Rubbish And More Rubbish

[MP5]

I drive around Pattaya daily and the increase of rubbish is appalling there seems to be more and more discarded plastic bags and the roadside Jomtien way is just a place to truck and dump loads of rubble and garbage.

Promoting Pattaya for any event or as a tourist destination just doesn't seem on par when the place is becoming a bigger eye sore and possibly a health hazard.

It's crazy! They clean the beach Jomtien way but don't care about the section across the road.

I saw a letter in The Nation on Friday some other person has sighted the same in Bangkok.

Do we really need all the plastic bags every time we purchase something?

[sierra01]

It's not only Pattaya, it's Thailand in general. There's a thread going about how to dispose of rubbish when there's no Govt collection service, it's a good read. The countryside is littered with piles of discarded rubbish, even in areas where there is a collection service.

[alexth]

Yeah, I've noticed, they give you a plastic bag even when you buy a bos of cigarettes, chewing gum or God knows what else...not mentioning the smell in the entrance of the Walking Street...Bangkok, they made the skyscrapers but they can't get a proper sanitation system, like sewers and stuff...isn't that stupid.

I am really curious about the comments of long waited topic, maybe some of you guys won't start with the "Why did you chooses to live in Thailand?" or any of those stupid remarks...afterall, the smell and the garbage on the street are a real shame for Thailand

[MP5]

Yeah, I've noticed, they give you a plastic bag even when you buy a bos of cigarettes, chewing gum or God knows what else...not mentioning the smell in the entrance of the Walking Street...Bangkok, they made the skyscrapers but they can't get a proper sanitation system, like sewers and stuff...isn't that stupid.

I am really curious about the comments of long waited topic, maybe some of you guys won't start with the "Why did you chooses to live in Thailand?" or any of those stupid remarks...afterall, the smell and the garbage on the street are a real shame for Thailand

Thanks Alexth I really think this is an important issue.

I'm just at odds ends to offer a sensible solution!

I have thought about trying to get an official from Pattaya City Hall to come for a drive around and highlight the total disregard for the enviroment.

The other thing is the way fires just get lit to clear some land or burn household rubbish.

When I got home this afternoon it smelt like someone was burning rubber nearby.

Terrible smell and noxious I'm sure.

Thankfully it rained!

Ps: I personally like your style

Edited February 18, 2006 by MP5

[alexth]

The officials already know, trust me, they are probably just waiting for a company to do it weather for free, weather paying a big tip to get paid for the project, I am not sure as I do not know the in's and out's of this story, but regarding what's happening, trust me, they know, but as long as they have their villas, they don't care...BTW, where is the media this time???

BTW...read this:

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:fAox0l...th&ct=clnk&cd=9

Edited February 18, 2006 by alexth

[CGW]

Unfortunatley this is one of the prices we have to pay for living in a third world Country

Along with traffic chaos, corruption and lets not forget noise pollution

The worse areas for garbage are around squater area's, they just throw rubbish any where

It's always amazed me that a people who care so much about personal cleanliness, don't give a damm about the enviroment

TIT?

Cheers

[MP5]

I can just see a uniformed official kneeling down pointing to a plastic bag on the TV and reading another version a week later.

How can this real day to day concern be rectified

Oh! for money back on plastic bags

It's always amazed me that a people who care so much about personal cleanliness, don't give a damm about the enviroment!

Me too!

I don't think this a third world country just a lazy one.

I agree with Alexth though this is not a why do choose to live here then type situation.

I'm married, we have children having been bought up in Antipodean countries I'm just really concerned about how our community is becoming more like a Bxxxdy rubbish dump.

Do we have a solution?

Thankyou we might have a topic we can possibly help make a change to some attitudes with some positve input

Edited February 18, 2006 by MP5

[alexth]

I was talking to a police officer once and asked him how the freelancer sellers on the streets act. He told me they don't pay any taxes, the govt is happy that they don't steal or conduct any illegal activities and that are left alone...I was like "Man, this is good!", after that I've asked him about the sanitation, like papers, approvals for selling food for the masses, he than replied "They don't need any!", this was also ok, afterall, I am buying food on the street since the begining...it's ok, I never got sick or something...the point is, they don't have to pay taxes, they don't need licenses, but what about just a common respect for the city, govt, King and so on...is it that hard to clean after your work is done??? At least this should be imposed....

