Red Shirt Clean Up Poll

[jbinbkk]

Today a Thai friend asked me to assist with the street clean up of the red shirt protest site. If this had been a natural disaster, I just can not help but think about those who are responsible for causing such great inconviences. Why are they not being held responsible for the clean up, instead of just given a free ride home. What do you think?

[britmaveric]

Work permit?

[nowork114]

Went there today - saw many foreigners but no police checking WP ...

[craigt3365]

Should have made all those red's clean it up before heading back to heroes welcomes in Issan!!!

[thailandbluegrass]

This same thread was posted already and I'm sure will get the same replies. The Thai government had made rules that foriegners cannot even volunteer without a work permit I mean I cannot even LEGALY play my guitar in a bar without a volunteer work permit so why the frik should I help clean up their mess?

Like buddy just said, if it was a natural disaster sure (provided the Gov provided WP's).

Also if you start cleaning up you might get your face beat in by a Thai who will look at you like you are taking a job away that he might be getting paid for so if I were you STAY AWAY FROM CLEANING UP.

[jackdawson]

i thought about it but then hired this issan lady i know and paid her the 192 baht minimum wage to clean up the mess made by her countrymen (and women) .

[Irene]

Went there today - saw many foreigners but no police checking WP ...

If helping the community after a disaster requires WP, then these officials and the lawyers who thought so should be hung along the lamp posts along the Rajprasong road. No WP question was asked when foreign volunteers came to Thailand in drove to help out. That was so Christian and moved many Thais.

The scene of helping hands moves me and if there are more foreigners helping, it would have been a perfect scene to offset against the previous ugliness.

[craigt3365]

Went there today - saw many foreigners but no police checking WP ...

If helping the community after a disaster requires WP, then these officials and the lawyers who thought so should be hung along the lamp posts along the Rajprasong road. No WP question was asked when foreign volunteers came to Thailand in drove to help out. That was so Christian and moved many Thais.

The scene of helping hands moves me and if there are more foreigners helping, it would have been a perfect scene to offset against the previous ugliness.

Actually, many got in trouble trying to help during the tsunami. I believe some were actually asked to leave due to no WP, even though they were volunteering. Just like the guy in Phuket who was on his condo board...volunteering...and got into trouble. Crazy...

[nowork114]

Went there today - saw many foreigners but no police checking WP ...

If helping the community after a disaster requires WP, then these officials and the lawyers who thought so should be hung along the lamp posts along the Rajprasong road. No WP question was asked when foreign volunteers came to Thailand in drove to help out. That was so Christian and moved many Thais.

The scene of helping hands moves me and if there are more foreigners helping, it would have been a perfect scene to offset against the previous ugliness.

Actually, many got in trouble trying to help during the tsunami. I believe some were actually asked to leave due to no WP, even though they were volunteering. Just like the guy in Phuket who was on his condo board...volunteering...and got into trouble. Crazy...

Well, i heard that many of the "volunteers" overstayed visa and used volunteering as their excuse. BTW having large groups of unorganized volunteers is sometimes more problem than help...

[ngangu]

I think you're missing the point. This is a show of cohesiveness for the community, to put a positive first foot forward to the future. I'm not in Thai ATM or I would gladly join in. It may be appreciated by the Thai community to see expats join in, but it's about them, not us.

[richieudon]

Foreigners were told to stay away from red shirt camps. I don't see why any foreigner would want to help clean up.

I think all foreigners should stay out of it for their own safety.

[devaram]

I feel no sympathy for either side at this point and very little love for this country anymore.

Let them clean it up themselves.

I would not waste my time.

The red shirts and the yellow shirts can both jump in the chao praya.

[devaram]

I think you're missing the point. This is a show of cohesiveness for the community, to put a positive first foot forward to the future. I'm not in Thai ATM or I would gladly join in. It may be appreciated by the Thai community to see expats join in, but it's about them, not us.

Foreigners have been arrested for doing volunteer work in this country before (talk about stupidity)

Construction clean up is very dangerous as well and I doubt they would pay your bill if you ended up getting injured.

Let those who burned it down clean it up!

