Defacing The Country-side

[Tasmanthee]

I am a Thai, born and bred in Australia and am currently a visitor to Chiang Mai with my family and I have taken the trouble to register on ThaiVisa to voice my opinion in regards to how the company called Jungle Flight is desecrating the country-side with it’s plastic banners and other promotional junk. It is hideously inappropriate for a commercial concern that labels itself Eco friendly to deface the country-side in this manner. They have even painted natural features of the roadside with their advertisements. Looking at this lot I am ashamed. Has anyone else noticed what they are doing?..and what are they doing for the poor folks who live in the village that they have ‘occupied’? Shame on you. You are the bad side of commercial Chiang Mai at its’ worst and best avoided.

[Nio]

Anything for money.

What about the red shirts pouring blood everywhere?

It all traces back to greed and money.

So sad to see what is happening in this wonderful country.

[AlBundy]

make a stance, next time you see their banner defacing the countryside, pull it down.

i pulled down many annoying advertisements on trees outside my house, and continue

to do so actively.... flinging them down the road

[PeaceBlondie]

They throw garbage here. And burn it. Thais do it. Maybe monks, teachers, or Thai politicians teach them.

[Tasmanthee]

I couldn’t agree more. These people have no ethics and their only aim is to make as much cash as fast as they can. What is left behind is a spoilt country-side while they go off on another venture. I went to their ‘village’ and it is their village…they have taken over completely BUT for sure only very few people have benefited and you can guess who they are. We were so appalled by what we saw that went to the next valley where at least they have a conscience. Such beautiful country-side spoiled like this is a travesty. I feel so sorry for the poor Thais.

[lannarebirth]

Sounds like Jungle Flight vs Flight of the Gibbon wars to me. I hope the tourists can support both of you. Don't make a mess.

[ianf]

Sounds like Jungle Flight vs Flight of the Gibbon wars to me. I hope the tourists can support both of you. Don't make a mess.

You can visit the most beautiful and gentle temple, such as Doi Kam, but behind the temple is a pile of garbage simply jettisoned over the wall. I've seen scenes like this so many times all over Thailand. Certainly is a weird country with some very strange attitudes.

[gotlost]

Sounds like Jungle Flight vs Flight of the Gibbon wars to me. I hope the tourists can support both of you. Don't make a mess.

You can visit the most beautiful and gentle temple, such as Doi Kam, but behind the temple is a pile of garbage simply jettisoned over the wall. I've seen scenes like this so many times all over Thailand. Certainly is a weird country with some very strange attitudes.

And after the pass few weeks there are very few tourist.

[barky]

Well, at first I really love your opening statement. I am a Thai "born and bred in Australia" . This is multi-culturalism working perfectly.

I once said you have to be born in Australia to feel intrinsically and spiritually Australian.

You have just proven me absolutely wrong!

As for your topic. The answer is simple it's your countryfolk (Thais) who make the money and also the ones who treat the country like a rubbish dump.

Any time someone talks about the benefits of muli-culturalism, I'll be happy to use your post as proof that it's a big joke.

Edited April 15, 2010 by barky

[Donnyboy]

what are they doing for the poor folks who live in the village that they have ‘occupied’?

it happens everywhere in Thailand, only a few benefit from favours granted, thats how it works here or havent you noticed?

[Donnyboy]

Sounds like Jungle Flight vs Flight of the Gibbon wars to me. I hope the tourists can support both of you. Don't make a mess.

You can visit the most beautiful and gentle temple, such as Doi Kam, but behind the temple is a pile of garbage simply jettisoned over the wall. I've seen scenes like this so many times all over Thailand. Certainly is a weird country with some very strange attitudes.

yup that attitude just stinks

it seems many people here treat the world as their rubbish dump

[PeaceBlondie]

It's part of Thai culture. Taught everywhere here by Thais to Thais.

[gotlost]

I can not count how many times I have seen a heap of spirit houses dumped along the side of a highway and garbage along side. This tells me that people have no respect for their society, culture or religion.

[ianf]

I can not count how many times I have seen a heap of spirit houses dumped along the side of a highway and garbage along side. This tells me that people have no respect for their society, culture or religion.

They justify this by saying it is a special place to leave used spirit houses. My wife asked me to do the same to ours, leaving it on a heap near Hang Dong. But I gave it away instead to someone who really could use it!

[PhilHarries]

Sounds like Jungle Flight vs Flight of the Gibbon wars to me. I hope the tourists can support both of you. Don't make a mess.

You can visit the most beautiful and gentle temple, such as Doi Kam, but behind the temple is a pile of garbage simply jettisoned over the wall. I've seen scenes like this so many times all over Thailand. Certainly is a weird country with some very strange attitudes.