[CGW]

The police will "impose' no laws unless there is money in it for them! Why, as they don't get paid enough to exist on their menial salary and corruption is deeply embedded in Thai soiety.

This is a third world country, expecting people to clean up their garbage, not going to happen until they have a standard of living, that allows them to have some pride in there enviroment.

Thailand is a long way off achieving this.

Go "upcountry" this is how they live there, they bring this "lifestye" with them, until they are educated otherwise nothing can change.

Please! prove me wrong

[alexth]

Well, plolice could receive bribes for closing the eye on those who didn't clean, they would be like...bribe, clean and go...they should learn how to get a brighter move on all the corruption

[Levent]

It's mainly a matter of education. It seems to me that a lot of people live by the day and don't worry too much about tomorrow, let alone the long-term future. It is both a health hazard and a downside for tourism.

Maybe it's just laziness as well. I mean, how difficult is it to keep rubbish with you until you find a bin instead of throwing it out of your car window, or simply "letting it drop" onto the pavement?

Many people have a lot to complain about Singapore (police state, dictatorship and whatever else) but their policies do clearly work. It is a very, very clean and safe place.

[donkeykong]

With TOXIN setting the ultimate example, I'd say your chances of any radical mindset changes amongst the general population are extremely remote, at best.

[penzman]

There's a beautiful little pond near our house. Someone had the bright idea of dumping loads of construction garbage in it

Now others are doing the same.

I guess once you don't see it , it's not your problem anymore...

[CGW]

Many people have a lot to complain about Singapore (police state, dictatorship and whatever else) but their policies do clearly work. It is a very, very clean and safe place.

How did Singapore bring about this situation, they made anti litter laws and enforced them to the max! fine was 500 s$, the police were not corruptable, if you dropped litter you were paying the fine or were in jail until the fine was paid, (this included throwing a fag end out of a car!)

Can you see this happening here?

[alexth]

There's a beautiful little pond near our house. Someone had the bright idea of dumping loads of construction garbage in it

Now others are doing the same.

I guess once you don't see it , it's not your problem anymore...

:D :D

[MP5]

There's a beautiful little pond near our house. Someone had the bright idea of dumping loads of construction garbage in it

Now others are doing the same.

I guess once you don't see it , it's not your problem anymore...

The problem is I see it!

Whens I wents to skool wes lernt reading riting and rythmatic

When my sisters went to school they learnt those 3 R's plus reduce, re-use recycle!

Yes it's education 100%

It's just so Bxxxdy annoying the example of just throwing the trash out the window it's another issue the so called water shortage.

Thats easily solved! Put guttering on all houses and condos and tank the rain water

Sorry I'll stick to my original post!

I'm just in the mood if you know what I mean

[N&M]

It seems to be a very Asian thing in that they generally tend to care very little about their environment and this is the result. Take a look in any shopping supermarket at the amount of packaging for the simplest of lollies or snacks. Can be dozens of small packets inside a bigger and even another as well.

In the 7eleven how many times do you get a double bag for the smallest item. Buy a drink and it goes in a bag and a straw thrown in, you walk outside, open the drink, throw the bag in the bin and the straw. How many feet did you walk with that bag.

'Thats easily solved! Put guttering on all houses and condos and tank the rain water '

Not so easy, the rain here is toxic. The run off that runs into my fish pond kills them regulalry, so I doubt I will be drinking the rain water here any time soon.

Edited February 18, 2006 by N&M

[alexth]

Actually, I only drink the water that I buy from 7Eleven or any supermarket, the water coming in your shower it's not clean either...be careful

[MP5]

It seems to be a very Asian thing in that they generally tend to care very little about their environment and this is the result. Take a look in any shopping supermarket at the amount of packaging for the simplest of lollies or snacks. Can be dozens of small packets inside a bigger and even another as well.

In the 7eleven how many times do you get a double bag for the smallest item. Buy a drink and it goes in a bag and a straw thrown in, you walk outside, open the drink, throw the bag in the bin and the straw. How many feet did you walk with that bag.

'Thats easily solved! Put guttering on all houses and condos and tank the rain water '

Not so easy, the rain here is toxic. The run off that runs into my fish pond kills them regulalry, so I doubt I will be drinking the rain water here any time soon.

