Australian tourists help collect rubbish on Koh Samui (video)

[johng]

30 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

From what I have seen/heard, very few owners pay the garbage tax here on Samui

Yes a bit of a problem..maybe the local council should get a bit creative maybe stop providing other services until the bills are paid or incorporated into services that are unavoidably  being paid maybe at the ferry port  20 baht tax  on every entry exit ??

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, off road pat said:

I stayed at Lamai (just outside the town) for over 20 years, a couple of months a year. In a bungalow close to the beach. One day I heard some noise at the main road. I went to see, and there were a dozen guys all with the same T-shirts collecting the garbage and cleaning the side of the road. A politician was leading them. Pretty soon a minibus arrived with a camera crew. They started to film and interview the politician. After they finished filming the guys collecting the garbage, the camera crew left, .... Right after that, the politician called every body and they got into a minivan and left as well. It was all just for the cameras, ... nothing ever get done there.

I agree and one of the worst things about the southern islands are the politicians, they're incredibly greedy, they're incredibly wealthy, they use the islands like vacuum cleaners sucking every last baht they can find. 

 

The only group that's more useless than them, is the army. 

[cardinalblue]

Doesn’t anyone find it embarrassing that picking up and managing garbage in the culture are lacking?

 

yet image is so important to the gov….

[sambum]

4 hours ago, johng said:

Why the heck should a tourist  be cleaning up rubbish on their holiday that's just daft  and also technically illegal  as I pointed out before, any work ( not in/on your own property)  in Thailand requires a work permit.. so yes the locals all had a good laugh at the

"silly drunken foreigners"  helping to throw rubbish in the truck  but it is the Thais themself who should be doing this they pay for the local authority to provide this service  and they should also clear up after themself.

 

 

 

Couldn't agree more! While the garbage collectors do a good job on Samui, the Council should be ashamed of themselves for not providing garbage bins - as they used to many years ago. The result is piles of stinking refuse ( doesn't take long to go "off" in this heat) that are torn apart by soi dogs (another area where the Council are failing) 

 

And the fact that tourists feel obliged to help clean the beaches should be an embarrassment to the Council, but no doubt they think it is hilarious that a tourist spends his holidays cleaning up the beaches that should be their responsibility. 

[sambum]

3 hours ago, johng said:

Yes a bit of a problem..maybe the local council should get a bit creative maybe stop providing other services until the bills are paid or incorporated into services that are unavoidably  being paid maybe at the ferry port  20 baht tax  on every entry exit ??

 

"..........20 baht tax  on every entry exit ??"

 

I fail to see why mainly tourists should be penalised for the Council's shortcomings.

 

A better idea would be your original suggestion whereby incorporating a "garbage tax" into other bills (e.g. Electricity) would IMHO be a more sensible approach. Everybody uses electricity and everybody accumulates garbage.  

[Trevor Collins]

Now, if only we could the local Thais to tidy up in front of their shops and businesses

they might actually attract tourists to the area.  

[soalbundy]

8 hours ago, cnx101 said:

Black listed tomorrow for stealing Thai jobs

Not a work permit in sight......arrest the do gooders.

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

 

Couldn't agree more! While the garbage collectors do a good job on Samui, the Council should be ashamed of themselves for not providing garbage bins - as they used to many years ago. The result is piles of stinking refuse ( doesn't take long to go "off" in this heat) that are torn apart by soi dogs (another area where the Council are failing) 

 

And the fact that tourists feel obliged to help clean the beaches should be an embarrassment to the Council, but no doubt they think it is hilarious that a tourist spends his holidays cleaning up the beaches that should be their responsibility. 

They actually don't see the rubbish, it's a normal part of the landscape for them.

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

Couldn't agree more! While the garbage collectors do a good job on Samui, the Council should be ashamed of themselves for not providing garbage bins

They stopped the bins because property owners do not pay the council tax. Fix the problem. Pay the tax and bins return.

 

1 hour ago, sambum said:

Why the heck should a tourist  be cleaning up rubbish on their holiday that's just daft 

Oh dear.

The lads were having a bit of fun. Remember that?

I pick up garbage every time that I go for a walk.

Put it in a bag and take it home.

I have done this everywhere that I have lived.

It does not cost anything and it helps the environment.

I think that is a better thing to do than to be a keyboard warrior complaining on a web site.

I do something to help to keep a small part of Samui clear of garbage.

 

I live on a quiet part of the island. Lots of rental villas but no heavy tourism. Quiet clean beaches and great views.

Too many weed shops but hopefully that will stop soon.

I love living on Samui (24 years). My wife died here and so will I but until then, I will keep picking up garbage.

[sambum]

Just now, soalbundy said:

They actually don't see the rubbish, it's a normal part of the landscape for them.

