Why Are There No Trash Cans In Bangkok?

[wasabi]

Walking down Bangkok I often have to carry an empty bottles or other rubbish I have for many blocks before I see a trash receptacle. Judging by the many impromptu trash piles around telephone poles and trees many are not willing to carry their trash until a trash can is found. It just seems Bangkok would be much cleaner if there were trash cans at the end of every block. The other problem is the amount of rats these impromptu piles of trash produce.

This is not a rant or something I just want to get off my chest. I'm really curious if there is some reason why there are almost no trash cans in Bangkok.

[whatsoever]

If there are trash cans then someone has to empty them - money! Even in the UK now it is often hard to locate a trash can due to the hightend risk of terror

[bkkjames]

Walking down Bangkok I often have to carry an empty bottles or other rubbish I have for many blocks before I see a trash receptacle. Judging by the many impromptu trash piles around telephone poles and trees many are not willing to carry their trash until a trash can is found. It just seems Bangkok would be much cleaner if there were trash cans at the end of every block. The other problem is the amount of rats these impromptu piles of trash produce.

This is not a rant or something I just want to get off my chest. I'm really curious if there is some reason why there are almost no trash cans in Bangkok.

There are several reasons for this. Originally they were removed following the New Years bombings a couple of years ago. Then the BMA realized that nobody missed them so thus never thought of replacing them. Meaning if there are no garbage cans, there is no garbage - so goes the philosophy of those in charge.

Secondly, the Tourist Police, you know those nice fellows in Green who are there to protect tourists, now have another source of income from fining tourists for littering. They got this idea from following farangs around who smoked and dropped their butts within eye range of these eagle eyed protectors of the peace. So naturally, they seconded the BMA's decision to not bring back the trash cans in the spirit of public safety.

Last but not least, studies have shown that if there are no trash cans on every block, you don't get homeless people sifting through them night and day looking for plastic bottles to cash in. Doesn't look good on the tourist trail and besides, the regular beggers objected to additional competition in the area.

[thithi]

although i'm thai i neither know why ...

but i think it depends on the area and the cleaners.

maybe there are lazy cleaners where u at

well... i think Khun bkkjames is right.

Edited July 1, 2008 by thithi

[bkkjames]

although i'm thai i neither know why ...

but i think it depends on the area and the cleaners.

maybe there are lazy cleaners where u at

thithi: as a cleaner, I can only clean where there are trash cans. Please don't call me lazy or imply that I sold them in order to escape my duties.

[thithi]

although i'm thai i neither know why ...

but i think it depends on the area and the cleaners.

maybe there are lazy cleaners where u at

thithi: as a cleaner, I can only clean where there are trash cans. Please don't call me lazy or imply that I sold them in order to escape my duties.

oooo khun bkkjames dnt worry .. as long as u dont do that

[BangnaBound]

I often comment to friends that visit Bangkok that there are more ATMs then trash cans. Even before New Years bombing, the trash can was an endangered species. I’ve asked many Thai people the same question and never got an answer. It’s probably a case of not missing something you never had.

[breezein]

BOMBS, Same in a lot of city's nowadays

[asiancup2007]

7/11s have them and they are evertwhere.

Edited July 1, 2008 by asiancup2007

[GaiYaang]

Walking down Bangkok I often have to carry an empty bottles or other rubbish I have for many blocks before I see a trash receptacle. Judging by the many impromptu trash piles around telephone poles and trees many are not willing to carry their trash until a trash can is found. It just seems Bangkok would be much cleaner if there were trash cans at the end of every block. The other problem is the amount of rats these impromptu piles of trash produce.

This is not a rant or something I just want to get off my chest. I'm really curious if there is some reason why there are almost no trash cans in Bangkok.

If we have more people like you wasabi-Bangkok would be a cleaner place. For responsible people we don't need a lot of trash cans. For Thais more trash cans would be nice, but that won't help. It's not how many trash cans are out there, it's the people. Thais are slacking in trash department, trash goes in trash can. "MUK NGAI"

[dotcom]

Yeah & plastic bags go into klongs. That's what they're there for right?

[bergen]

Where I live up in farawayIsaan we've placed several trash cans with"don't litter signs"on our property.

However many of our customers seems to think that anywhere else than in the trash cans are the right places to put the trash.

[mmushr00m]

I was actually once told "the trash can is whereever you decided to drop your litter"

[Briggsy]

There are several reasons for this. Originally they were removed following the New Years bombings a couple of years ago. Then the BMA realized that nobody missed them so thus never thought of replacing them. Meaning if there are no garbage cans, there is no garbage - so goes the philosophy of those in charge. True.

Secondly, the Tourist Police, you know those nice fellows in Green who are there to protect tourists, now have another source of income from fining tourists for littering. They got this idea from following farangs around who smoked and dropped their butts within eye range of these eagle eyed protectors of the peace. So naturally, they seconded the BMA's decision to not bring back the trash cans in the spirit of public safety. True

Last but not least, studies have shown that if there are no trash cans on every block, you don't get homeless people sifting through them night and day looking for plastic bottles to cash in. Doesn't look good on the tourist trail and besides, the regular beggers objected to additional competition in the area. True.

7/11s have them and they are evertwhere. Used to be true but following the New Year's 'bombings', many were removed and never came back.

[bkkjames]

There are several reasons for this. Originally they were removed following the New Years bombings a couple of years ago. Then the BMA realized that nobody missed them so thus never thought of replacing them. Meaning if there are no garbage cans, there is no garbage - so goes the philosophy of those in charge. True.

Secondly, the Tourist Police, you know those nice fellows in Green who are there to protect tourists, now have another source of income from fining tourists for littering. They got this idea from following farangs around who smoked and dropped their butts within eye range of these eagle eyed protectors of the peace. So naturally, they seconded the BMA's decision to not bring back the trash cans in the spirit of public safety. True

Last but not least, studies have shown that if there are no trash cans on every block, you don't get homeless people sifting through them night and day looking for plastic bottles to cash in. Doesn't look good on the tourist trail and besides, the regular beggers objected to additional competition in the area. True.

7/11s have them and they are evertwhere. Used to be true but following the New Year's 'bombings', many were removed and never came back.

Glad to see someone agrees with me

[alexth]

They got rid of them under the pretense that trash cans might be a good spot to place bombs. This way, instead of paying people to clean and empty the trash cans, they make money by fining people for littering. 2000 THB is the official price if you want a receipt or between 200 to 500 THB with no receipt depends on the BiB's mood

[Super Hans]

But it's not just Bangkok - phuket and CM too. I've just been in Hong Kong, where there's no litter at all. It makes you kind of want to litter, just to be a bit subversive and that.

The litter situation is an absolute disgrace.

[agudbuk]

I was actually once told "the trash can is whereever you decided to drop your litter"

Old one

Q. Where's the trash can?

A. You're standing in it