You learn something every day I just had to think back to the burnin g rubber smell this afternoon.

Is it really that toxic? I woudn't suggest drinking it yet if it was treated by filtering would that work for showering especially?

I think the water from the lake here is toxic too I wonder what chemicals they throw in there. Now I have seen the stains left on our car, we only wash at a proper car wash now when I was getting a quote for a filter system the guy said the stains were from the local water

Enviromental Awareness open numerous areas to be concerned about.

Yeah! I get the 7/11 bag thing I will be honest and decline mainly because I want to drink right there and then.

Plastic bags blowing all around the vacant sections to the rear of Jomtien and the elephant tourist spot. That's another eyesore!

Edited February 18, 2006 by MP5

[N&M]

Yes, I decline also, but take a look at how many locals do the same, nadah.

[sierra01]

The officials already know, trust me, they are probably just waiting for a company to do it weather for free, weather paying a big tip to get paid for the project, I am not sure as I do not know the in's and out's of this story, but regarding what's happening, trust me, they know, but as long as they have their villas, they don't care...BTW, where is the media this time???

BTW...read this:

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:fAox0l...th&ct=clnk&cd=9

According to the link Bang Saen has been given 3 stars, maybe that should be -3 stars, it's a rubbish tip, filthy dirty and one I'll never set foot on again, not until it's cleaned up anyway.

[ronz28]

Public education is a big part of the answer. The government can't do everything. Almost everyone in Thailand needs to be educated about preserving the environment for the good of all Thais. Our kids had to water testing at the nearby rivers as part of school science projects, etc. Don't mess with Texas has been a big project to get those adults that didn't really care to quit trashing the environment see: http://www.dontmesswithtexas.org/

[alexth]

Public education is a big part of the answer. The government can't do everything. Almost everyone in Thailand needs to be educated about preserving the environment for the good of all Thais. Our kids had to water testing at the nearby rivers as part of school science projects, etc. Don't mess with Texas has been a big project to get those adults that didn't really care to quit trashing the environment see: http://www.dontmesswithtexas.org/

No, the government isn't doing anything

[Mobi]

Here's my 4 penny'th

In Bangkok the street vendors in some areas are licenced by the city council, who require large 'fees' for the licence, but they also have to pay protection money to local police/mafia. In other areas they are not licenced but still have to pay a lot of porotection money. The previous governer, Samak (one of the most right wing corrupt politicians in the history of Thailand) cancelled the arrangement whereby stall holders had to close one day a week so that the city could clean up their mess. The current governer, Apirak is trying to reintroduce this rule amidst howls of protest.

Where I live, we pay 40 Baht per month to the Orbortor to provide a bin and collect our garbage. They ran out of bins so we had to supply our own. They come about once every 3 weeks - if we're lucky, (and only after personally begging them several times before each collection) - by which time the garbage is festering all over the road having been set upon nightly by rabid dogs. They have two women who travel all over the Amphur collecting 40 baht from each resident. I offered to pay a year in advance but they refused - might take away their job.

In the Sa Kaeo village, where my wife's family lives, there is a total ignorance and disregard for the disposal of rubbish. Everyone just chucks their rubbish in any nearby empty space, including a large pond. When I went to stay there, I bought some rubbish bins for the house. I am the only one who ever uses them., and the rubbish I deposit on one visit is still there on my next visit, 3 months later. Yet they clean and scrub the floors, sweep the porches and generally keep themselves and their house clean and tidy. The rubbish just gets swept onto vacant land. It's just plain ignorance. The schools are lousy, and the only information they ever get on anything is from free to air TV and radio. The government could launch a 'keep Thailand tidy' campaign tomorrow - if they wanted to!

TIT

Edited February 18, 2006 by Mobi D'Ark

[zzap]

I think rubbish isn't an eyesore to most Thais, just part of the environment. They just burn it when it gets too much, no awareness that some of the stuff is toxic, such as batteries.

BTW, isn't there a 2000bt fine for littering?

Ever heard of anyone being fined, other than a farang dropping a cig-end?