 

All part of Thailand's "Rich" heritage! 🙂 

[sambum]

4 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

They stopped the bins because property owners do not pay the council tax. Fix the problem. Pay the tax and bins return.

 

Oh dear.

The lads were having a bit of fun. Remember that?

I pick up garbage every time that I go for a walk.

Put it in a bag and take it home.

It does not cost anything and it helps the environment.

I think that is a better thing to do than to be a keyboard warrior complaining on a web site.

I do something to help to keep a small part of Samui clear of garbage.

 

I live on a quiet part of the island. Lots of rental villas but no heavy tourism. Quiet clean beaches and great views.

Too many weed shops but hopefully that will stop soon.

I love living on Samui (24 years). My wife died here and so will I but until then, I will keep picking up garbage.

 

"Why the heck should a tourist  be cleaning up rubbish on their holiday that's just daft"

I can't remember saying that,  - I did say a similar thing about cleaning beaches though. Are you not quoting somebody else's post, and attaching my name to it? However I do agree with it being "daft"!

 

And I made no reference to the Aussies at all - it does look like they were just having a bit of fun.

 

Your point about property owners not paying the "council tax" is a valid one, which is why I suggested incorporating the "garbage tax" into the electricity bills , but I am referring to the PUBLIC waste bins - they seem to have all but disappeared - why?

 

 

[IslandLover]

6 hours ago, off road pat said:

It all got down after they build the airport. People could just fly in easy. Before you had to take a long Bus or train ride to Surathani. Then a taxi ride to the pier. And then an overcrowded speedboat to Nathon at Samui. It was for the adventurous people.

 

Yes, that's the route I took back in the 1980s.  🙂

[Aussie999]

17 hours ago, JoePai said:

Heck what a sad little individual you are 

Can you explain why I am sad, I need to know. Oh wait, aren't you one of those anti-farangs.

[JoePai]

2 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

Can you explain why I am sad, I need to know. Oh wait, aren't you one of those anti-farangs.

[Richmah]

On 8/22/2024 at 10:46 AM, webfact said:

video screenshot

A group of Australian tourists on Koh Samui became an unexpected viral sensation by helping local municipal workers collect rubbish in the early morning hours. Their enthusiastic efforts, captured on video, brought smiles and laughter to viewers, especially Thais.

 

The incident took place yesterday at around 4am, today, August 22, when the tourists, hanging off the back of a garbage truck, eagerly assisted in lifting and emptying bins. Their spirited participation left a lasting impression on anyone who passed by, with some even shouting praises.

The video that captured this endearing moment was shared on TikTok by a user who mentioned being so charmed by the scene that they had to turn their car around to record it.

 

“Aussie guys, it was around 4am, and we drove past them. We had to turn back to capture their cuteness. Sorry for the laughter in the background, we were drunk, and they were just too adorable.”

The clip quickly gained traction online, with viewers expressing their admiration for the tourists’ unexpected act of kindness. The tourists’ actions were not only endearing but also demonstrated a sense of community and willingness to help, even while on holiday, reported KhaoSod.

 

The video shows the group of tourists energetically lifting bins and dumping the rubbish into the truck, all while maintaining high spirits. Their cheerful attitude and willingness to get their hands dirty were met with applause and cheers from onlookers, said another unnamed resident.

 

“It’s not often you see tourists going out of their way to help with such a thankless task. These guys are amazing!

 

“It’s so heartwarming to see people from different parts of the world coming together and helping out, even in small ways like this. It restores your faith in humanity.”

 

Locals who witnessed the scene expressed their gratitude and amazement at the tourists’ actions.

 

“Seeing them help out like this so early in the morning was truly inspiring. It shows that kindness knows no boundaries.”

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-08-22

 

 

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What do this guys get for doing this? PR, LTR, Citizenship or... stupid ashole.

[daejung]

On 8/22/2024 at 7:49 AM, spidermike007 said:

Only the ones with the nice hotels who had their own staff go out and clean the beaches we're in really good shape.

Last year I was in a resort in Chawaeng Buri. Every day Burmese workers cleaned the beach in front of the resort then dug a big hole in the sand to bury the waste!!

[off road pat]

On 8/22/2024 at 4:58 PM, IslandLover said:

 

Yes, that's the route I took back in the 1980s.  🙂

Yep, we all did. Wonderful times. I was young and felt so alive. It was so exciting every time I went to Koh Samui in the old days. I'm soo happy I lived in this period.

[black tabby12345]

In Thailand, it is not noting new that the band of good-hearted foreigners put their energy to better the society.

Quite a few foreign NGOs provide private charity to the less fortunate of this kingdom.

I don't understand why this many people post cynical comments ridiculing those doing a good thing.

Help clean up the mess is far better than litter bugging.