Pollution Plus In Pattaya

[ThaiTrav]

I have just completed quite an extensive tour of Thailand

from phuket, to Chang Mai, through nearly all the Isaarn provinces Rayong the

islands Koh Chang, Samet to Pattaya, and whilst I had a great time and enjoyed

my time ,the people ,culture ect ,there is one big issue sitting on my shoulders

that really bugs me so much so I write to you to perhaps publish this in some

hope someone does something or feedbacks opion

The amount of litter and filth that lines the streets and

waterways ,beaches ,highways off the tourist traffic areas is so bad I really

think its gone past the stage it can ever be cleaned up. Whoever invented the

plastic bag or allowed it to be brought into this country needs to be shot

several times over .Thai people just don’t know how to dispose of it. Go over

into the dark side in pattaya so many plastic bags line the streets they look

like flowers millions of them. How do Farangs buy beautiful houses over there

but have to drive through a rubbish tip everyday just to get in and out of the

place astounds me ,personally I would be too embarrassed. Stand on the walkway

that goes out to the Beergarden at the entrance of walking street at low tide

and just look at all the garbage that’s on the beach!!!!!!!! It would take

gangs of people to clean it up, repeat my words again but at Bali Pier Beach ,and

again bottom end of Jomtein near the boat moorings ,the garbage is so thick

floating on tidal water you actually can walk out on the floating mess.I didn’t

know the main rubbish dump of Pattaya was located just behind the Soi Baukow

Markets in a built up residential area !!! The amount of vermon sick dogs and

cats and rats that live off this filth,why does it not seem to pose a health

risk here where everywhere else in the world it does. The bus I was

travelling in through isaarn stopped for a toilet break. A short walk from the

highway through severely plastic bag lined footpath one then notices a very

fowl smell on route to toilet.Upon little closer inspection I found that the

mens urinal is piped straight to the open gully and there was so much urine

accumulating over time ,it had become a small lake with thousands of bags

and litter floating , I will be as bold to say that I would imagine many of

these highway service stations paint the same story as I became curious after

seeing that I made it a mission that I saw the next stop and the next and yes

sadly the same. Where does a solution lie here because really there are some

serious issues here like WHY?? WHY is it that the rest of the world is

conforming or most of it to cleaning up the environment,saving the planet that

we all share when the likes of third world countries are just treating it as a

joke ,sort of make our efforts seem useless in the big picture ,in my country

we have 2 bins per house recycle and waste, there are big fines for littering,sure

you can’t stop total people from littering but the place is clean .If Thai

people can pay fines for not wearing helmets they can introduce fines for

littering the money can be used in setting up an ongoing infrastructure to

manage the litter. Personally I think its beyond hope .I have nearly gotten out

of my car many times and thought “I can clean this up for them” but apart from

work permit issues,what stops me is just look up ahead a bit bit more ……theres

way to much for little one off me to make any difference at all particularly

that whilst thinking about it or reading this the thais have just littered the

environment way more than you or I could comprehend and in such short time.

So.. Whos to blame here !! The Thai people that throw the

bags on the ground or the council for not providing enough amenities like bins

even ,I know myself after having a can of drink whilst walking down beach road

you have to really make an effort to try and find a place to dispose of the

empty can finally guilt overwhelms you as you have to leave it on top of placed

bags on the street corner knowing full well the garbage won’t be all removed

and your likely empty can will be left because the small things are often the

hardest here to pick up. When I compare the strict rules we abide by in

Australia and I see with my own eyes both rich and poor conforming to make the

world a better place for our future then see this filth and its not just

Thailand ,Phillipines ,Cambodia and many places but lets not look for excuses

for we were taught it all starts at HOME .

Where is the dump in Pattaya????? Anyone know I think I saw

it out the back of Sukhumvitt Rd somewhere spread over many acres but in more

recent have seen this in many areas of built up Pattaya. Cosy Hill for example

sposed to be upmarket area???? Why do they have many rubbish dumps in the most

of the sidestreets. You know those mini buddah temples in most shops ,,why are

they left to rot in pieces clustered in piles on the sides of the roads, you

don’t have to do far anywhere in Thailand to see that Cosy beach has many

displays……Why is that??? Demolish a condo ,build or renovate ,then take a tip

truckload of broken toilets bathtubs tiles ,walls taps ect and go empty the

truck on a sideroad just behind TESCO Naklua side, and worse more keep

doing it for months on end ,no one here seems to notice or blinks an eyelid.

You should see the garbage UNFU…KENBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!! To top it off I once saw

Pattaya TV conduct a world clean up day in Pattaya,……just think about it for a moment….WORLD

CLEANUP DAY .At long last an effort was being made. At the end of the day the

results were broadcast on the news showing a grand total of about 5 people

diving collecting submersed garbage in the ocean,and overall collecting about

5or 6 full household garbage bags of rubbish…WORLD CLEANUP DAY!!! I was so

furious I went and complained to a staff member at the station saying I

could’ve shown them areas where there total efforts could have achieved in 5

mins and they could be broadcasting a total collection of 5 semi trailerloads

instead of a mere 5 bags after all wasn’t this WORLD CLEANUP DAY??? What a joke

and even more so that the dingbat I spoke to said “Oh don’t worry this is

Thailand”……NO EXCUSE IN MY BOOK AND PARTICULARLY YOU AS REPRESENTING THE

MEDIA….WHO HAVE POWER MORE THAN MOST TO INFLUENCE THE MAJORITY!!!!!

