Bangkok City Workers Speed Up Cleaning Roads After Songkran Celebration

[george]

City workers speed up cleaning roads after Songkran celebration

BANGKOK, April 16 -- Staff of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Saturday began sweeping up roads in the capital after the end of Songkran festival, while plenty of money reportedly changed hands during the celebrations.

Cleaning roads in some parts of the Bangkok’s districts where many celebrants gathered during the three-day festival which ended Friday, is a challenging job. Revelers of Songkran festival, Thailand’s traditional New Year, splashed water mixed with talcum powder paste at each other during the festival and dirtied roads which, from past experience, took days to clean.

More than 400 BMA road cleaners have begun to clean roads in the district, including Khao San Road, a favourite tourist destination where cheap accommodation, inexpensive food and alcoholic drinks cater to foreign tourists.

Dozens of BMA’s garbage trucks were seen parked in the district, while cleaners swept roads. Sweepers are expected to clean roads again Sunday to ensure roads in the area are clean on Monday as people will start going back to their offices.

In Bang Rak district, home to the infamous Patpong Road where dozens of bars and restaurants are located, over 200 BMA sweepers cleaned Silom Road, known as Thailand’s Wall Street, and will return to clean them again Sunday.

Surakiat Limcharoen, Bang Rak district officer, said his district would invite business operators and those who played Songkran in his area to join in a campaign called the ‘Big Cleaning Day’ next week. The campaign is aimed at creating awareness for those having fun in the area to join in the cleaning of it.

On a positive note, Mr Surakiat said his office projected that over 350,000 Songkran revellers turned up in his area during the festival and estimated turnover for local businesses at “over Bt50 million.” (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-04-16

[koto]

Aloha

Like Pattaya, The small things that are dangers to our sea life usually get thrown, swept or washed into the storm drains, "Our Life's Blood"

And become non-digestible contaminating killers to our seafood, water and seabirds, things like bottle caps, toxic cigarette filters, plastic bags, disposable lighters, camera batteries to mention just a few.

Sure would be nice if storm drains were stenciled in Thai, English and Russian with a picture and fines were imposed on the unknowing or uncaring humans that are destroying Mother Earth.

We are all in this neighborhood together and it is (Time) and up to us, to make a difference. Don't wait for it to happen (It won't) make it happen, reach out and be part of the Solution, Set Examples, Walk the Walk, try Giving Back, Waster-Size, Bend at the Waist to pick up the Waste and work on getting rid of both.

If we "all" would take just 10 minutes 3 times a week out of our ever so busy lives and removed dangers from the voiceless, Children, Wildlife and Waterways, we could make a tremendous difference in our Neighborhoods and also how we Think about Ourselves.

Hey just a thought! Wishing all Inner-Wealth, Health, Happiness and Peace.

NOW is the only time we have.

[pisico]

Aloha

Like Pattaya, The small things that are dangers to our sea life usually get thrown, swept or washed into the storm drains, "Our Life's Blood"

And become non-digestible contaminating killers to our seafood, water and seabirds, things like bottle caps, toxic cigarette filters, plastic bags, disposable lighters, camera batteries to mention just a few.

Sure would be nice if storm drains were stenciled in Thai, English and Russian with a picture and fines were imposed on the unknowing or uncaring humans that are destroying Mother Earth.

We are all in this neighborhood together and it is (Time) and up to us, to make a difference. Don't wait for it to happen (It won't) make it happen, reach out and be part of the Solution, Set Examples, Walk the Walk, try Giving Back, Waster-Size, Bend at the Waist to pick up the Waste and work on getting rid of both.

If we "all" would take just 10 minutes 3 times a week out of our ever so busy lives and removed dangers from the voiceless, Children, Wildlife and Waterways, we could make a tremendous difference in our Neighborhoods and also how we Think about Ourselves.

Hey just a thought! Wishing all Inner-Wealth, Health, Happiness and Peace.

NOW is the only time we have.

Now is the only time we have.... But tomorrow is another day. We will do it better when we come back..., or not.

If you think that is bad in Pattaya, that situation in Bangkok makes me cry. Come to Pinklao and you will see gray and black waters being dumped directly into the canals with waste that end up into the Mother River Chao Praya.

I visited a Thai acquaintance who lives in one of those buildings full of 4 by 4 meter rooms and I noticed the foul odor immediately. He said: "I forgot to cover the shower's drain." He went to the bathroom and placed an empty yogurt plastic cup on the drain and the odor subsided.

We both went to see the manager (he was too shy to complain because as we all know "it is not polite to complain") under the pretenses that I was interested in renting a room. I asked about the foul odor. The manager said that the septic tanks were full and that the owner had no money to have them emptied. I argued that it was unsanitary and could lead to illnesses of the tenants. He looked at me with eyes that showed pity and contempt at the same time. Finally he said: "I will tell the owner when I see him." He added that he did not know if he would be able to see or talk to the owner of the building. "He goes to China a lot, you know." Was his final reply. I mentioned that perhaps complaining to the authorities would make the owner take notice. He replied: Ala goday; whatever.

I did this for the benefit of this guy who is a hardworking fellow but Thai to the core. I wasted my time and efforts and in the end he said with a grin on his face: "I told you, mai pen rai!"