Why do Thais burn leaves and branches?

[RamenRaven]

Not complaining but just want to understand the reasons behind burning fallen leaves and branches. I grew up as a city dweller and had never seen intentional plant matter burning (except for campfires) until I came to Thailand.

 

I heard that burning is supposed to improve soil fertility, but I always see Thais burning leaves and branches in little piles. It's not swidden farming meant to fertilize soil since the ashes are not spread all over the orchards and gardens. You just see very concentrated piles of gray ashes by the roadside.

 

Why burn dry leaves every few days? I don't see anything wrong with leaving fallen leaves out the way they are.

Edited May 12, 2022 by RamenRaven
typo

[BritManToo]

Because they can.

[RamenRaven]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Because they can.

In the West, we're used to the notion of romantic autumn leaves. No one would ever think of regularly burning autumn leaves every few days. Why would anyone do such a thing?

 

Do Thai households burn leaves simply to keep their gardens looking clean and leafless? I'm trying to understand the logic behind it.

 

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, RamenRaven said:

I'm trying to understand the logic behind it.

There's your mistake.

[djayz]

I have given up trying to understand this. I believe, rightly or wrongly, it is purely out of habit. This is what they have being doing for generations and it's not going to change in our lifetime. Initially, when I started collecting fallen leaves, twigs, grass cuttings, etc. for my compost pile in the back garden, my better half looked befuddled. Now, years later, she collects food scraps and dumps them on her own little compost heap. I really do believe they don't see the long term benefits of composting leaves/leaving them to break down where they fall.   

[rott]

They probably get bored eating them. 

[ThailandRyan]

I still burn the piles that have been raked up and the downed limbs on the properties in the US, because I can.  Of course there are only certain times and days you can burn there.  You do have to call to see if it is a burn day.

 

However, everyday here is a burn day whether it is in the farming area, or in the city such as BKK.  This morning I watched from my balcony as one of the homeowners down below burned a pile of leaves he had collected from his driveway, walkways after yesterdays wind and rainstorm.

[farmerjo]

A lot do it in the cold season waiting for the monks to arrive.

Otherwise i don't know,maybe cheapest way to clean yard or worried snakes could blend in.

[RamenRaven]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I still burn the piles that have been raked up and the downed limbs on the properties in the US, because I can.  Of course there are only certain times and days you can burn there.  You do have to call to see if it is a burn day.

 

However, everyday here is a burn day whether it is in the farming area, or in the city such as BKK.  This morning I watched from my balcony as one of the homeowners down below burned a pile of leaves he had collected from his driveway, walkways after yesterdays wind and rainstorm.

But, what is the logic behind burning all of it?

 

Not cricitizing anyone. Just trying to understand why.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by RamenRaven

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, RamenRaven said:

But, what is the logic behind burning all of it?

 

Not cricitizing anyone. Just trying to understand why.

 

If you have no way to compost it, or don't wish to pay to have it hauled off then you burn it and then the ash provides for nutrients when you shovel it into your soil around your bushes and such.  If you do not remove the detriment of leaves and such then it just piles up and creates a haven for insects and such as well as blowing around and clogging up the drain systems.  Now on the farm I grew up on we had huge burn piles, and after burning them we would use the tractor to spread it over the barren top soil before we ploughed.  Here in Thailand my ex-wife's family does just that, yet the sugar cane field burning is just a mess as well and contributes to the air pollution.  Look at Ching Mai as an example.....

[The Hammer2021]

We frequently  burnt leaves  and branches in the UK. The smelling of burning leaves is an autumn memory. Its an easy and natural way of tidying  up  and creates useful products such  as potash for the garden

[RamenRaven]

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

If you have no way to compost it, or don't wish to pay to have it hauled off then you burn it and then the ash provides for nutrients when you shovel it into your soil around your bushes and such.  If you do not remove the detriment of leaves and such then it just piles up and creates a haven for insects and such as well as blowing around and clogging up the drain systems.  Now on the farm I grew up on we had huge burn piles, and after burning them we would use the tractor to spread it over the barren top soil before we ploughed.  Here in Thailand my ex-wife's family does just that, yet the sugar cane field burning is just a mess as well and contributes to the air pollution.  Look at Ching Mai as an example.....

Thanks for the explanation.

