Thai ' Scavengers Club' Turns Trash To Treasure

[webfact]

Feature

Thai 'scavengers club' turns trash to treasure

by Apilaporn Vechakij

BANGKOK, Jan 2, 2013 (AFP) - Thai grandmother Nom Prom-on rummages through rubbish bins looking for bottles, cans and paper to trade for food and other goods at a recycling cooperative providing a lifeline for Bangkok's poor.

Riding an old motorcycle with a rubbish cart attached, the 61-year-old and her husband Rai rise early to beat rival scavengers to claim the best of the city's recyclable trash, which they take to a cash-free "zero baht shop".

The couple have combed bins for decades, but their earnings of less than 10 dollars per day are not always enough to live on, so they turned to the cooperative.

"When we're starving, we can find rubbish to exchange for rice to eat, detergent, soap and everything," said Nom, who also has grandchildren to raise and feed.

By selling to the recycling plants in bulk, the cooperative gets a better rate than individual scavengers would manage on their own.

Profits are then paid back in dividends and other benefits to its members such as life insurance, interest rates from its "rubbish bank" and help paying medical fees.

It is the brainchild of former scavenger Peerathorn Seniwong and his wife Buarin.

"We thought of how we could help the poor -- then we thought of rubbish -- at least every house must have rubbish," Peerathorn, 45, told AFP.

The scheme's 800 members include 35 households of scavengers along with other local people who heard about the shop in an area of eastern Bangkok and now bring their recyclables to trade.

A former security guard and motorcycle taxi driver, Peerathorn came up with the idea after six years of living homeless under an elevated road in Bangkok.

"Sometimes we would have to buy things like fish sauce or rice on credit at shops," said Buarin.

"But people looked down on us as we're poor and they'd wonder whether they would get their money back -- that's why we started our own shop."

Fish sauce, rice, eggs, instant noodles, toothpastes and detergent are among the goods most sought by members, about 20-30 of whom visit the shop each day, Buarin added.

There are several hundred thousand scavengers in Thailand earning about 200-300 baht ($6.5-10) a day, according to Thailand's Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable Environment, which has provided education schemes for members on issues such as hygiene and sorting rubbish.

An estimate quarter of Thailand's 15 million tonnes of garbage of a year is recycled -- largely thanks to scavengers rather than efforts by consumers to separate their waste.

The cooperative's success is inspiring others too, with several similar cash-free shops opening up in the capital and elsewhere.

The institute hopes that 80 cash-free recycling shops will be set up across Thailand by the end of 2013.

The project is also generating interest overseas with visitors from as far afield as Singapore, Japan and Mexico coming to see how it works.

Its success reflects changing attitudes towards rubbish, said Gloyta Nathalang, communications and environment director at Tetra Pak (Thailand) Ltd, which runs the country's only plant for recycling used beverage cartons.

"Recycling is not an alien word any more -- people are aware and want to take more action. But I think what we are lacking now is the system in place," she said.

Peerathorn is proud of what he has achieved since his years living homeless under what people used to sarcastically call his hundred million baht roof.

Rubbish collecting has provided a good way to supplement his income, he says, and allows him flexible working hours.

"It's better to work as a scavenger because I don't have to be anyone's employee. Nobody tells me what to do," he said.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-01-02

[krisb]

Nice story, usually its doom and gloom.

[BookMan]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

[Kananga]

QUOTE - There are several hundred thousand scavengers in Thailand earning about 200-300 baht ($6.5-10) a day

Isn't 300 baht minimum wage?

[theajarn]

QUOTE - There are several hundred thousand scavengers in Thailand earning about 200-300 baht ($6.5-10) a day

Isn't 300 baht minimum wage?

That's what I thought. Then again, people begging on the streets make a sh*tload more money. I had a little conversation with this chic from UNHCR doing her routine fund thingy and she says street beggars earn an average of around a THOUSAND baht a day! That totally blew me away. It'd be nice to see published information on this but yeah -- she said these people were just too lazy to actually do anything else -- yet they rake in quite a sum.

But these garbage scavengers -- wow -- they're actually doing SOMETHING. I just hope more programs like this are realised... honest ones that give these people a good wage for all the crap they go through, pun intended.

[sprq]

Most Thai people look down on the scavengers, but to me they are people doing a great community service. If only the BMA could manage recycling as well as these people do, Bangkok -- a shockingly wasteful city -- would be a much better place.

