Clean Up Their Mess, My Bpen Rai , My Cow Chai

[cognos]

There are a few kind ferrangs who come around my village once in a while to pick up rubbish. Then they ask me if i know about Jesus....

all religions are quite similar...love thy neighbour, don't kill....Those "ferrangs" had an ulterior motive perhaps, but probably a good one..maybe we should all question our ulterior motives, and if they are self- serving, then they are useless in terms of trying to change attitudes

Are you the same person as KOTO 'the keep of the sea's'? His patter is, or was, exactly the same as yours.

I cleaned a beach for several months last year, and ultimately gave up as it was too demoralizing watching the Thais litter all about me. I had great initial results and posted them here, but in the end I realized that it was a fruitless task.

not KOTO..but it does get boring..at first it is kind of fun, then it turns into a job, so I still pick up garbage, but not as frequently. Sometimes I just don't feel like it or care enough to bother..

[cognos]

..many times in LOS I've just walked onto a job site and started working ( another post perhaps..)..they love it..

What?? You just walk into construction sites and start "working"?

Do they "show their appreciation" by having a security guard personally escort you to the exit?

Ya, because I used to work in construction for many years, and it REALLY SUCKS when you do it every day...but a little is fun, especially on YOUR terms..last time I helped carry concrete, as there were 2 wheelbarrows and only one guy ( the mixers were ladies)..worked an hour, got hot..left and went to the beach to find the wife sleeping under a tree.

[cognos]

I should add these are small jobs I help out on OCCASIONALLY, with under 10 Thai workers or so.. I would NEVER attempt this stunt at a large site with concomitant security,or at a FARANG construction site etc..thats why its a laugh..here there so many rules on rules on rules.. in LOS you can find bare-footed women doing rebar work..not exactly regulated to the hilt like construction in farang land..

[babuhavas]

good work op.

but i will never pick up other people's garbage,and if i want to exercise i can always got o gym.and even if farang improves their reputation,thais are not going to make easy visa,work permits,re-entry,double pricing etc.........

[cognos]

just remember..if you do anything like occasionally pick up some garbage on a favorite beach in LOS, do it for altruistic reasons, because in all honesty most people couldn't care less if you do it or not..and that is very understandable..Often if I am with the extended Thai family at a beach we just sit around and eat, eat, eat, and then eat some more som tam. Thats fine, but I will sometimes wander off in boredom and clean up a small area..

[glegolo]

Never mind the negative image that some or many Thais may have of us farang..lets be positive and PROACTIVE. That means picking up garbage in Thailand..I said picking up garbage that YOU did not throw on the ground. I know I'm not the only one that cleans up beaches in LOS. SPEAK UP THOSE OF YOU WHO CLEAN UP IN LOS !! I always carry a bag of large, black ( how do you think I learned to say see dam?) plastic garbage bags in the trunk, and any beach I go to I almost always pick up garbage, whether I am having a few beer or not at the time. Why?? because when you bend over 1000's of times to pick up broken glass, etc. on Thai beaches, you actually get a bit of a workout, and it helps as part of the whole program to keep off weight. From Ko Surin, to Krabi, to Ko Samui, to Railay Beach, to Pattaya/Jomtien, to Nakorn Si Thammarat, to Phuket (found several needles for Heroin or whatever in the sand at Kata Beach.. have pictures) etc. I pick up garbage to keep fit and because the garbage problem in LOS is DISGUSTING, so CLEAN UP THEIR MESS..you are killing several birds with one stone..exercise, your better half likes it, the locals like it, some Thais even start to help you and change their lax attitude, the FARANG starts to be seen in a different light.. Lets not slam Thais for their habits, lets pick up after them and see how quickly they evolve..1. ( not evolving) My wifes' sister will not, as everyday I pick up the plastic straws, plastic bags around their house, and they watch..next day I do it all over again..2. (evolving) Cleaned up the beach near the Aquarium in Phuket for about 30 days over several months...Thais started helping quite a bit and now the beach has been cleaner in general..will go back in 2 weeks to check it out..as the harsh German sous chef used to say to no one in particular..."DON"T JUST STAND THERE, DO SOMETHING !!"

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YES.. this was really refreshing to read. I do also pick up shit after all kind of people,

but mostly Thais of course (sad to say).

They are so proud of their country, but they dont do anything to keep it beutiful at all.

So I agree, let us farangs help them to keep it beutiful, they WILL learn ....

Glegolo

[yabaaaa]

There are a few kind ferrangs who come around my village once in a while to pick up rubbish. Then they ask me if i know about Jesus....

Picking up rubbish is one thing, talking it is another , Im sure Thais can speak enough rubbish by themselves

[PattayaParent]

When lived in The Philippines and went to the beach, even though there were plenty of rubbish bins around everyone would just leave rubbish where they sat.

When I asked why thebGF said, well there's someone that comes and clears it up. But that obviously wan't true as the rubbish remained there for hours.

The GF was horrified when I bagged all our leftovers and took it to the bin, 30m away, to dispose of it.