Is the next excuse we have no money , or the people have no

money, or they have NO EDUCATION. Do we as superior race of wealth ,education

,knowledge just sit on our loralls and say “Oh this is Thailand” or get off our

BIG FAT <deleted> and help the misfortunates do something that will ultimately

effect ALL OF US IN THE END IF NOTHING IS DONE!!!Mind you “Fellow Farang our

back home countrymen are still abiding by our rules in trying to keep our

backyards ,environment ,waterways clean and they have made very noticeable

differences compared with here! OK SO WHAT CAN WE DO??? Look I am not a save

the planet greenie or have all the answers but without applying much thought

could offer few suggestions that would have impact.

If Farang have the power to own media here it should be made

that the media contribute to community issues in a bigger way ,and in that I

would suggest an ongoing service of community announcements broadcast and ads

in paper publishing how to dispose of rubbish or recycle ,where to go ,what

facilities are available if any to place different types of garbage.

Media services can also influence charity organizations,

Service clubs ,school ,scout organizations to have clean up days or area

competitions. If the Council has no money left because the’ve trashed it on

useless street crossings or monorail plans. Why can’t the job of rubbish

collecting and providing all homes with least 1 wheelie bin be outsourced to a

private company, revenue is raised though commercial disposal ,or excess

household mind you lots of money can be raised through introduction of fines .

Education of the masses can be introduced through media channels and roadside

signage “WE’RE BITTER ABOUT LITTER PENALTY 500BHT” This can further be enforced

through newspapers, signage from stickers on cars ,baht buses ,businesses. The

radio could even make a fun thing of it make sure you stick on you “were bitter

about litter sticker “ has a luck number on it call at various times each day.

Why the media could have broadcast World cleanup day as everybody has to go

outside and pick up least 5 pieces of rubbish. What little audience the local

media have here …..”on the larger scale speaking no pun intended ….would have

had more impact that 5 bags!!

And on Bags WHO introduced the plastic bag to THAILAND .Most

likely us ….FARANG.We gave them this problem along with cans plastic ect. They

majority wise don’t have the knowledge to deal with the stuff ,any view out

your car side window will show that .I’m not talking about educated Thai people

and I’m sure there are many who have good upbringing education clean values and

respect for the environment but overall the problem outweighs that minority,

because the majority are still out there polluting like no tomorrow making all

efforts futile from the community. Biodegradable plastic is the only real

answer here .I couldn’t believe when I pulled a supermarket shopping bag out of

the drawer after several months at home in Oz. It just powderized as I touched

it !! Only 2 months old but what a brilliant idea!!!!Who would care how many

bags littered the streets and highways in Thailand I would even help them by

throwing a few out the car window myself if I knew they we’re powderized after few

months. YOU SEE we as individuals to organizations and media can play big

roles to make the changes ….if we really cared….There are answers there

,solutions are here right under our noses ,what does it take and I will step up

and point to us Farang, We build Hiltons, and play a major role in giving

assistance to developing countries why also don’t we assist more in helping

them dispose of the aftermath of our inventions and structures which have

become evil necessaties to their everyday life just as in our home countries

and other places in the world. Don’t allow our efforts back at home go to waste

by doing nothing here especially if we are trying to call this place home too.

[craigt3365]

Let's move this over to the Pattaya forum. I'm sure a "lively" discussion will be started.

Topic Moved.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Well, let's try. Buit come on, there is no way I'm reading all that.

[gotlost]

If I want a noval to read. I'll go buy it.

[LennyW]

That is some rant for a newbie !!!

I do agree about the plastic bags though, what a mess everywhere. If only there was some scrap value in the discarded bags they would soon dissapear - you seldom see an aluminium can or a plastic bottle at the roadside for that very reason. Some bright spark needs to invent a way of recycling these plastic bags and therfore giving them value, the place would be clean in no time.

I think the OP is getting rubbish dumps and recycling depots mixed up, AFAIK there is still only one "rubbish dump" that is way up past Banglamung on the small road that goes up the side of Izusu?

[TheWalkingMan]

I went drove a Thai friend from Udon Thani to Dan Sai and while on the road she rolled down her window and threw some garbage out. I have not seen anyone do something like that for maybe 25 years. I commented about it and her reply, "This is Thailand, don't worry."

I think that a lot of the locals just do not see littering as their problem. It is just something that people do and have done essentially forever.

TheWalkingMan

[Michaelaway]

Longest Post award winner, 2011

[pipo1000]

I went drove a Thai friend from Udon Thani to Dan Sai and while on the road she rolled down her window and threw some garbage out. I have not seen anyone do something like that for maybe 25 years. I commented about it and her reply, "This is Thailand, don't worry."

I think that a lot of the locals just do not see littering as their problem. It is just something that people do and have done essentially forever.

TheWalkingMan

It isn't that they don't see it,it is that they just don't care if the place is not directly connected to their livingspace.

[CGW]

If only the responsible persons in government felt as strongly as OP, then "maybe" something would be done!

I hate the constant drone of "unregulated" traffic noise in Thailand, so unnecessary, but nothing will be done!

[Bagwan]

IN the UK Sainsbury docked one penny from your bill for every plastic bag that you re-used. Thai people might like to be spared 4 or 5 baht every time that they go shopping.

[patrickinpattaya]

God that's one long post. Couldn't stomach reading the whole post, so the op is disgusted at the amount of rubbish in thailand and is urging us all to do something about it. Very honourable indeed but then it turns out he himself dumps his soda can amongst the rubbish on the street. There's a word for it. Begins with h

[taff33]

Best to go back home(where ever that is),because you will not change any thing here, this is the life of the Thai.