The one time I've been to Doi Suthep I walked to the perimeter wall and was admiring the view.......

.........until I looked down.

The relationship between Thais and their garbage shows they have absolutely no respect at all for their country nor their <can not name the person>.

[getgoin]

You might be talking about Flight of the Gibbon. Jungle Flight is a better attraction and Flight Of the Gibbon has about 500% more signs around than Jungle Flight. Including a lot on took tooks. Jungle Flight is a better attraction. You are wrong and you should know it. Do you work for Flight of The Gibbon? If you do remember this, they have a bigger attraction with longer lines and better food. No wonder you are posting.

Edited April 17, 2010 by getgoin

[whiterussian]

At the end of the day, its the company that gives the biggest kick backs to the tour companies that win...

I heard some of these outfits above gave REALLY GOOD kickbacks, in fact for some tourist attractions, the tour guide gets more than the attraction!

Haven't been on either ride, way too pricey for not enough adrenaline.

Did whitewater rafting on the Zambezi for less, and my first paraglider lesson for less!

Kudos to the idea though.. nice for grannies and geeks.

[iainiain101]

How does this topic qualify for news and events?

[Toolz]

How does this topic qualify for news and events?

Good question. Perhaps they'll get around to moving it.

[Pikey]

I can not count how many times I have seen a heap of spirit houses dumped along the side of a highway and garbage along side. This tells me that people have no respect for their society, culture or religion.

They justify this by saying it is a special place to leave used spirit houses. My wife asked me to do the same to ours, leaving it on a heap near Hang Dong. But I gave it away instead to someone who really could use it!

I'm surprised someone took a secondhand spirit house off of you - thought the locals would be scared/respectful of the "pii" that used to live there - unless they wanted it for an ornate bird table

Talking of rubbish - take a trip up the 1001 Mae Jo/Phrao road anytime and just look at the plastic bags and other trash at the roadside and in the culverts. Absolutely disgusting!!!!

Lastly, looking at advertising in the little tourist agencies around town, seems there is a 3rd zipline outfit recently started up called "Tarzan Adventure" or something like that. Don't know where it's located (prob in the same area as the other 2) but it'll surely mean more banners, more exploitation and more traffic in a scenic rural area. Gotta love Thailand.......

Cheers,

Pikey.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Pikey

[whiterussian]

Was just going to post that... went out towards Pai last weekend, saw the 'tarzan' thing advertised!

HaHaha

oh well, at least it might bring the prices down.

Now for the dry ski slope down doi suthep, and a Maccy D's at the top, maybe another bar! just what CM needs!!

In all fairness I've been to Flight of the non existent gibbon, many times, its along my fave bike route, so i just pass by... and from what i remember they did a dam_n good job of blending in with the village. blink and you miss it. It is an 'eco village' anyway... already a tourist destination. Maybe they have erected new signs.

They used to grow opium there before the roads were laid there...

wifey comes from down the road.

Edited April 22, 2010 by whiterussian

[getgoin]

I have to agree, this is the "Work of The Gibbons." This guys joins to post here and another guy from Australia joined another forum to complain the same things but this time called himself Ecoeddie.

[lingnoi1977]

I have to agree, this is the "Work of The Gibbons." This guys joins to post here and another guy from Australia joined another forum to complain the same things but this time called himself Ecoeddie.

You may be right getgoin.

I note that the owner of Flight of the Gibbon is American for what it is worth.

[lingnoi1977]

For what it is worth:

My wife who is Thai lived with me abroad for some years and she was in two minds about moving back to her native country because of "the way Thai people are". We spoke many times about the self-inflicted problems here and we made a conscious decision to try to ignore the rape and pillage of this country by its own people before we moved here.

Whilst this may sound a little irresponsible, or defeatist we choose not to let something that is a losing battle affect us. It will probably realistically take another 2 generations for any small conservation change in Thailand to be made and it has to come from the top. That is asking a lot in a country with corruption at every level and different education (environment) standards than westerners.

Yes, some of you are right to be angry at the way Thai's do everything for the short term Baht but don't forget we live here and are able to use this country to live a presumably higher quality of life than back home.

For every downside there is an upside and if there isn't, don't bother.

[BlackArtemis]

Honestly, people like you are going to have the biggest impact. Thai people who have been raised in a more educated environment. 50 years ago you threw the food packaging on the ground, because it was banana leaves, well that mentality and practice has continued despite the packaging being foil and plastic... The Farang community is often vocal, but we are not met with much enthusiasm. Perhaps "one of their own" would do better. When i taught 3rd and 5th grade I would do projects on pollution and burning etc, instill it in them while they're young. Plus, most parents will change their ways, not because it's the right thing to do, but because it stops their kids from riding their ass about it all day long.