[cup-O-coffee]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

[Lancelot]

I used to date a Thai girl that always saved aluminum cans and glass bottles for her older sister up country. Supposedloy the proceeds paid for a substantial portion of a new, if modest, house

[belg]

what about teaching thais about recycling starts in hour home ...

to much garbage is being burnt...

everybody with a house has a little space where they could do composting and putting newspaper, vegetables and other leftovers together with leaves and other natural products to be processed at home without the need of garbage pickup and burning... why does the governement not spend some millions there ? in stead of 100.000 baht tax rebates for socalled 1st time car owners..

[Stokakrishna]

i never give money to the beggars, but donate stuff to the garbage scavengers.

[BookMan]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

Well coffeecup, having read this nonsense post i can say that you are bright and shining example of the type of human and thought processes all decent people should NOT aspire to.

Your posting indicates your bitterness towards life has engulfed you and while this is an anonymous forum, it reflects only upon you as person

[StreetCowboy]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

The people in your imagination seem quite unpleasant. I wouldn't put up with them; I'd throw them out and bring in a more bucolic crowd into my imagination. Or perhaps your imagination is a pretty squalid place where honest people would fear to tread... I bet you would imagine the sort of place where I got mugged...

SC

[krisb]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

Your an asshol_e.

[StreetCowboy]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

Your an asshol_e.

He'll have the

out in a minute, boasting about their cardboard boxes in the motorway

[Hedghog]

Scavengers,mobile recyclables trader,do me a great favour.

Saves me having to cart it all away.

I don't have a scheduled refuse collector.

What they don't take I burn.

[Scully]

QUOTE - There are several hundred thousand scavengers in Thailand earning about 200-300 baht ($6.5-10) a day

Isn't 300 baht minimum wage?

That's what I thought. Then again, people begging on the streets make a sh*tload more money. I had a little conversation with this chic from UNHCR doing her routine fund thingy and she says street beggars earn an average of around a THOUSAND baht a day! That totally blew me away. It'd be nice to see published information on this but yeah -- she said these people were just too lazy to actually do anything else -- yet they rake in quite a sum.

But these garbage scavengers -- wow -- they're actually doing SOMETHING. I just hope more programs like this are realised... honest ones that give these people a good wage for all the crap they go through, pun intended.

I remember sitting at a bar on khoasan road and watching a man with a leg missing crawl along while begging. The female tourists 9 times out of 10 gave money.

It was getting late and I saw him pull himself onto a chair and use his phone. 10 minutes later a lady turned up with a prosthetic leg which he connected and walked away

[indyuk]

I love this story. When I came to Thailand I was fascinated by the feudal organisations to whom scavengers provide with recyclable waste. After observing scavengers and their clients for a few weeks I realized that Thailand is among the more efficient managers of recycled rubbish in Asia. So I wrote short story about the scavengers. One of Bangkok's prominent story sites published my story on his internet site. I had some good fan mail off that and was pleased that those that read it had learned the wisdom of respecting Thailand's Scavengers.

[bkk_mike]

My wife makes me separate the coke bottles and aluminium cans before I put them in the bin.

She doesn't take them to the recycling people herself though. My mother-in-law does that when she's in Bangkok. Apparently it adds up, along with any scrap metal (we changed the fence around our garden to a wall after the floods) and other things...

[linno2]

My wife makes me separate the coke bottles and aluminium cans before I put them in the bin.

She doesn't take them to the recycling people herself though. My mother-in-law does that when she's in Bangkok. Apparently it adds up, along with any scrap metal (we changed the fence around our garden to a wall after the floods) and other things...

same for my extended family - nothign seems to go to waste (which can be an eyesore) - old broken fans. any metal of any kind including old burned out pots and pans, plastic of any kind and bottles. Every couple of months a motorcycle with side trolly trundles up with scales and exchanges it for a few THB. Good stuff from my perspective - although I would not like to live next door to the collector!

[zyphodb]

QUOTE - There are several hundred thousand scavengers in Thailand earning about 200-300 baht ($6.5-10) a day

Isn't 300 baht minimum wage?

That's what I thought. Then again, people begging on the streets make a sh*tload more money. I had a little conversation with this chic from UNHCR doing her routine fund thingy and she says street beggars earn an average of around a THOUSAND baht a day! That totally blew me away. It'd be nice to see published information on this but yeah -- she said these people were just too lazy to actually do anything else -- yet they rake in quite a sum.

Some Beggers in Bangkok or Chang Mai might make up to $1000 Baht a day But I can assure you that the limbless etc ones in Issen & the rest of Thailand make a fraction of that amount, They don't all live in the Tourist traps you know, Touristy Thailand is actually quite a small area in a very big Country.....

[hellodolly]

QUOTE - There are several hundred thousand scavengers in Thailand earning about 200-300 baht ($6.5-10) a day

Isn't 300 baht minimum wage?

