Thailand Needs A New Plan For 'Green' Awareness

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Thailand needs a new plan for 'green' awareness

By The Nation

The Thai public is in desperate need of education and programmes on how to protect the environment

It's time for the Thai authorities to push the "green agenda" to instil into the public an awareness of our environment and the consequences of not respecting and protecting nature.

A recent seminar organised by the Nation Group echoed this ideal that many members of the public would like to see - a cohesive policy to help make Thailand a "green" nation.

Many countries are paying greater attention to this issue. Japan, for example, is a leader in developing vehicles with environmentally friendly fuel. A number of developed countries have set high requirements that allow only environmentally friendly products to enter as imports.

As an agricultural nation, Thailand has few options except to move forward with an environmentally aware approach. A green society, however, can only be achieved with the cooperation of all sectors of the economy and all public institutions. A green consciousness has to be integrated into every aspect of our national life: in business, in our lifestyles and in our moral obligation to the country and society. Indeed, the green concept is in line with the Buddhist belief that everything is intertwined.

Although Thai governments have for decades included environmental protection in their development plans, the execution of these policies is never effective. Thailand has many requirements on environmental standards, but they have never been strictly observed. This has led to a series of conflicts between local communities and industrialists due to the failure to sufficiently address people's concerns over the environmental impact caused by new industrial developments.

Over the past few years, Thailand has had to contend with more severe environmental issues, such as waste disposal, polluted water and air, as well as acid rain. Thailand is currently ranked at 31 in the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. That ranking should be lower, in line with the country's stated ambition to become a low-carbon country. A more efficient use of energy supplies makes economic sense for Thailand, which is a net fuel importer.

The concept of re-use and recycling should be more effectively promoted. Recycle trash bins must be available in more public places in response to the often unspoken public demand for a cleaner and healthier environment.

One of the challenges for policy execution is a lack of mutual direction among the different government agencies in how to translate their plans into action. Each agency has its own plans and visions regarding environmental improvement and protection. These ideas must be brought under a more cohesive umbrella, so that a green conscience can be integrated at every level of society, beginning in our schools.

Whenever a problem relating to the environment arises, society tends to focus on the question of whom to blame, rather than finding a solution through greater cooperation.

The government should craft a "green goal" with balanced interests representing all sides. What policies or guidelines would work best to satisfy all the different interests economically and socially?

At present, Thailand has less than 20 per cent of its total land area covered by forests. All agencies concerned must therefore start to make a vigorous effort to preserve what we have left. It would be relatively easy to start local campaigns to preserve green areas. After all, people do appreciate and enjoy clean air and beautiful landscapes. In addition, new buildings should be constructed as far as possible with the latest technology to ensure the least possible consumption of energy.

Future investment projects must represent a "buy-win" scenario for local communities. Community involvement is essential in projects that share natural resources. Additionally, the perceptions of Thai consumers need to be adjusted. There should be a greater awareness of products that are environmentally friendly. Eventually, consumer demand for such products will bring about positive changes.

Green Thailand can only be promoted through cooperation from all sides. And the time to start is now.

-- The Nation 2010-12-04

[Northman061]

As a former manager of a large UK recycling plant and working in the industry for over 15 years, i applaud any efforts at recycling and looking towards green energy and weaving "green" policies within governments thinking.

But its not just about separating plastic and cans from rubbish bins and patting yourself on the back.

Firstly there has to be a clear, long term and detail plan, backed with a real desire, from Government.

For household waste, this will be initially hard to do here in Thailand as there is no history or structure of waste collection and seperation even at the disposal point. The plant, equipment and funding will be large to begin with, then you need education and understanding spread throughout the nation (not a short term 5 minute push, i'm talking years). New markets will need to be opened and managed from scratch.

For industry (who are the biggest waste makers), will have to be shown that, for instance, paper and cardboard are a huge commodity that they are throwing away. All major western businesses here in Thailand work hard to have "green" policies and are commited to them in the west. So for many, this will be easy to implement. It needs to be shown, through new laws and reporting, that businesses need to be recycling the easy things first and quickly, and that it makes finacial sense to them as well as highlighting that the "green" badge is a positive "selling" tool.

