 PM, 2 is 1 said:

Mostly neighbours are pain in butt! In our country side home other neighbour make charcoal and burn all carbage even there they pick up carbage every week! Other neighbour sing karaoke all day long and really loud. In city home they not pick up carbage from our soi and don't know why! Just who is in charge that one don't give a F. Reason neighbours burn they carbage every week. If don't want this kind problem from neighbour need to move condo and high lvl floor!

 

That’s the reason , I won’t build home , Neighbors 

[drbeach]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

You need to find a Thai to make a complaint to the local authority. In my experience they will talk to the neighbor. After a hiatus the neighbor will resume their toxic habits.

If you can't abide the noise and smells of life in Thailand you will have to move to somewhere remote, or to a country with enforceable laws against pollution.

Agreed; although this isn't just a Thai thing, it's 3rd world country mentality. As bad, if not worse, in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Possibly also Vietnam.

 

I think some activists are sorely needed (led by Thais) to bring this kind of issue to light. Burning toxic waste, is extremely selfish and low IQ behavior. What if batteries are incinerated? Explosion danger!

 

I've been telling my workers in Myanmar NOT to incinerate waste or even to throw it on the ground. I think they have mostly stopped burning non-organic waste, but their garbage still ends up outside the garbage can! You can tell them 20 times but they still don't get it. Granted, I'm not around often enough to drill it into them and I can't currently go there at all.

 

I think education is needed and you can't just blindly sit by and accept it. If one can speak Thai, and if I were the OP, there is a chance that talking to the neighbors about it nicely might bring about some positive results. If it continues to escalate, then call in the local authorities.

 

However, it also depends on where you live. If the OP lives in a country bumpkin village where every second neighbor has been burning their waste every second day since like forever, then moving might be a better option. Thai cities, or the outskirts of cities, tend to be better places where fires aren't lit. Certainly you don't get people burning their waste in upper middle class neighborhoods. Such actions are the domain of the poor.

 

I hope that Thailand gets strict with polluters. Yes, they do have laws on the books, which are quite strict. Yes, they have signs all over northern Thailand warning about the penalties of lighting forest fires. And yes, some people are fined or prosecuted, but I think the problem hasn't been adequately addressed since most firebugs can get away with it. Probably because the police are too unmotivated to do their jobs due to very low salaries. If the Thai police force was better paid, this would be less of an issue.

[drbeach]

1 hour ago, andy72 said:

its developing world low education 

 

happens everywhere regular as clockwork in India sunset light the garbage

& yes maybe its a mosquito thing to

but dumb 

 

you cant tell them

 

its Thailand dont start s..h..i..t 

 

if they don't get bored with it 

 

move its a <deleted>  compromise 

 

welcome its like living in a council estate in some areas in England 

 

it is what it is

 

human race dont you just love them

What I said too. But yes, you CAN and should tell them (read my other post)...though it doesn't have to involve a screaming match since that might not go down too well. Instead, I would enlist a Thai speaker to explain why burning is bad (need to emphasize the destructive health effects too). How the tiny burnt particles can destroy cells and get into the brain and contribute to the development of Alzheimer's or cause a stroke or heart disease. That will bring the message across.

 

The funny and ironic thing is - at the moment, authority loving hi-so Thais are on the internet going on about how Thais care about society and are not selfish because they are wearing face masks, which is a load of <deleted>. They ignore the inconvenient truth that in many ways, westerners are more considerate towards strangers and thus society, making us more "socialist" or "collectivist" in that sense.

 

Thais are more likely to believe in authority, but they only obey when they're threatened with draconian penalties. Otherwise it's "mak ngai" (take the easy road). I think that explains the nature of governance in this country (and most other developing Asian countries). Asian governments view their citizenry as stupid, and in need of some higher authority to do their thinking for them. They aren't expected to be personally responsible for their actions, although if one person f*cks up, the government collectively punishes everyone, like if one kid at school does something stupid, the whole class pays the price. In the west, we're moving in that direction, but generally speaking our governments don't treat us like children (although during the current times all bets seem to be off!)

