Samui Car Free Week

[Boater]

Just seen this on Facebook

Koh Samui, 16th-22nd September 2012 - Hundreds of cyclists are joining a bike rally for World Car Free Day organized by Tourism Authority of Thailand, Koh Samui Municipality, Green Leaf Foundation, Green Island Foundation, Tourism association of Koh Samui, Thai Hotel Association, and Koh Samui Cycling Club to raise awareness on climate change and the need for personal action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Opening day on September 16th marching band led more than 300 hundred volunteers, supporters and celebrities riding which started from The Chaweng (near Tesco) en route to Chaweng Lake.

More here:

https://www.facebook...52221368156576/

Edited September 2, 2012 by Rooo
Copyright

[carmine]

If theres so much concern here about the environment there are more pressing issues to deal with first like supplying an adequate number of rubbish bins on the roadside and beaches and building a sewage system rather than channeling it straight into the sea. Then have your bike ride.

[Tropicalevo]

The rubbish bin scenario is a difficult one. There are enough bins to cover the people that actually pay for garbage collection. Unfortunately - a heck of a lot of people do not pay.

If more people paid - there would be more bins.

Or people could do what I did. I dispose of a lot of garbage, so I bought extra bins.

- rant over.

I agree 100% about the sewage though

[carmine]

The rubbish bin scenario is a difficult one. There are enough bins to cover the people that actually pay for garbage collection. Unfortunately - a heck of a lot of people do not pay.

If more people paid - there would be more bins.

Or people could do what I did. I dispose of a lot of garbage, so I bought extra bins.

- rant over.

I agree 100% about the sewage though

Its a depressing thought. Just how populated must this island get before something is done. And at the end of the day Samui must bring in fortunes in revenue whilst gradually allowing the islans and surrounding waters to be ruined.

I just feel that bike riding on Samui seems to have become the locals favourite pastime, which is great, but they can do this anytime without causing disruption to the already busy roads. the focus should be kept on more pressing issues

[BigC]

If theres so much concern here about the environment there are more pressing issues to deal with first like supplying an adequate number of rubbish bins on the roadside and beaches and building a sewage system rather than channeling it straight into the sea. Then have your bike ride.

Plus the government water being constantly turned off due to shit maintance of the water pumps in the government office.

I think cyclest shall only bemakingmeaware that there are nowmore bycles to watch out for aswell as crazt motorbikes and car )

[evadgib]

I used to ride a bike regularly but gave up when I realised it was safer to become a knife-throwers dummy @ Billy Smart's circus!

[Rooo]

Phewwwww it's only for cars, I have a truck. Thank God for that.

[Samui Coconut]

The rubbish bin scenario is a difficult one. There are enough bins to cover the people that actually pay for garbage collection. Unfortunately - a heck of a lot of people do not pay.

If more people paid - there would be more bins.

Or people could do what I did. I dispose of a lot of garbage, so I bought extra bins.

- rant over.

I agree 100% about the sewage though

Its a depressing thought. Just how populated must this island get before something is done. And at the end of the day Samui must bring in fortunes in revenue whilst gradually allowing the islans and surrounding waters to be ruined.

I just feel that bike riding on Samui seems to have become the locals favourite pastime, which is great, but they can do this anytime without causing disruption to the already busy roads. the focus should be kept on more pressing issues

Totally agree, there so many other issues which need urgent attention. It is virtually impossible to have a car free WEEK......start with a Sunday and see what effect this might have. Can't see myself riding from Choeng Mon to Tesco on a bike to go shopping.....

[carmine]

The rubbish bin scenario is a difficult one. There are enough bins to cover the people that actually pay for garbage collection. Unfortunately - a heck of a lot of people do not pay.

If more people paid - there would be more bins.

Or people could do what I did. I dispose of a lot of garbage, so I bought extra bins.

- rant over.

I agree 100% about the sewage though

Its a depressing thought. Just how populated must this island get before something is done. And at the end of the day Samui must bring in fortunes in revenue whilst gradually allowing the islans and surrounding waters to be ruined.

I just feel that bike riding on Samui seems to have become the locals favourite pastime, which is great, but they can do this anytime without causing disruption to the already busy roads. the focus should be kept on more pressing issues

Totally agree, there so many other issues which need urgent attention. It is virtually impossible to have a car free WEEK......start with a Sunday and see what effect this might have. Can't see myself riding from Choeng Mon to Tesco on a bike to go shopping.....

