Rubbish In Thailand

[Cambodge1]

Thailand has problems with rubbish but as others have mentioned these problems pale in comparison to other countries in the region.

I'm often in Cambodia and I have a Khmer friend who is always amused when I finish my cigarette and start looking around for a bin to put the butt in. He always grins and then actively encourages me to just throw the butt away usually proclaiming this behaviour is "no problem in Cambodia".

It will take a long time and much effort by governments to shift these ingrained attitudes towards littering.

[PastEgo]

whatever happened to the phrase two wrongs do not make a right

this is TV it is about thailand i believe mostly we are all people who live in thailand or visit it regularly

so why is everyone saying oh no it is not as bad as so and so

and if anyone believes uk america italy france germany is on par in rubbish compared to thailand they are nuts

no the western countries waste dispoal is not perfect but heck it is regular they put it out of sight and it does not cause health risks

it is not just rubbsh either it is the burning of it as well if you're unlucky enough to be downwind when some thai decides to burn off their collection of unsellable plastic you will understand

[pmarlin]

Ever been to Rome ?

Thailand is still not to bad ....

Even worst, Manila

[BusyB]

RUBBISH this is the sort of problem , that the big and powerfull , people in thailand ,should be throwing there weight behind ,and QUICK BLOODY SHARP,the country is turning into an open cess pitt ,one that W.H.O will be putting on thier most dangerous list. if somthing is not done about it , the trains dump raw sewage on the line ,the ferries dump it in the sea ,the list goes on and on and on why in gods name , does,nt someone at the top start trying to drum some bloody sence into this lot ??????????????????????? HURRY UP,there are many beutifull places in the world with sunshine, to choose from ,so be warned THAILAND,

they pick their noses as well - glad you don't shake hands in los.

[yabaaaa]

Walk around London and there are piles of festering rubbish everywhere on the streets no matter what time of day it is. Drive around the country and you see rubbish piled up along the sides of the road. Nearly every beach in the UK fails the EU standards. Yet here is a cess pit ?

Granted it does need some work but try to remember what it was like back home I know which country I would rather be in.

Oh yeah right sure Thailand is so much cleaner than the UK............dreamer!!

[yabaaaa]

Go to the outback of Australia some of those aboriginal camps are alot to be desired for crap every where plastic bag city and broken bottles unbelievable

Yeah we sure sorted ou those Aborigines didnt we.

[yabaaaa]

Well Thailand is ok then is it? What pathetic childish posts...........you cannot justify any failure to address particular problem by pointing out that there is somewhere worse!!!!

God how long have you guys been out of the playground!!!

I can justify theses comments because the OP has is calling Thailand a Filthy country, which it is not. Sure there's room for improvement in Thailand and many western countries, and I'm sure things will improve it the future. Why single out Thailand when there are so many other country with bigger waste management problems.

I find the comment "the country is turning into an open cess pitt" rather offensive. Who made Baza Minister for Environment?

Because this is a Thai related website for discussion about Thailand?

[Garry9999]

Well Thailand is ok then is it? What pathetic childish posts...........you cannot justify any failure to address particular problem by pointing out that there is somewhere worse!!!!

God how long have you guys been out of the playground!!!

I can justify theses comments because the OP has is calling Thailand a Filthy country, which it is not. Sure there's room for improvement in Thailand and many western countries, and I'm sure things will improve it the future. Why single out Thailand when there are so many other country with bigger waste management problems.

I find the comment "the country is turning into an open cess pitt" rather offensive. Who made Baza Minister for Environment?

Because this is a Thai related website for discussion about Thailand?

Ok fair enough. But, calling Thailand a filthy country and stating big and powerful people should do something about is not going to help much, is it? Perhaps some people can suggest ways of improving Thailands cleanliness. Leading by example is aways a good start.

Ps. recently noticed Big C is offering re-usable enviro bags now.

Edited June 14, 2009 by Garry9999

[yabaaaa]

"Ps. recently noticed Big C is offering re-usable enviro bags now"

I hope they put it in at least 2 plastic bags when u buy one?

[tartempion]

Well Thailand is ok then is it? What pathetic childish posts...........you cannot justify any failure to address particular problem by pointing out that there is somewhere worse!!!!

God how long have you guys been out of the playground!!!

Indeed, the situation here is unacceptable, whatever they say re. India or other dumps.

On my first trip here in 1990 I was surprised when sitting in a bus from Songkhla to Ranot the driver threw his empty 150 bottle out the open door. In fact most of the people on ordinary buses throw everything out the window.

I no longer am every morning riding my bicycle up an down to the next village.

The most consumed product here in Thailand must be that soy milk, blue white package.

Every meter or so I see one besides lay and any other plastic dumped bag.

This place is a real dump.

Maybe someone in the government could get the idea of educating the ajarns first to teach the children not to throw their rubbish from their motorcycles?

[Garry9999]

"Ps. recently noticed Big C is offering re-usable enviro bags now"

I hope they put it in at least 2 plastic bags when u buy one?

Yes, I was wondering if that might happen, might have to buy a couple and see what happens.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Garry9999

[daoyai]

In S.E. Asia I think Laos is cleaner than Thailand, possibly due to the much smaller population, also Malaysian attitudes toward pollution seem to be more progressive.