As a nation blessed with so much sunshine, vast areas of coastline and high mountain ranges, the ease of which "green" energy should and could be used needs no highlighting from me. Small villages could easily harvest the sunshine for "group" projects, city planners need to understand that building codes should and must include high "Green" credentials (which is easy to implement from the State's side).

But it is also about how much MONEY are you willing (or must?) invest in getting the reusable out of the system and the renewable into it? Would any Thai Government put BILLIONS into projects that could take decades to see any "financial" return? Would any Thai Government support this investment with constant ongoing education of the young, old and to businesses?

Of course Thailand has many "Elites" who only want to take from the system, and sadly they seem to hold the real power. So it is hard to see them giving so much out without "gaining" from it. Green policies always seem to start as "feel good" projects, but once the real work begins, the real costs and the real investment levels begin to hit home. So what was a "feel good" policy becomes a business, a business that needs leadership, drive and control. Who will give that? One new department? Or will the multi layered government departments just simply doing what they think is "Green" and getting some funding from the central pot. And thats that?

But, Recycling and Green Energy are vital, and are essential as natural resources get scarce and prices rise and rise. Thailand has an almost perfect enviroment that will allow green energy to be easily incorporated into daily life. Recycling not only saves material and resources, it employs people and allows goods to be "recreated" and resold at a cheaper rate without this asset leaving the country or vanishing underground. Some parts of Asia (you know the ones) have good systems in place, but many have little or no real recycling industry or infrastructure.

Thailand can take the lead here. If it has the vision and the commitment to do it right.:jap:

Edited December 4, 2010 by Northman061

[MeInThai]

Taking Action and Networking on Greening the ThailandThere definitely seems to be much scope for public education and adaptation to Green Strategies... by the masses and specifically in prominent business sectors. I have been looking for ways to link with groups/networks/organizations in Thailand with whom I can get involved in actual action. Do any of your out there know of any groups and how I can contact them?

[screamingeagle]

Prioritynumber one. Explain to Thais what those round bins are for. And invent a Thai word for "litter bin"

[ginjag]

Prioritynumber one. Explain to Thais what those round bins are for. And invent a Thai word for "litter bin"

,

In our village, every house was supplied FREE a bin by the local Tambon. After 1 week when the bins were full, I asked when was the collecting day...........They said ( we dont have a pickup to do that,) so bins were emptied as usual, and the contents burned

[pogal]

Prioritynumber one. Explain to Thais what those round bins are for. And invent a Thai word for "litter bin"

There is one! Its a loan word from the English language. Its called "footpath"!

[ginjag]

Prioritynumber one. Explain to Thais what those round bins are for. And invent a Thai word for "litter bin"

There is one! Its a loan word from the English language. Its called "footpath"!

And as you know--many more----parks,canals,streets, grass verges-roadside----Top level is aware, schools are doing a bit ====BUT its upbringing--families-THE HOME---kids learn from here. They just dont care, in most areas I have lived in Thailand---hence---rats-then snakes-cockroaches.

[Xircal]

Prioritynumber one. Explain to Thais what those round bins are for. And invent a Thai word for "litter bin"

,

In our village, every house was supplied FREE a bin by the local Tambon. After 1 week when the bins were full, I asked when was the collecting day...........They said ( we dont have a pickup to do that,) so bins were emptied as usual, and the contents burned

Oddly enough, most villages seem to have a crap truck collection. By that I mean a vehicle to vacuum the human effluent that the villagers produce. So you'd think it shouldn't be that difficult to organize a refuse collection as well.

The main problem is the class system. The small minority who control the wealth don't give a dam_n about the vast majority who are virtually destitute. I used to think that you had to re-educate the poor to value their environment, but I'm not so sure now. Maybe it's the super rich who need re-educating so that they wake up to the fact that without proper state funded welfare systems which they need to pay for, the poor will remain that way throughout their whole lives. As other members have already pointed out, what's the point of gathering all the plastic bottles, tins etc., in on place if nodody is going to come and collect them?