This is what is so worrying. Its such a ridiculous concept it could very likely happen. But hey, i'm for the sea filled with sewage, garbage everywhere roads in cronic need for repair, badly lit roads etc aslong as the cyclists are happy.

Didn't i hear somewhere on here a couple of years ago that we are already a "green" island? if so then why can't the seas go somewhere else other than our surrounding shoreline. So. lets make sure the cyclists are fine then we can take a look at these other less pressing issues!

[BigC]

It is quite funny cause I am sure I have seen signs round the island for motor show for imported cars last month

I would not worry as they have a Samui motor bike week to make up for it

As for global warming of people are in aware of it by now then I take it that it does not effect them as they have been going on about it for so long that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

[samuijimmy]

that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

could you translate that last bit please..?. it started off understandably well.... but the last sentence "no understand" ....

[carmine]

It is quite funny cause I am sure I have seen signs round the island for motor show for imported cars last month

I would not worry as they have a Samui motor bike week to make up for it

As for global warming of people are in aware of it by now then I take it that it does not effect them as they have been going on about it for so long that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

samui is as green as an over ripe banana. Theres little or nothing on this island that conforms to green issues save those features installed by residents privately.

You only have to visit farangland for 30 minutes to know samui is fifty years behind conforming to day to day green issues. And to be fair theres little or no interest in this.

This may sound like a critism but its not supposed to be. Its just the way it is.

[samuijimmy]

It is quite funny cause I am sure I have seen signs round the island for motor show for imported cars last month

I would not worry as they have a Samui motor bike week to make up for it

As for global warming of people are in aware of it by now then I take it that it does not effect them as they have been going on about it for so long that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

samui is as green as an over ripe banana. Theres little or nothing on this island that conforms to green issues save those features installed by residents privately.

You only have to visit farangland for 30 minutes to know samui is fifty years behind conforming to day to day green issues. And to be fair theres little or no interest in this.

This may sound like a critism but its not supposed to be. Its just the way it is.

If that being the case, one has to ask why they are spending millions of Aussie dollars, cleaning up Sydney harbour of trash? (reported on one of the world news channels a week or two ago....)

Also why is there a garbage island of plastic and god knows what ... in the middle of the Pacific ocean the size of Texas.... that is not coming from Asia... but can we guess.... surely not a "first world" country?

I don't disagree it's not a problem here but the way it's portrayed would lead people to believe the rest of the world is squeakily free of litter...

Sadly it's not....

[carmine]

It is quite funny cause I am sure I have seen signs round the island for motor show for imported cars last month

I would not worry as they have a Samui motor bike week to make up for it

As for global warming of people are in aware of it by now then I take it that it does not effect them as they have been going on about it for so long that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

samui is as green as an over ripe banana. Theres little or nothing on this island that conforms to green issues save those features installed by residents privately.

You only have to visit farangland for 30 minutes to know samui is fifty years behind conforming to day to day green issues. And to be fair theres little or no interest in this.

This may sound like a critism but its not supposed to be. Its just the way it is.

If that being the case, one has to ask why they are spending millions of Aussie dollars, cleaning up Sydney harbour of trash? (reported on one of the world news channels a week or two ago....)

Also why is there a garbage island of plastic and god knows what ... in the middle of the Pacific ocean the size of Texas.... that is not coming from Asia... but can we guess.... surely not a "first world" country?

I don't disagree it's not a problem here but the way it's portrayed would lead people to believe the rest of the world is squeakily free of litter...

Sadly it's not....

I could also find these examples all over the world but that would be a waste of time and irrelevent to Samui. . The point is Thais are generally hopelessly ignorant of these issues because they haven't been educated to be any wiser. The whole concept of separating garbage is even alien yet some blowhard politician in Bangkok suddenly announces were a green island so we can all rest easy in the knowledge that the island isn't being gradually trashed when infact it is.

[Rooo]

Samui the Hub of cyclists, Samui the Hub of greenery etc.........Pardon me if I'm a bit cynical.

As for Jimmy, Sydney harbour is one of the cleanest waterways in the world. If prevailing winds or tidal activities bring in rubbish, it's not unique to that coastline.