That's what I thought. Then again, people begging on the streets make a sh*tload more money. I had a little conversation with this chic from UNHCR doing her routine fund thingy and she says street beggars earn an average of around a THOUSAND baht a day! That totally blew me away. It'd be nice to see published information on this but yeah -- she said these people were just too lazy to actually do anything else -- yet they rake in quite a sum.

Some Beggers in Bangkok or Chang Mai might make up to $1000 Baht a day But I can assure you that the limbless etc ones in Issen & the rest of Thailand make a fraction of that amount, They don't all live in the Tourist traps you know, Touristy Thailand is actually quite a small area in a very big Country.....

You are quite rite.

It is like my old criminology instructor said.

"most people think the whole world is like there back yard"

Even in the tourist areas there are beggars who honestly can not work. Not that many opportunities for a leg or arm less man in Thailand.

[brotherother]

I always make a point of separating plastic, glass and aluminium / metal waste products. Although it gets chucked out with all the other general waste it's just nice to know you're helping someone with a pretty nasty job - sifting through other peoples waste - have a slightly easier time of it. Seems like the very least you can do, especially with the tiny amount of effort involved.

From a Buddhism perspective, with its reincarnation based principles, surely recycling is the ultimate in merit making (not entirely serious).

[JDGRUEN]

I have read recently a number of posts on TV about observations of 'trashed out' beaches in the Pattaya area... I'm not an eye witness yet, but if this eyesore is real and extensive as is said - then it would be great if some Thai and Farang folks teamed up to get the locals in that area involved with this 'cooperative' to clean up the beaches.

I've been a recycler for years. I'm not a tree hugger nor am I 'all warm and fuzzy' about this concept ... I just think it makes good sense economically, environmentally and otherwise. While no setup would be easy nor system perfect - recycling can be a 'win-win' situation as is shown in the article. If some 'guiding hand' puts an effort into getting recycling going and keeping it going in their area... the net result - people will earn a few baht, or trade for food - the beaches and streets will be cleaner. It doesn't have to be anymore complicated than that. The concept just needs to be spread to where it is needed. Yes - in the case of Pattaya the resort owners, the local government, the retail shops, the condo and apartment owners and investors,etc. could get off the hook for their responsibility for cleanup and maintenance - BUT they could be roped into being a part of this recycling activity with a little effort.

[arthurwait]

I have read recently a number of posts on TV about observations of 'trashed out' beaches in the Pattaya area... I'm not an eye witness yet, but if this eyesore is real and extensive as is said - then it would be great if some Thai and Farang folks teamed up to get the locals in that area involved with this 'cooperative' to clean up the beaches.

I've been a recycler for years. I'm not a tree hugger nor am I 'all warm and fuzzy' about this concept ... I just think it makes good sense economically, environmentally and otherwise. While no setup would be easy nor system perfect - recycling can be a 'win-win' situation as is shown in the article. If some 'guiding hand' puts an effort into getting recycling going and keeping it going in their area... the net result - people will earn a few baht, or trade for food - the beaches and streets will be cleaner. It doesn't have to be anymore complicated than that. The concept just needs to be spread to where it is needed. Yes - in the case of Pattaya the resort owners, the local government, the retail shops, the condo and apartment owners and investors,etc. could get off the hook for their responsibility for cleanup and maintenance - BUT they could be roped into being a part of this recycling activity with a little effort.

Talking in respect of Bang Saen beach which is normally covered in litter, although strangely clean last week, people do collect the rubbish there that can be sold but there is no money in plastic bags, plastic wrappers , cigarettte packets etc which they leave they just the the same as the people actually employed to clean the beach do.

[Dancealot]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

Thats utter rubbish!

[JDGRUEN]

I have read recently a number of posts on TV about observations of 'trashed out' beaches in the Pattaya area... I'm not an eye witness yet, but if this eyesore is real and extensive as is said - then it would be great if some Thai and Farang folks teamed up to get the locals in that area involved with this 'cooperative' to clean up the beaches.

I've been a recycler for years. I'm not a tree hugger nor am I 'all warm and fuzzy' about this concept ... I just think it makes good sense economically, environmentally and otherwise. While no setup would be easy nor system perfect - recycling can be a 'win-win' situation as is shown in the article. If some 'guiding hand' puts an effort into getting recycling going and keeping it going in their area... the net result - people will earn a few baht, or trade for food - the beaches and streets will be cleaner. It doesn't have to be anymore complicated than that. The concept just needs to be spread to where it is needed. Yes - in the case of Pattaya the resort owners, the local government, the retail shops, the condo and apartment owners and investors,etc. could get off the hook for their responsibility for cleanup and maintenance - BUT they could be roped into being a part of this recycling activity with a little effort.