(Laughs hysterically)

[Pattaya_Fox]

I think rubbish isn't an eyesore to most Thais, just part of the environment. They just burn it when it gets too much, no awareness that some of the stuff is toxic, such as batteries.

BTW, isn't there a 2000bt fine for littering?

Ever heard of anyone being fined, other than a farang dropping a cig-end?

(Laughs hysterically)

You`re right zzap 2000bt fine for dropping litter and 2000bt for stubbing out your cig-end, although reduced usually by 80% for tea money

[Levent]

I go to Turkey on a regular basis and I am delighted to see that the people are finally becoming more environmentally aware there. It's unbelievable how they used to throw everything all over the place.

The major earthquake of August 1999 taught them a lesson, as survivors had to sleep out on the streets and in open squares and they were surrounded by filth; that way they became aware of what they were causing by their behaviour.

It's just a shame that something major has to happen before a solution is sought, just like any big accident must happen before measures are taken to prevent it from ever happening again... by taking the correct measures in the first place, a lot of problems could be avoided.

[Kerryd]

I thought the situation in Thailand was bad enough. After spending a few days in Delhi, Thailand didn't look that bad.

After spending a few days in Cairo, Thailand looks sparkling clean by comparison.

The people in my building were in the bad habit of sweeping their garbage into the street, dropping left-overs on the ground and putting food on plastic bags for the local flea farms (dogs) to scavange.

I bought a garbage can and some bags and did a good clean-up. Even sprayed bleach around the garbage collection point across the street to cut down on the germs and the odour.

Now that I clean the area on a regular basis, I notice the adults are a little more conscientious about keeping the area tidy, but it hasn't filtered down to the kids or neighbours.

I've also noticed that if I don't sweep the area every day, nobody else will. As a result, if I skip a day or two, the place starts looking like a landfill again. Meanwhile, the kids are playing in and around the area, the tick factories (dogs) take turns scattering the crap around and nobody seems to care.

The attitude seems to be "Oh well, eventually the wind will scatter the garbage and the rain will flush it down the sewer".

When it does rain, and the sewer backs up, they don't clue in that it's because of all the garbage (bags, bottles, styrofoam) they stuffed down the sewer grate.

They don't seem to understand that all that garbage is probably why there are so many flies around all the time, no do they realize the kinds of germs those flies are carrying.

To clean up this mess will require a massive re-education of the population, and better services from the various governments (local, regional and federal).

[Mobi]

......They don't seem to understand that all that garbage is probably why there are so many flies around all the time, no do they realize the kinds of germs those flies are carrying.

To clean up this mess will require a massive re-education of the population, and better services from the various governments (local, regional and federal).

When I was a boy (here we go again), back in the 50's in merrie England, plastic bags didn't exist, and all our household rubbish was put directly into metal dustbins, from uncovered rubbish buckets in the house. In the summers - I remember so clearly - there were flies everywhere. All breeding from the uncovered rubbish in the house and garden dustbins. Nobody knew or cared much about not dropping litter anywhere and everywhere.(Believe it or not, many, me included, only had a bath once a week, and we all shared the same hot water boiled up in a tin bath on the kitchen stove) Through the years, the government conducted long and tireless campaigns to educate the populace on the merits of proper rubbish disposal. Things improved and the advent of black bags was a revolution in hygene. However, even today you will find many people, mainly kids and youths who will still throw rubbish anywhere - out of their cars, in the parks, on the streets etc.

England was never as bad as Thailand, but the point of this post is to remind us that it wasn't that long ago that we weren't the clean hygenic race of farangs that we like to think we are today?? It will require a concerted campaign for a generation or more before Thais will start to change their habits.

But does this governent care? Too busy with their noses in the money trough I'm afraid.

[CGW]

England was never as bad as Thailand, but the point of this post is to remind us that it wasn't that long ago that we weren't the clean hygenic race of farangs that we like to think we are today?? It will require a concerted campaign for a generation or more before Thais will start to change their habits.

But does this governent care? Too busy with their noses in the money trough I'm afraid.

Good point Mr Ark, quite a few of us derive from this era. One thing I believe most of us had though was a bed, a bedroom etc, the majority of Thai people still havn't reached this level of "development" yet, to expect them to care about the enviroment is just asking too much.

The more Pattaya develops, as is happening now, the situation is going to deteriate

Cheers