[robsamui]

that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

could you translate that last bit please..?. it started off understandably well.... but the last sentence "no understand" ....

Easy enough if you have a degree in extra-terrestrial linguistics:

"As for global warming - people have become so bombarded with blather about this that they have switched off. They reckon that it doesn't affect them, and anyway people have been going on about global warming for such a long time now that if you hadn't heard of it you'd have to be living on another planet - but global warming doesn't affect Martians anyway."

No charge for this small service.

R

[John 1]

It is quite funny cause I am sure I have seen signs round the island for motor show for imported cars last month

I would not worry as they have a Samui motor bike week to make up for it

As for global warming of people are in aware of it by now then I take it that it does not effect them as they have been going on about it for so long that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

samui is as green as an over ripe banana. Theres little or nothing on this island that conforms to green issues save those features installed by residents privately.

You only have to visit farangland for 30 minutes to know samui is fifty years behind conforming to day to day green issues. And to be fair theres little or no interest in this.

This may sound like a critism but its not supposed to be. Its just the way it is.

If that being the case, one has to ask why they are spending millions of Aussie dollars, cleaning up Sydney harbour of trash? (reported on one of the world news channels a week or two ago....)

Also why is there a garbage island of plastic and god knows what ... in the middle of the Pacific ocean the size of Texas.... that is not coming from Asia... but can we guess.... surely not a "first world" country?

I don't disagree it's not a problem here but the way it's portrayed would lead people to believe the rest of the world is squeakily free of litter...

Sadly it's not....

At least Australia is spending money to clean up, there is no way there will never be any rubbish, but in Australia they have in many towns separate rubbish container's for different item's. It all comes down to education and government spending money which is lacking here.

[robsamui]

that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

could you translate that last bit please..?. it started off understandably well.... but the last sentence "no understand" ....

Easy enough if you have a degree in extra-terrestrial linguistics:

"As for global warming - people have become so bombarded with blather about this that they have switched off. They reckon that it doesn't affect them, and anyway people have been going on about global warming for such a long time now that if you hadn't heard of it you'd have to be living on another planet - but global warming doesn't affect Martians anyway."

No charge for this small service.

R

(I also wrote programs in C++ when I was younger . . . )

[samuijimmy]

It is quite funny cause I am sure I have seen signs round the island for motor show for imported cars last month

I would not worry as they have a Samui motor bike week to make up for it

As for global warming of people are in aware of it by now then I take it that it does not effect them as they have been going on about it for so long that to not know u Wouk have to live on another planet which means that warts global warning shall not effect marshons anyway

samui is as green as an over ripe banana. Theres little or nothing on this island that conforms to green issues save those features installed by residents privately.

You only have to visit farangland for 30 minutes to know samui is fifty years behind conforming to day to day green issues. And to be fair theres little or no interest in this.

This may sound like a critism but its not supposed to be. Its just the way it is.

If that being the case, one has to ask why they are spending millions of Aussie dollars, cleaning up Sydney harbour of trash? (reported on one of the world news channels a week or two ago....)

Also why is there a garbage island of plastic and god knows what ... in the middle of the Pacific ocean the size of Texas.... that is not coming from Asia... but can we guess.... surely not a "first world" country?

I don't disagree it's not a problem here but the way it's portrayed would lead people to believe the rest of the world is squeakily free of litter...

Sadly it's not....

At least Australia is spending money to clean up, there is no way there will never be any rubbish, but in Australia they have in many towns separate rubbish container's for different item's. It all comes down to education and government spending money which is lacking here.

I don't disagree, with this, many western countries have these recycling programs.... usually paid for with ever increasing taxes... Here it is "free market" I see probably four or five trucks drive by my place a week, looking for anything recyclable ... Then you see the dumpster divers every day going through bins... some of them seem to make some good extra "cash" doing it...

Some Thai's do sort and separate their stuff same as some "farangs" do .... but not all...

Glad Rooo took time out to get Sydney harbour cleaned up... had a break from making crumpets did you? ( I suppose down there, all this stuff came in from Kiwi-land or the Antarctic )

[Tropicalevo]

(I also wrote programs in C++ when I was younger . . . )

That explains why I understand Big C's posts. Except that the programs that I wrote were written in COBOL and Fortran. (Dinosaur speak for you youngsters out there.)