 

I've never seen anyone burn leaves in the US because I've only seen suburbs where no one would even know that leaves can actually be burned. Neighbors would likely call the cops or firefighters at the slightest hint of any smoke.

 

How does burning in Thailand differ from burning on US farms? Like what you would do with the burnt pile afterwards.

 

[KhunLA]

27 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Of course there are only certain times and days you can burn there.  You do have to call to see if it is a burn day.

Why I left that nanny <deleted>hole state.  Borough actually telling me how high I'm allow to grow my lawn.   I'll mow the lawn, when I get around to it.  This a single house with NO neighbors on the same street, both sides for 50+ meters.

 

They actually came out to cut it, twice.  Wasn't a third time, as I hammered a few pieces of rebar in the lawn after the first time ... ????

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, RamenRaven said:

Thanks for the explanation.

 

I've never seen anyone burn leaves in the US because I've only seen suburbs where no one would even know that leaves can actually be burned. Neighbors would likely call the cops or firefighters at the slightest hint of any smoke.

 

How does burning in Thailand differ from burning on US farms? Like what you would do with the burnt pile afterwards.

 

The guy down below my condo, after he burned the pile just washed the ash away with his hose and onto his lawn, as he had burned the pile in his driveway, he now has a nice black area from where the burned pile was.....guess he just doesn't give a feces......Not sure what many of those that burn their trash and leaves do with the remains.  I know many folks that burn the branches, actually turn them into charcoal for cooking by burning them in a 55 gallon drum and put the lid on it so it does not burn completely.

[Mac Mickmanus]

15 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

We frequently  burnt leaves  and branches in the UK. The smelling of burning leaves is an autumn memory. Its an easy and natural way of tidying  up  and creates useful products such  as potash for the garden

I don't think you are allowed to do that anymore , it causes a nuisance to the neighbors 

[RamenRaven]

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Why I left that nanny sh!thole state.  Borough actual telling me how high I'm allow to grow my lawn.   I'll mow the lawn, when I get around to it.  This a single house with NO neighbor on the same street, both sides for 50+ meters.

 

They actually came out to cut it, twice.  Wasn't a third time, as I hammered a few pieces of rebar in the lawn after the first time ... ????

Want to change your front door or paint your house purple? You'll be destroying the character of the neighborhood and will get lectured, fined, and forced to make your house exactly the same as every other McMansion.

 

Some suburban homeowners have even been hassled for growing edible plants in their yards.

 

No loitering in front of your own house in hip-hop attire, or else the paranoid neighbors would call the cops because of a neighborhood watch mandate.

 

But in Thailand, you can burn all you want, let the dogs loose, dump Chang beer bottles all over your front yard, play loud music, park motorcycles anywhere. Your fence or house can be as weird as you want it to be. No one cares. "Free at last, thank God Almighty I'm free at last!"

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by RamenRaven

[KhunLA]

9 minutes ago, RamenRaven said:

Want to change your front door or paint your house purple? You'll be destroying the character of the neighborhood and will get lectured, fined, and forced to make your house exactly the same as every other McMansion.

 

Some suburban homeowners have even been hassled for growing edible plants in their yards.

 

No loitering in front of your own house in hip-hop attire, or else the paranoid neighbors would call the cops because of a neighborhood watch mandate.

 

But in Thailand, you can burn all you want, let the dogs loose, dump Chang beer bottles all over your front yard, play loud music, park motorcycles anywhere. No one cares. "Free at last, thank God Almity I'm free at last!"

 

I couldn't live in a gated community, with an 'association' dictating rules.   Or simply have a cookie cutter house.  My last house wouldn't have been approved anywhere with such rules.  Nor would our present build, though not as unique as last one, pictured.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by KhunLA

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I couldn't live in a gated community, with an 'association' dictating rules.   Or simply have a cookie cutter house.  My last house wouldn't have been approved anywhere with such rules.  Nor would our present build, though not as unique as last one, pictured.

 

Ah the beautiful Udon house. How's your Drone flying going.

[Smithson]

I used to compost or use all the leaves for mulch, but now I do burn some. If you have a lot of land sweeping, collecting and composting takes a lot of time. It releases smoke and CO2, but compost releases methane, which is worse. The smoke from the leaves chases away the mosquitoes, the fires and sweeping keeps it bare dirt, which is important to keep snakes, centipedes and other critters away.