[CMX]

In the United States, we have something called "Adopt-a-Highway." They put up a small sign with the name of your group and then tree times a year (more in many states) you go out and clean up trash, garbage, and pretty much everything named here except spirit houses. Training DVD's have been recently issued to warn against touching equipment used to manufacture methamphetamine.

Having seen what I've seen over the miles, I am delighted to find myself among folks who are able to cast first stones, as we do not purchase plastic discard-able containers - ever - (certainly never water), since such bottles will exist as trash long after cardboard has degraded, have all our adult lives separated trash when it was possible for recycling, and voted with green oriented political parties. Well, by "we" I'm not really counting myself, exactly. Er...

Edited April 22, 2010 by CMX

[witold]

I have driven around CM areas quite a bit. I haven't seen any glaring abuse of signs. Quite frankly, I think you are seeing something that is not there, or you are just shilling for the other company. Take some pics, and post them here and we can all judge for ourselves. But realistically, Thai people should focus on maybe not throwing trash on the ground at scenic areas/side roads and doing some trash cleanups at these areas - that would be much better time spent than complaining about some promotional signs. That will do a lot for making Thailand prettier.

You might be talking about Flight of the Gibbon. Jungle Flight is a better attraction and Flight Of the Gibbon has about 500% more signs around than Jungle Flight. Including a lot on took tooks. Jungle Flight is a better attraction. You are wrong and you should know it. Do you work for Flight of The Gibbon? If you do remember this, they have a bigger attraction with longer lines and better food. No wonder you are posting.

I did both FotG and Jungle Flight. I did see the Gibbon when I was there. In my tourist opinion, do both. It's not like CM is so full of stuff that it is impossible to do everything. But if you have to choose:

FotG indeed has shorter and lower zip lines. However, FotG is definitely in a prettier area. You have these wonderful ancient trees that are 20 feet wide and look like they came out of a movie. For Scenery FotG wins hands down.

Jungle Flight on the other hand has better and higher zip lines. If you are a zip line aficionado, go with Jungle Flight. But they are definitely in less pretty area. Just regular trees that look very tall.

Food is pretty blah at both of them. I guess one of them might be a bit better but it's certainly not a brag for either company - both offer sufficient nondescript food you will immediately forget.

Edited April 23, 2010 by witold

[LJW]

I can not count how many times I have seen a heap of spirit houses dumped along the side of a highway and garbage along side. This tells me that people have no respect for their society, culture or religion.

They justify this by saying it is a special place to leave used spirit houses. My wife asked me to do the same to ours, leaving it on a heap near Hang Dong. But I gave it away instead to someone who really could use it!

Maybe you don't understand why the spirit houses are allegedly 'dumped'.

One of the main reasons why you might see a single spirit house by the road is because someone they loved was killed there by a car accident.

Another reason is too bless a certain area or maybe a tree.

Another reason is, because they moved, they have taken their spirit house to be left by the side of the road for security...

[doppa]

i'm continualy disgusted with the litter on and around the roads,although i did spot some guys walking the road picking it up, so they do do it,it's just they don't do it often enough, and havnt got the resources to keep doing it, so the litter just builds up.

was following a bus the other day, and a older thai woman just chucks her plastic bag of leftovers into the road, tooted my horn, wagged my finger, but they just think its funny, ignorant.

all boils down to education,and having the manpower to keep the place litter free, uk would be a tip if it wasnt for the thousands employed to keep it clean, thailand reminds me of the uk during the 60's across lots of fronts.

the invention and introduction of plastic bags has an awful lot to do with it, once thais would take their own 'billy cans' for food, then we had paper which at least disintergrated, until plastic tookover, fortune to be made for someone who can introduce a strong bio degradable bag, that cheap to reproduce.

[gotlost]

I can not count how many times I have seen a heap of spirit houses dumped along the side of a highway and garbage along side. This tells me that people have no respect for their society, culture or religion.

They justify this by saying it is a special place to leave used spirit houses. My wife asked me to do the same to ours, leaving it on a heap near Hang Dong. But I gave it away instead to someone who really could use it!

Maybe you don't understand why the spirit houses are allegedly 'dumped'.

One of the main reasons why you might see a single spirit house by the road is because someone they loved was killed there by a car accident.

Another reason is too bless a certain area or maybe a tree.

Another reason is, because they moved, they have taken their spirit house to be left by the side of the road for security...

I'm NOT talking one I'm talking 6 to 20 with garbage along side of the road. That is total disrespect for a religion, culture and society. There is noway anybody can defend this or explain it away.