Edited May 24, 2010 by devaram

[GuyLee]

I think you're missing the point. This is a show of cohesiveness for the community, to put a positive first foot forward to the future. I'm not in Thai ATM or I would gladly join in. It may be appreciated by the Thai community to see expats join in, but it's about them, not us.

Foreigners have been arrested for doing volunteer work in this country before (talk about stupidity)

Construction clean up is very dangerous as well and I doubt they would pay your bill if you ended up getting injured.

Let those who burned it down clean it up!

The above is correct and most Thia's have the opinion that they don't wont foreign help! Those that made this mess should clean it up and we foreigners should do as advised keep well clear.

[siam2007]

As a Bangkok resident, I would have 100% helped with the cleaning, but I am out of town and only come back wednesday.

just to give those terrorists who want to destroy the most exciting city of the world a sign: " we don't let this happen and next time we will be better prepared to deal with violent scumbacks who have zero political intensions"

[thaihome]

I would like to see the documentation that foreigners have been arrested for doing short term volunteer work in Thailand. Personally I think this an urban myth.

TH

[mauGR1]

If i had been there, i would have given a wai to each of the beautiful people doing the job, and offer them some drink.

They are a glimmer of light in the dark days of the crisis, hope their dreams don't get shattered.

Luckily there is still some good people out there.

I was thinking to avoid BKK on my imminent trip to home country, now i'm reconsidering, lovely folks the Bangkokians.

[GarryP]

There is so much paranoid <deleted> on this topic. You would not have been pulled up and asked to show your WP. Any help offered by the local expats would have been appreciated. It was a different case for the tsunami when people were flying in in large numbers specifically to help.

The thought of joining the cleanup crossed my mind, but being a lazy git I ignored it. Any way, its the the thought that counts, isn't it?

[Penkoprod]

Doesnt matter how hard we, as foreigners, try to suck up to our hosts, in a short space of time, we will STILL be just "the nigger farang" who is fair play for scamming, being dual priced, etc, etc..... That's if it ever stopped

Thought of as just an inconvenience by our xenophibic hosts. How many times have people posted that its THEIR country, THEIR rules, and that we are just guests? Thats fine by me. I will abide and live by those rules willingly, but they better not expect me to deviate from them in some pathetic attempt to garner favour with them. It would be futile to do so.

THEIR country, therefore let THEM clean it up.

Penkoprod

[tb86]

jesus, i was there yesterday... no, no one was being arrested,,, no the thais were not angry about us being their, some of us were invited to clean up with the mayor.. no it wasnt dangerous... the thais were very excited to see expats the newspapers were interviewing alot of forigners, helping out instead of hiding in their condos under their couches.

was a good effort by all food donated, water ect to the soilders working alongside, nice to see such a large group working together to get something positive done

Edited May 24, 2010 by tb86

[Irene]

jesus, i was there yesterday... no, no one was being arrested,,, no the thais were not angry about us being their, some of us were invited to clean up with the mayor.. no it wasnt dangerous... the thais were very excited to see expats the newspapers were interviewing alot of forigners, helping out instead of hiding in their condos under their couches.

was a good effort by all food donated, water ect to the soilders working alongside, nice to see such a large group working together to get something positive done

Thank you for writing. It was painful to read some of the posts on a scenario which was so refreshing and touching to see. After all human beings are not nasty after all. I am lost for words on some people's perspective. You have done a great credit to this forum.

[csolgosz]

NO, the bloody Hi So Thais should get their precious white hands dirty! They go and spread all their litter on the beaches whenever they have a holiday, so they need to learn a thing or two about cleaning up...

[tb86]

jesus, i was there yesterday... no, no one was being arrested,,, no the thais were not angry about us being their, some of us were invited to clean up with the mayor.. no it wasnt dangerous... the thais were very excited to see expats the newspapers were interviewing alot of forigners, helping out instead of hiding in their condos under their couches.

was a good effort by all food donated, water ect to the soilders working alongside, nice to see such a large group working together to get something positive done

Thank you for writing. It was painful to read some of the posts on a scenario which was so refreshing and touching to see. After all human beings are not nasty after all. I am lost for words on some people's perspective. You have done a great credit to this forum.

its unbelievable how whiney some of these people are, i live in bangkok, my family is here, my money is earned in this city, if getting a little dirty and working in the street will help get it back on track even a few minutes earlier then you should be embarrased not to. Arrested for helping out, what a load of horse sh@t..