Talking in respect of Bang Saen beach which is normally covered in litter, although strangely clean last week, people do collect the rubbish there that can be sold but there is no money in plastic bags, plastic wrappers , cigarettte packets etc which they leave they just the the same as the people actually employed to clean the beach do.

You make a good point there 'arthurwait'... It comes down to the trash that is left after all else is done - is the trash that has no recycle value and sometimes that can be a very large unsightly amount.

Well... I have another suggestion. As some of you may be aware, in the U.S. we have volunteer clean up programs called "Adopt a Street, Highway, Nature Trail, Bike Path, Beach, etc." Adoptive Groups and Clubs that do this sort of thing range from the Boy and Girl Scout Troops, Motorcycle Clubs, Civic Groups like the Rotary Club, Soccer Leagues, local schools, etc. ... the list is endless. The "Adopt a Site" participants know that the city, county and state collect taxes that should pay for maintenance and that they are responsible - But the Groups and Clubs do the cleanup anyway. Usually a prominent sign is erected proclaiming that "Adopt a Beach" is being performed by "Farangs United" or some other heartfelt group This way the clean up gets done with periodic outings sometimes done with a bit of flare and festivities. The volunteer crews often wear custom day glow safety vest with the group's name and matching caps. This effort sometimes results in the local residents, merchants and even the government maintenance offices getting into the act. Some good PR to be had here for some deserving group I would think...

Edited January 2, 2013 by JDGRUEN

[crazygreg44]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

Your an asshol_e.

hhmm, I think I can side this. There's always two sides of the coin. I've lived long enough in the East, to confirm that many parts of this are true . .

[crazygreg44]

QUOTE - There are several hundred thousand scavengers in Thailand earning about 200-300 baht ($6.5-10) a day

Isn't 300 baht minimum wage?

That's what I thought. Then again, people begging on the streets make a sh*tload more money. I had a little conversation with this chic from UNHCR doing her routine fund thingy and she says street beggars earn an average of around a THOUSAND baht a day! That totally blew me away. It'd be nice to see published information on this but yeah -- she said these people were just too lazy to actually do anything else -- yet they rake in quite a sum.

Some Beggers in Bangkok or Chang Mai might make up to $1000 Baht a day But I can assure you that the limbless etc ones in Issen & the rest of Thailand make a fraction of that amount, They don't all live in the Tourist traps you know, Touristy Thailand is actually quite a small area in a very big Country.....

you forget, the police 'tolerate' and put them into these places. The beggars end with almost nothing. All their collections end up in police's pockets . .

[StreetCowboy]

Fantastic story. Hope it serves as a model of inspiration for others to give it a go also!

Disagree. It is a fantastically stupid story which celebrates mediocrity and glorifies poverty; much the same as looking on approvingly as a man does the backstroke to slow down his eventual drowning.

"Grandma, who can't see past her fingertips, out driving without a helmet, on an internal combustion vehicle that is not road worthy, and is unlicensed and so is she." For starters, how idiotic is that?

Should I go on to mention how stupid it is that conceivably she gives away her food every morning (on a hungry stomach) to the overweight panderers who come by her door to chant a song to her for good merit, whilst the three grimy, nose-dripping and illegitimate offspring she is raising for her grand daughter (who conceivably is a 16 year old prostitute working conceivably for her 21 year old gang member, pimp boyfriend, who conceivably is wanted for questioning by the police regarding a robbery, rape and murder) go hungry and munch on water and rice conceivably collected from a dog dish or conceivably scraped off the street; only after the dog (bless its sweet sweet flea and tick-ridden soul) refuses to eat it?

Yes; this is really a heart-warming story of the human spirit and self-determination, all in lieu of the gods looking on with an approving tear in their eye.

Thats utter rubbish!

I was hoping someone would take that post away and sell it for scrap.

In Taipei, the municipality decided that they could not afford the landfill, nor the rubbish lying by the street, and so there was a tax put on bin bags. The bin lorries came round five or six nights a week, with taxed landfill, compost and pig swill collected every night, and alternately cardboard and paper or drinks containers every other night. A seven baht landfill bag would last me a month, when I was living on my own.