Edited June 23, 2020 by drbeach

[jimn]

On 6/21/2020 at 9:56 PM, 2 is 1 said:

Mostly neighbours are pain in butt! In our country side home other neighbour make charcoal and burn all carbage even there they pick up carbage every week! Other neighbour sing karaoke all day long and really loud. In city home they not pick up carbage from our soi and don't know why! Just who is in charge that one don't give a F. Reason neighbours burn they carbage every week. If don't want this kind problem from neighbour need to move condo and high lvl floor!

 

Why do you keep replacing the badge on your Car for them to burn. If they burnt the badge on my car once that would be enough for me. Just so I know what does your Carbage look like? it must be quite something for your neighbours to keep burning it.

[Andycoops]

When you retaliate, make sure the wind is blowing in their direction.

It is highly unlikely they'll know you are doing it deliberately, in my experience anyway.

[robblok]

I guess it mainly depends where you live. Lived in a few places around BKK in gated villages now moving to a villa kind of place in BKK and no burning. 

 

Not so strange if you live away from BKK more rural. People are just less developed there. In the gated community i currently live we have trash collection every day. No burning at all. Though they do BBQ at times but that is about as worse as it gets. 

 

So don't blame all Thais blame yourself for living up country (though there are reasons to live up there instead of BKK area of course). But its not the same all over the country. The making of charcoal just does not happen in BKK area gated villages. 

[Chassa]

Do not inform the authorities - you could be shot!

[ChakaKhan]

Someone said they dont want to pay 250 for pickup---if YOU paid them would that work?

 

Another said a talk and trash can--I did that in vietam--they laughed at me and stole the trash can too

 

If you see a the burn pile during day, and they are not willing to stop maybe add something to that pile

so when it gets lit again there will be a surprise, of course Id do it the night before I moved out!  555

 

Do you have kids or someone that is getting "sick" as they sleep?  Thais tend to love those white babies!

 

Pray to buddha for heavy rain?  Biggest thing would be payback..welcome to the land of smiles!

[jak2002003]

Op is thinking too much. You can't expect your Thai neighbours to live according to your farang land rules ...

 

They are not doing it to annoy you. 

 

Thus is totally normal and acceptable behaviour here.

 

 

[Youlike]

The Thai burn plastic all over the country, they don't care one bit for other people.

[shy coconut]

15 hours ago, talahtnut said:

I stuck a bin in the road, to dump all the

plastic waste, me neighbours all use it,

and a lovely old lady comes with a trolley

every couple of days and carts it off. I give

her a glass of whiskey and a chat every time

and everyones happy.

Don't know your position, but if you can, it

might be more of a social solution, rather

than getting the law involved.

 

What does the old lady do with the waste? I hope she doesn't burn it!!

[Grumpy one]

We had a bar opposite where we live

2 times they decided to burn off all their rubbish including plastic.

2 calls to the police about the burning and presto bar is closed and no more fires

The cops seem to take complaints about burning rubbish serious, at least down here in Cha Am

[bodga]

Thais  dont  like ANY criticism even in the most  polite joking way, our  two  staff  left today over a trivial  issue, I  bought their  daughter a  Hamster 18  months ago and on leaving the girl aged  9 wanted to take it but the Father said NO, so childish its  unbelievable, they worked well until they got comfy then tailed right off.Wife asked them very  politely not to have 4  hours for  lunch.

This is what was  happening, we  told them start at 7 am work to 11 then have 2-3  hours for  lunch to stay out of the worst heat, then restart at  2 and work until 5. Slowly they would start at 2 then 2.30 then 3  then 3.30 and stop at 4.30,

It was  getting ridiculous and we had to say something.

She mentioned it very causally and friendly last  night, this  morning they said theyre  leaving.