[RamenRaven]

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I couldn't live in a gated community, with an 'association' dictating rules.   Or simply have a cookie cutter house.  My last house wouldn't have been approved anywhere with such rules.  Nor would our present build, though not as unique as last one, pictured.

 

Wow, what an amazing custom built house! Love the large windows and beautiful garden.

 

No one would let anyone build that in a US, UK, or Canadian suburb, where cookie-cutter homes are enforced by law.

[RamenRaven]

4 minutes ago, Smithson said:

I used to compost or use all the leaves for mulch, but now I do burn some. If you have a lot of land sweeping, collecting and composting takes a lot of time. It releases smoke and CO2, but compost releases methane, which is worse. The smoke from the leaves chases away the mosquitoes, the fires and sweeping keeps it bare dirt, which is important to keep snakes, centipedes and other critters away.

Thanks, now I understand my Thai neighbors better.

 

[Smithson]

12 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I couldn't live in a gated community, with an 'association' dictating rules.   Or simply have a cookie cutter house.  My last house wouldn't have been approved anywhere with such rules.  Nor would our present build, though not as unique as last one, pictured.

 

Sorry if OT, that house looks a simple and very practical design for this climate. Have you detailed the build or are there more pics that I can see?

[The Hammer2021]

23 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

I don't think you are allowed to do that anymore , it causes a nuisance to the neighbors 

You think wrong - anyway if neighbor  nuisance prevented activities children and rap music would be banned

[Smithson]

4 minutes ago, RamenRaven said:

Thanks, now I understand my Thai neighbors better.

 

Generally they will do it in the morning or afternoon, best to have the washing sorted before.

[RamenRaven]

Just now, The Hammer2021 said:

You think wrong - anyway if neighbor  nuisance prevented activities children and rap music would be banned

Rap music is not explicitly banned in any municipal code since minorities would sue for perceived discrimination. But in practice, neighbors are disproportionately likely to call the cops on you if dress in hip-hop clothing while blasting rap music out of a lowrider car in an exclusive suburban neighborhood.

 

Similar to any other activity that middle-aged middle-class suburbanites perceive as a nuisance.

 

[RamenRaven]

2 minutes ago, Smithson said:

Generally they will do it in the morning or afternoon, best to have the washing sorted before.

Doesn't the smoke seep into your own house though? How would you deal with the smoke that lingers around for about half an hour afterwards?

[Mac Mickmanus]

10 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

You think wrong - anyway if neighbor  nuisance prevented activities children and rap music would be banned

Here are the rules about bonfires , that shows that you are wrong and I am right .

https://www.gov.uk/garden-bonfires-rules

 

   (And there are also rules about loud music , although thats not genre specific) 

 

[KhunLA]

5 minutes ago, Smithson said:

Sorry if OT, that house looks a simple and very practical design for this climate. Have you detailed the build or are there more pics that I can see?

Actually OT, sort of, as cookie cutter houses in gated communities, you get limited selection or options.  

 

Plenty of photos of the build here: https://goo.gl/photos/69JVYh4LtQF8rixM6

 

Practical part of our house was, rectangle, built longwise, E-W, and with patios on both side, no sun exposure on house walls.   Open second 2nd floor, shaded, again, limited sun exposure.   Main reason being, we didn't need the space, but having daughter, and JIC, coming home with child, could easily throw up some walls, drop a ceiling, and she would then have her own 160 m² living area.

 

Mostly glass wall was N, so rarely had sun exposure, and for limited time, and only due to earth's axis part of the year.  South wall, can't see was protected, as a storage & outdoor kitchen ran the length of that side of the house.

 

None of that, you could do in a gated community.  No neighbors, so we could burn whatever, when ever we liked.  Anything not going to the compost pile.

[Smithson]

3 minutes ago, RamenRaven said:

Doesn't the smoke seep into your own house though? How would you deal with the smoke that lingers around for about half an hour afterwards?

The atmosphere will deal with it, this is how nature works. There is nothing you can do. Discussing it with your neighbors will not help.

[KhunLA]

35 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Ah the beautiful Udon house. How's your Drone flying going.

Thanks ... Sort of on hold, till new house is done.  Drone laws are a pain, and rental is too residential, along with too close to an airfield.

Get out there once in while.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by KhunLA