How Koh Larn became “Trash Island” and what is being done to fix it

[webfact]

 

by Nad Bunnag, Thai PBS World

 

Koh Larn, an island lying in the Gulf off Pattaya, has been attracting thousands of local and foreign tourists for decades, but this has undeniably led to a mountain of garbage, resulting in an enormous landfill on the small island.

 

“In the past, about 10 tonnes of garbage were generated each day on Koh Larn but, because the number of tourists has been increasing, the amount of garbage has doubled,” said Manoch Nongyai, deputy governor of Pattaya City.

 

 

-Mountain of garbage-

 

As much as 25 tonnes of waste is dumped into this landfill every day. The site now contains an estimated 70,000 tonnes, with about 20,000 above ground and the remainder buried beneath it.

 

“Most of the garbage here is plastic waste which cannot be recycled,” Manoch said. “There are also wood and other construction materials that we place at the back of the landfill, because this type of garbage cannot be disposed of through burning.”

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/how-koh-larn-became-trash-island-and-what-is-being-done-to-fix-it/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-29

 

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[nglodnig]

Can't they use this to make another island?????

[Enoon]

Still the monstrous eyesore that it was when I walked past there in 2010.

 

Surprise...........surprise.

 

Sigh.

 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Koh Larn, an island lying in the Gulf off Pattaya, has been attracting thousands of local and foreign tourists for decades, but this has undeniably led to a mountain of garbage, resulting in an enormous landfill on the small island.

Thai style, find a paradise island, milk it to death and virtually destroy it.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Can't they use this to make another island?????

Like Samui.. sh*t island?

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Can't they use this to make another island?????

They opened up a bit of spare low lying land to dumping in our village, what a mess that was, and it sure became popular. Getting people to stop was the problem, and now it as been fenced off. Heaven knows what will end up in the adjacent stream when we hit rainy season. 

[2baht]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Getting people to stop was the problem,

I think they are happy to have a bit of trash lying around, gives that homely feeling!

[Tropposurfer]

Same same Koh Chang ????

[Shuya]

Dumping trash day after day in a hole is not a sustainable solution? Who would have thought… 

[ChrisY1]

Thailand has never been able to manage waste....whether sewage or materials waste.

Thailand does not follow countries with successful waste disposal systems..instead simply continuing the same old practices of sewage entering storm drains and material waste being used in landfill......

[jacko45k]

51 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Same same Koh Chang ????

Yes, I had a rented motorcycle and went off the beaten track inland there..... huge great tipping area. 

[SoilSpoil]

The authorities had more than 70,000÷25= 2,800 days to dispose of this trash. How is it possible for a country to import plastic waste ftom all over the world, while drowning under a homemade garbage mountain?

Edited March 29, 2023 by SoilSpoil

[SoilSpoil]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

Thailand has never been able to manage waste....whether sewage or materials waste.

Thailand does not follow countries with successful waste disposal systems..instead simply continuing the same old practices of sewage entering storm drains and material waste being used in landfill......

Waste management is expensive and a waste (lol) of public funds, from the corrupt officials' perspectives.

[Cake Monster]

The Authorities were banging on over 2 Years ago about the amount of trash on Koh larn.

They have obviously done nothing at all to solve the problem, and to make the same statements as they did 2 Years ago, and expect things to change without their input, is the true definition of Insanity.

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

contains an estimated 70,000 tonnes (garbage), with about 20,000 above ground and the remainder buried beneath it.

Koh Larn - an idyllic tropical Thai paradise??

[thaibeachlovers]

Not just Larn. Last time I visited Koh Samet in the 90s it was a garbage tip everywhere I went

Edited April 3, 2023 by thaibeachlovers

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/29/2023 at 6:44 PM, Burma Bill said:

Koh Larn - an idyllic tropical Thai paradise??

It's not just tourist places either. I visited a local "beauty spot" southern end of the MHS loop with my wife, and it was a garbage dump all over. I doubt a single farang tourist ever visited the place.

Popular with locals for bars that were just decrepit shacks built along the river.