In KL, once a month a recycler comes to the condo to collect recyclables; last month I got a hundred baht for a few bags of cans and PET bottles. I always crush my cans, to save space in my bin bag, and also for the benefit of the recyclers

SC

EDIT: Typo corrected

Edited January 3, 2013 by StreetCowboy

[cup-O-coffee]

BookMan: "Well coffeecup, having read this nonsense post i can say that you are bright and shining example of the type of human and thought processes all decent people should NOT aspire to. Your posting indicates your bitterness towards life has engulfed you and while this is an anonymous forum, it reflects only upon you as person"

C.O.C.@Bookman: Thank you for describing me. A bit ironic isn't it? Now, what is nonsense about what I stated.

StreetCowboy: "The people in your imagination seem quite unpleasant. I wouldn't put up with them; I'd throw them out and bring in a more bucolic crowd into my imagination. Or perhaps your imagination is a pretty squalid place where honest people would fear to tread... I bet you would imagine the sort of place where I got mugged..."

C.O.C.@StreetCowboy: Thank you for describing me. A bit ironic isn't it? Now, tell me why you are uncomfortable about anything I said, and why it is wrong or untruthful. Incidentally, we're not in Taiwan, nor in Kansas anymore, are we?

krisb: "Your an asshol_e."

C.O.C.@krisb: Thank you for describing me. A bit ironic aren't you?

Dancealot: "Thats utter rubbish!"

C.O.C.@Dancealot: Which part? I'll need a bit of substantive content to be convinced.

--------------------------------------

There is no glory in this kind of existence. Why do people prattle on about and champion such a ludicrous article that highlights and glorifies the unsavory (at best) details of running your bare hands through other people's waste? We are not describing a means to get by until better days come along, but rather we are describing a state of constancy brought about by a culture indoctrinated with the lowest forms of the human nature (apathy, greed, jealousy, etc.).

There is no honor in describing this kind of existence in a manner which excuses those responsible for why she must live like this, including herself and those around her. Her existence is constant. There is no out. There is no "better days" ahead for her. There is nothing wonderful about glorifying a human tragedy by misinterpreting it as a human interest.

There is nothing "wonderful" about this woman and what she does. This is her "normal". This is celebrating mediocrity so the arrogant and ignorant can get their opiate for the day and wear their rose-tinted glasses without a guilty conscience. The fact is: I do not know this woman personally, and I do not know how she lives and what decisions she makes with the things described in this report. I do not know that she is above blamelessness for her sub-standard condition and exceedingly horrific quality of life. But the writer seems to overlook this in a poor attempt at writing a human interest story. He misses the point when he labels her as a scavenger - to call her a scavenger and elicit approval from the posters as if being labeled as a scavenger is some badge of honor.

Hence, I am firing back at this ludicrous article that summarily dismisses so many factors which contribute to the issue of poverty and tries to paint a pretty picture over the hard, cold truths of people like this and the lives they lead. Why should I join the group-think and babble sweet things about something not sweet. I understand that a generous act should not be whetted down by cold counsel, but where is the generosity in this reporter's story?

In the Great Depression people had to live a life much the same as this woman is living now. They had to rummage through waste and stoop to exceedingly distasteful means in order to survive. But looking back on that, I can clearly see the difference between those people and this woman. Those people knew that things would eventually get better. This woman possibly (but it is doubtful) knows that things will never get better. Moreover, I submit that this woman's ignorance has painted in her mind an existence that is as "normal" and acceptable to her. It is reprehensible that this woman should be duped into ignorance and subsequently arrive at the knee-jerk conclusion that she should be grateful to BookMan, StreetCowboy, krisb and Dancealot when they toss their empty receptacles at her as she putters by on her dilapidated contraption. Such generosity and magnanimous forethought on their part.

The people in the Great Depression were struggling to get by for that eventual time that they knew (in all certainty) that things would recover. I emphasize on the word "recover". This woman in the article is not recovering. She is existing. She is existing in a state that is constant and will never change as long as this culture embraces FACE and its superstitious stupidity and ignorance.

Writing a human interest story on a woman from the Great Depression who made it through is truly a human interest story with a supportive and happy ending. But to write about a human tragedy and to make it come across as a human interest story without any supportive and legitimate ending - and instead to ignore the reasons why she is in this state - is just plain stupid and nothing more than pap for the masses. This is a woman who will never "make it through" because there is no end to get to. It is ludicrous and insulting because it presumes that she is "getting by" until that "better day" comes. It will never come. Her "better day" is when BookMan, StreetCowboy, krisb and Dancealot toss an empty bottle at her and then brag about it on the TV forum. The behavior of the Thai people and their government (and some foreigners) have assured me that there will never be better days for human beings approvingly labeled as "scavengers", by one ignorant reporter and the likes of BookMan, StreetCowboy, krisb and Dancealot, and things in the Land of Smiles will be much the same in one hundred years as they are now.

Edited January 3, 2013 by cup-O-coffee