Edited May 24, 2010 by tb86

[craigt3365]

I would like to see the documentation that foreigners have been arrested for doing short term volunteer work in Thailand. Personally I think this an urban myth.

TH

Do a google search. Too many articles to post here...some on TV. Here is one:

http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6219

As you know, Thailand is corrupt and certain individuals can use this against you. Like what happened with that guy on the condo board...he pissed off a Thai so they went after him on this charge. Sucks...

I have been to 70 countries and I love Bangkok the most. I am sickened by what the Red's did to such a beautiful and fun city. I was lucky enough to live across from Siam Discovery/MBK for about a year. One of the best times of my life. Hard to argue with hundreds of great restaurants all within walking distance!!!!

[tb86]

NO, the bloody Hi So Thais should get their precious white hands dirty! They go and spread all their litter on the beaches whenever they have a holiday, so they need to learn a thing or two about cleaning up...

who do you think are spearheading the cleanups man? theres another cleanup from 2-6 ish tomorrow based from the four seasons... Join up unless your too busy whinging about others

[w11guy]

I feel no sympathy for either side at this point and very little love for this country anymore.

Let them clean it up themselves.

I would not waste my time.

The red shirts and the yellow shirts can both jump in the chao praya.

You seem to forget that many people just want to get on with their lives and aren't red or yellow. These people didn't create this mess. It's a shame you don't have any love for the country. You are letting a few people colour your view. The majority of Thai people are great.

[on-on]

The tsunami warnings occurred because people were flying in from all over the world to help out and staying long-term, this was a local cleanup that lasted a day. You'll always hear about some guy who something happened to here on Thai Visa, and the tsunami stories are no exception, but I know a lot of people here and no one has ever been scooped up and sent home for helping Thai people that I'm aware of personally and I frankly doubt that it happens ever, except maybe in some isolated case involving personal vendettas or who knows what. The Burmese and others, on the other hand, were deported at the time, but that's a separate issue.

Anyhow, I was at this weekend's cleanup from 09:00 and received nothing but thank yous, wais, an absurd number of photo requests and questions from journalists. Still, I spent the vast majority of my time ignoring the zoo, talking to the Thai people cleaning with me and smiling and laughing back and forth. No one was bothering anyone about work permits or whatever other persecution complex-inspired fears that are typically bandied about on here. Police, military and even the Bangkok Governor walked right by and either smiled or didn't take note of the various farangs scrubbing, sweeping and picking up trash.

Thai Visa members have a level of paranoia consistent with what you read in articles about the red shirts heading home and worried that at every train station or bus stop they're going to be massacred - and at least they have some grounding for their concerns (though that's a different topic). My general belief, which has proved absolutely correct for years now, is to completely ignore the imagined obsession with persecuting farangs that is the pastime of a disturbing number of expat internet denizens and to actually just go do what feels like the right thing to do. I'd advise during the next cleanup that worrying about being snatched up for not having a work permit should be way the heck down your list, though it does make a great excuse for not helping out if you're just plain lazy or don't give a dam_n

[basjke]

Can you give any credible reason why we as foreigners,who have no rights in this country as far as i can think of,would get involved in cleaning up the mess they made themselves.

I even recall that at the time that the tsunami happened the foreign rescue teams had problems because they had no work permit.

[Penkoprod]

If people want to be Uncle Toms, then thats their perogative

But what gives them the right to call those of us that dont want to be, whiners and moaners, just because we DONT?

Penkoprod

[tb86]

If people want to be Uncle Toms, then thats their perogative

But what gives them the right to call those of us that dont want to be, whiners and moaners, just because we DONT?

Penkoprod

thats great, no its just funny how some... not directed at anyone specificaly, will whine and moan about bangkok screwed up this and that, red shirts mess this and that, yellow shirts this and that... tuk tuk drivers, kids, farang, nigerians, ect. ect. but arent willing to spend 5 hours to make this a little more liveable place... thats all... uncle toms