Stupidity knows  no bounds with them, Id  just built them a brand new very nice  house as  well.

[shdmn]

22 minutes ago, bodga said:

Thais  dont  like ANY criticism even in the most  polite joking way, our  two  staff  left today over a trivial  issue, I  bought their  daughter a  Hamster 18  months ago and on leaving the girl aged  9 wanted to take it but the Father said NO, so childish its  unbelievable, they worked well until they got comfy then tailed right off.Wife asked them very  politely not to have 4  hours for  lunch.

This is what was  happening, we  told them start at 7 am work to 11 then have 2-3  hours for  lunch to stay out of the worst heat, then restart at  2 and work until 5. Slowly they would start at 2 then 2.30 then 3  then 3.30 and stop at 4.30,

It was  getting ridiculous and we had to say something.

She mentioned it very causally and friendly last  night, this  morning they said theyre  leaving.

Stupidity knows  no bounds with them, Id  just built them a brand new very nice  house as  well.

Can you explain what this situation is where you are building Thai employees houses?  Are you talking about live in servants doing your household chores or is this some sort of business or something?  Why are you building houses for them?

Edited June 24, 2020 by shdmn

[kuma]

On 6/23/2020 at 6:05 PM, White Tiger said:

My guess is they are completely clueless.

On this I have to agree. In this region, burning everything is a habit learned early, and there is little in the way of campaigns to discourage it, so for many locals it is what they have seen/done all their lives - and therein lies the problem....

[daveAustin]

7 hours ago, bodga said:

just built them a brand new very nice  house as  well.

There's your problem. Do/provide too much + over-familiarity toward staff often breeds contempt. Overpay etc can translate to recipient believing they are then worth more than the job you are paying them for, and so (though not always) take liberties.

[Sundown]

The thai maid of my neighbors used to burn stuff at evening. Nice lady I asked why she does that, she told me it's to keep mosquitos away. I was satisfied with the answer I don't know if I was stupid to believe that or if this is another scenario. 

[Wongkitlo]

4 hours ago, Sundown said:

The thai maid of my neighbors used to burn stuff at evening. Nice lady I asked why she does that, she told me it's to keep mosquitos away. I was satisfied with the answer I don't know if I was stupid to believe that or if this is another scenario. 

They have no education about mosquitoes.  Leaving water around causes mosquitoes. 

[bodga]

23 hours ago, shdmn said:

Can you explain what this situation is where you are building Thai employees houses?  Are you talking about live in servants doing your household chores or is this some sort of business or something?  Why are you building houses for them?

I  employed two  Thais man and wife with 9  year old daughter, they worked  well for the first year and  a  half  but the last 3-4  months the woman has started doing very  little. My Previous staff lived in a  very small 8ft x 8ft  bamboo   house and when this  family  arrived I said them that this  house was  really too  small for them. I said I would  build them a  new  house from blocks. This is  what Ive done  for them, from 2.4m 2 to 25m2 2  bed.

They take  care of my large  garden. I  bought the girl a  hamster for her birthday about 18  months  ago and  a bicycle as  well, she was a  nice enough kid. Anyway theyve gone left the hamster and the bicycle depsite the girl saying wheres  the hamster, Dad told her it wasn't hers, just childish almost as if "we  don't want any reminder of you" 

[bodga]

16 hours ago, daveAustin said:

There's your problem. Do/provide too much + over-familiarity toward staff often breeds contempt. Overpay etc can translate to recipient believing they are then worth more than the job you are paying them for, and so (though not always) take liberties.

Have  found they all do this after a certain time period, get comfortable get lazy and when  it gets mentioned simply run away. Their  loss not  mine, new  staff starting in 4  days.

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, bodga said:

Have  found they all do this after a certain time period, get comfortable get lazy and when  it gets mentioned simply run away. Their  loss not  mine, new  staff starting in 4  days.

Yes. They just turn up when they feel like it.