Unfortunately, it will take decades for attitudes to change I fear.

[evanson]

Prioritynumber one. Explain to Thais what those round bins are for. And invent a Thai word for "litter bin"

,

In our village, every house was supplied FREE a bin by the local Tambon. After 1 week when the bins were full, I asked when was the collecting day...........They said ( we dont have a pickup to do that,) so bins were emptied as usual, and the contents burned

Oddly enough, most villages seem to have a crap truck collection. By that I mean a vehicle to vacuum the human effluent that the villagers produce. So you'd think it shouldn't be that difficult to organize a refuse collection as well.

The main problem is the class system. The small minority who control the wealth don't give a dam_n about the vast majority who are virtually destitute. I used to think that you had to re-educate the poor to value their environment, but I'm not so sure now. Maybe it's the super rich who need re-educating so that they wake up to the fact that without proper state funded welfare systems which they need to pay for, the poor will remain that way throughout their whole lives. As other members have already pointed out, what's the point of gathering all the plastic bottles, tins etc., in on place if nodody is going to come and collect them?

Unfortunately, it will take decades for attitudes to change I fear.

I don't know where these other posters live, but here on Phuket my separated recyclable waste is picked up and sold to the many scrap merchants here, at least a couple of times a day. This is a full time cottage industry here.

However, it is disgusting to see our once beautiful klongs and sois littered with plastic bags (how long did that 7/11 'no plastic bag' initiative last? A week?).

As to this constant reference to 'elites' (look up the definition and stop parroting it on this forum),I take it you mean money grubbing bastards who don't give a toss about the state of their own nation, whether it be the environment or their fellow Thais who inhabit it?

But the most important part of your post, is the government and it's (lack of) EDUCATION.

[selftaopath]

Prioritynumber one. Explain to Thais what those round bins are for. And invent a Thai word for "litter bin"

Nice idea, but how many Thai people would walk 1 meter to a bin when they can merely drop the debris where they stand, or - like here in "rooster country" (Isaan) -just weep/throw it out the door. The dogs/roosters/wind will do something with it. Amusing Thailand not Amazing.

[canopy]

I don't know where these other posters live, but here on Phuket my separated recyclable waste is picked up and sold to the many scrap merchants here, at least a couple of times a day. This is a full time cottage industry here.

Yes, same here north of Bangkok. I thought this was common in villages throughout Thailand. Pickups troll around blaring their arrival over loudspeaker. Wave them over and they take recyclables, weigh them individually and pay a small amount of money for them. They take bottles, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, tin cans, and other various metals. Works real well.

However, it is disgusting to see our once beautiful klongs and sois littered with plastic bags (how long did that 7/11 'no plastic bag' initiative last? A week?).

Yes. On the other hand our village has no garbage collection. The authorities advise residents to burn their trash or dump it in the national forests and that's exactly what everyone does.

[ginjag]

I don't know where these other posters live, but here on Phuket my separated recyclable waste is picked up and sold to the many scrap merchants here, at least a couple of times a day. This is a full time cottage industry here.

Yes, same here north of Bangkok. I thought this was common in villages throughout Thailand. Pickups troll around blaring their arrival over loudspeaker. Wave them over and they take recyclables, weigh them individually and pay a small amount of money for them. They take bottles, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, tin cans, and other various metals. Works real well.

However, it is disgusting to see our once beautiful klongs and sois littered with plastic bags (how long did that 7/11 'no plastic bag' initiative last? A week?).

Yes. On the other hand our village has no garbage collection. The authorities advise residents to burn their trash or dump it in the national forests and that's exactly what everyone does.

The money is there..at the local government....But it is wasted on things like car ports for government employees. air con units for offices NOT used. as most of the staff are out at meetings...the criminals are here in small village administrations....Thai people will not complain---because the government people are more educated than locals--so they say the cannot.

[robsamui]

Gotta laugh and cry.

I'm on Samui and in October attended the last ceremonies attached to all of the island's 26 government schools now having green studies integrated into their curriculum.