[BigC]

This whole concept seems to be a load of rubbish )

[Tropicalevo]

This whole concept seems to be a load of rubbish )

No Big C. You are missing the big picture.

This has nothing to to with bicycles or going green.

So - we all ditch out cars/trucks/SUV's etc for the day. Who wins?

The taxis!

(We really need an icon for 'tongue in cheek!'.)

[ydraw]

Separating rubbish is one of the most pointless things you could ever do. Even if they are paying you to hand it in, it's still all going into landfill.

Bicyclists need to accept that cars are here to stay and not going anywhere. These kind of protests might make the news back home in Australia or the UK when they cause traffic jams. Do that here and you'll likely get shot in the face by an angry Thai truck driver.

[samuijimmy]

Separating rubbish is one of the most pointless things you could ever do. Even if they are paying you to hand it in, it's still all going into landfill.

Then why would these people go around collecting recyclable plastic, tins, bottles, metal ??? I don't think they would be doing that to just take to the dump or down the road for free.....

Even the Thai's are not that stupid.... to waste time and gas doing that.... surely.... ?

Have you never seen trucks full of recyclable stuff headed to the mainland? I am sure not to take to a land fill over there....

Even the plastic straps around the 20 litre paint cans lids get 50 or 100 baht... each .... .( I forget the exact amount, but I remember being surprised when I saw someone do that...once... a good meal for some worker to take the time to "cash in"... Home Mart Meanam takes them.... )

Edited September 5, 2012 by samuijimmy

[Tropicalevo]

Separating rubbish is one of the most pointless things you could ever do. Even if they are paying you to hand it in, it's still all going into landfill.

Then why would these people go around collecting recyclable plastic, tins, bottles, metal ??? I don't think they would be doing that to just take to the dump or down the road for free.....

Even the Thai's are not that stupid.... to waste time and gas doing that.... surely.... ?

You are correct Jimmy.

The girls that work for me collect plastic/cardboard/bottles etc and make 300 to 500 baht every 3/4 weeks.

Easy money for little effort.

There are lots of places around the island that buy the stuff, and they will even collect if there is enough. (They collect from my place.)

Edited September 5, 2012 by Tropicalevo

[limbos]

There may indeed be more urgent matters but you have to start somewhere and some action is better than no action.

All schools around the island are now since a few years very active with cleaning up the court yards every day, something that was 5 years ago unthinkable.

Personally I'm not sure if a car free day will have any effect on the island but it's definitely a worthwhile cause!

Edited September 6, 2012 by limbos

[BigC]

if they wanted to make samui more natural then they should have a woman bikini compition to raiseawarness for.iduno anything em global warming., who cares as longas it is agood show.

watching bikes go round in circles makes me aware of amoania. for dizzy spells

[carmine]

if they wanted to make samui more natural then they should have a woman bikini compition to raiseawarness for.iduno anything em global warming., who cares as longas it is agood show.

watching bikes go round in circles makes me aware of amoania. for dizzy spells

Was it a chicken mayo sandwich that you had?

[ydraw]

Then why would these people go around collecting recyclable plastic, tins, bottles, metal

Because they get paid to hand it in by the government.

There's a big difference between tins and metal which is very easy to recycle, and plastic which is much more difficult. Just because the government is paying you to hand it in doesn't mean it's getting recycled. Most government recycling programs everywhere in the world are just a giant waste of money. You spend all that time separating it and putting it in different bins, then they just come pick it up and stick it in a landfill.

[Rooo]

Then why would these people go around collecting recyclable plastic, tins, bottles, metal

Because they get paid to hand it in by the government.

There's a big difference between tins and metal which is very easy to recycle, and plastic which is much more difficult. Just because the government is paying you to hand it in doesn't mean it's getting recycled. Most government recycling programs everywhere in the world are just a giant waste of money. You spend all that time separating it and putting it in different bins, then they just come pick it up and stick it in a landfill.

Perhaps you should visit the recycling centres here . Also look at the recycling facilities on the mainland,Contrary to what you are saying , there is a green movement in Thailand advocating recycling etc.......

If it's only a sham as you call it, a very expensive one then .Perhaps a bit of homework before making such a sweeping statement.