[Lopburi99]

I've seen an anti-litter spot in Thai tv before, but haven't seen it in some time now. It was well done.

Using television to promote the use of trash cans I believe would be effective, although it would take some time for the benefits to be seen. Nonetheless, Thailand should be using tv more. That is a form of setting an example to the kids, but the sloppy parents will most likely never change. To me preferring clean over refuse seems inate but it obviously isn't.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Lopburi99

[billd766]

Throwing litter is part of Thai culture. Kids learn it from their parents and aunts and uncles. It is part of the 'mai pen rai' culture.

Our son who will be 5 in a few weeks has been taught to put any rubbish he generates into the trash bin and we have quite a few around the place. We also have a rubbish bag in the car.

He has been doing that for a couple of years.

Unfortunately his cousins when they come up from Bangkok have to be reminded every time.

If you teach the children from an early age they will learn and perhaps shame adults into doing it too though I am not too hopeful about that.

[robbiecia]

Never could understand why the powers that be don't like to buy bins

[Lopburi99]

It is an issue of standards of the people, specifically when something is considered acceptable. I see Thailand as having some surprisingly high standards (value of education, respect for elderly, social acceptance of sexual preferences) and some standards disappointingly low (tolerance of corruption/cronyism/weak rule of law, pervasive pollution, unnecessary acceptance of unclean living conditions, etc.). Observing people mindlessly tolerating flies crawling all over their food while dining is something which astounds me. And seeing somebody blithely tossing a plastic bag, seemingly content to wait the 500 years for the bag to break down, disturbs the sh!t out of me. I also wish I observed more of a "striving for excellence." Mediocrity, or less. is acceptable here. Thailand could do better in many ways, easily I believe, and I the ministries and others should be promoting more and demanding more from the people.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Lopburi99

[Electra]

The Thai are actually quite fastidious about litter disposal in urban areas which, despite the pressures on an overburdened infrastructure, remain quite tidy in comparison to others elsewhere in the emerging world and London.

I think it neatly reflects their approach to many things broadly summed up as being ' out of sight, out of mind '.

The countryside and beaches are of course different since nothing is on show where people are permanently congregated. Villages are naturally irrelevant.

[bojo]

well if it's any consolation, other countries are also dirty.

I watched a programme the other day on EXP1/2 on UBC and they reported that all the countries combined on the Mediterranean coastline dumped 500 Million tonnes of sewage into the Med every year.

Where would you rather swim when on holiday?!! Thailand or the Med (which is almost land trapped).

Regards Bojo

[costalot]

Maybe the day will return when reusable condoms will make a come-back

[Texpat]

Go to Japan if you want to see clean, disciplined people obeying laws.

Thais are slobs in comparison.

[fred2007]

RUBBISH this is the sort of problem , that the big and powerfull , people in thailand ,should be throwing there weight behind ,and QUICK BLOODY SHARP,the country is turning into an open cess pitt ,one that W.H.O will be putting on thier most dangerous list. if somthing is not done about it , the trains dump raw sewage on the line ,the ferries dump it in the sea ,the list goes on and on and on why in gods name , does,nt someone at the top start trying to drum some bloody sence into this lot ??????????????????????? HURRY UP,there are many beutifull places in the world with sunshine, to choose from ,so be warned THAILAND,

they pick their noses as well - glad you don't shake hands in los.

If there would shake hands here imaging how quick it would spread the swine flu

[Lopburi99]

Go to Japan if you want to see clean, disciplined people obeying laws.

Thais are slobs in comparison.

Yes, I admire the Japanese in many ways. But I think their strict culture overloads many of them. I am pretty sure I read the suicide rate is very high there, I would hypothesize partially due to the pressures of daily life. Tradition, discipline and honor are serious issues for the Japanese.

[G54]

I remember my first train trip down here after I had once visited on holiday and then had come back to live in Thailand.

Looking out the window I was a bit disapointed at the blandness of the scenery of the interior South; flat and rubber trees as far as the eye could see. Then I noticed the rubbish lining the train tracks. As I sat on the carriage, an old lady came along collecting rubbish in a big bin liner. I was horrified when I saw her empty the entire contents out of the train window.

Since then, I have learnt to accept Thai ways without too much horror or complaint as it doesn't go down well.

That reminds me of a g/f who used to clean the car out as I was driving. Plastic bags, plastic cups and anything else was all gathered up and thrown out of the window down a country lane. No amount of me protesting could stop her

keep the countryside clean 'BIN IT'

[wackysleet]

Walk around London and there are piles of festering rubbish everywhere on the streets no matter what time of day it is. Drive around the country and you see rubbish piled up along the sides of the road. Nearly every beach in the UK fails the EU standards. Yet here is a cess pit ?

Granted it does need some work but try to remember what it was like back home I know which country I would rather be in.

Actually your making a statement that is wrong, 9 beaches out of a total tested of 560 failed the EU test, www.independant.co.uk

but your right about the fly tipping it is rife but a lot of councils are trying their best to cope with it, the problem here is that no one seems to care, near me along the river where it's quiet the fly tipping goes on almost unabated.