The local hotel's association sponsored the schools and the tessaban coughed up a chunk of cash for each school.

So the local toffs are all at the school - deputy mayor and civic big wigs. And there are riteous speeches about conservation and recycling and then the VIP group is toured around the grounds to visit all the little projects going on around the school. The kids are superb, answering all the questions etc etc even tho it was a boiling hot day.

We get to a small shed with different bins for each type of waste and the dep Mayor is asking the kids about whats is in each of the bins etc. There are a dozen in the group of civic VIPs and one of them is slugging on a can of coke. So they're all standing around the recycling bins and the guy finishes his coke. And, bored and mindless, turns round without a thought and slings the empty can into the bushes behind him.

Getting to the kids is the only way! Brainwash them with green awareness in the same way as "We're the best nation in the world", "Farangs are stupid", "Brown is dirty", "People in suits are your superiors" and so on. And then have every single character in all the Thai TV soaps using litter bins and having recycling bags on show in their luxury town houses. That might help a bit!

R

[evanson]

Gotta laugh and cry.

I'm on Samui and in October attended the last ceremonies attached to all of the island's 26 government schools now having green studies integrated into their curriculum.

The local hotel's association sponsored the schools and the tessaban coughed up a chunk of cash for each school.

So the local toffs are all at the school - deputy mayor and civic big wigs. And there are riteous speeches about conservation and recycling and then the VIP group is toured around the grounds to visit all the little projects going on around the school. The kids are superb, answering all the questions etc etc even tho it was a boiling hot day.

We get to a small shed with different bins for each type of waste and the dep Mayor is asking the kids about whats is in each of the bins etc. There are a dozen in the group of civic VIPs and one of them is slugging on a can of coke. So they're all standing around the recycling bins and the guy finishes his coke. And, bored and mindless, turns round without a thought and slings the empty can into the bushes behind him.

Getting to the kids is the only way! Brainwash them with green awareness in the same way as "We're the best nation in the world", "Farangs are stupid", "Brown is dirty", "People in suits are your superiors" and so on. And then have every single character in all the Thai TV soaps using litter bins and having recycling bags on show in their luxury town houses. That might help a bit!

R

Agree absolutely that it MUST start from the kids. Same as NOT throwing stones/pouring boiling oil/water on the local dogs/cats.

The Government had a brief campaign running on TV against beating women. I think your suggestions to include the non-despoilation of their environment be actively promoted via soaps, ad campaigns AND schools a very good start.

[jayjay0]

Gotta laugh and cry.

I'm on Samui and in October attended the last ceremonies attached to all of the island's 26 government schools now having green studies integrated into their curriculum.

The local hotel's association sponsored the schools and the tessaban coughed up a chunk of cash for each school.

So the local toffs are all at the school - deputy mayor and civic big wigs. And there are riteous speeches about conservation and recycling and then the VIP group is toured around the grounds to visit all the little projects going on around the school. The kids are superb, answering all the questions etc etc even tho it was a boiling hot day.

We get to a small shed with different bins for each type of waste and the dep Mayor is asking the kids about whats is in each of the bins etc. There are a dozen in the group of civic VIPs and one of them is slugging on a can of coke. So they're all standing around the recycling bins and the guy finishes his coke. And, bored and mindless, turns round without a thought and slings the empty can into the bushes behind him.

Getting to the kids is the only way! Brainwash them with green awareness in the same way as "We're the best nation in the world", "Farangs are stupid", "Brown is dirty", "People in suits are your superiors" and so on. And then have every single character in all the Thai TV soaps using litter bins and having recycling bags on show in their luxury town houses. That might help a bit!

R

By Jove you have a great idea there.

If they would have the characters in all there soaps consonantly recycling it would reach a huge amount of Thai's. After a while they would start to understand it if there soaps continued to push it.

Just stop and think about it a soap with a message.

One other point I would like to bring up is to let people know it is going on.

I have lived here in Chiang Mai for five year. My wife all her life. It is only in the last two years that she has become aware that she can recycle more than aluminum cans and plastic bottles. It is one thing to educate them but you also have to let them know it is available.