Australian woman keeps close eye on the Phuket environment
Jody Houton


Australian woman keeps close eye on the Phuket environment

PHUKET: -- While many local expatriates sit around and complain about how the environment is worsening, while also lamenting what one person can do against a tide of indifference, Debra Mierczak, the ‘leafleting lady’ who was featured in the March 29 edition of The Phuket News, has a lot to be proud of.

Instead of composing rhetorical questions behind the safety of a keyboard (you know who you are), Debra poses them in real life – seeking out the people that matter and asking them face-to-face.

As well as having printed up anti-littering leaflets and disseminating them in her neighbourhood,the former teacher from Sydney – who lived and worked in Hong Kong for two decades before moving here full-time two years ago – has done more in the last few months of her retirement than many local groups and environmentalists have done in years.

It all started when she was taking her daily walk around the Bang Wad Dam near her home around eight months ago. “I go walking around the dam most days. One day I noticed more garbage than usual. It always upsets me to see this beautiful, environment trashed. I had to do something!”

So instead of shaking her head and putting it behind her, Debra decided to instead drop by the Rural Irrigation Project Department Office, situated at the front entrance to the Bang Wad Dam.

“I just walked in and asked if anyone could understand English. Fortunately a lovely young lady, Mrs Nid, did,” says Debra.

As the director of the Rural Irrigation Office couldn’t understand English, Mrs Nid asked Debra if she could write her comments down in English, which she would then translate into Thai and give to him.

‘To my amazement, within two days I returned to the dam to find a team of grass cutters, sweepers and road maintenance trucks cleaning the main parking area, the adjacent park and the road around the dam! Naturally, I returned to thank Khun Nid and her boss for their help,” recounts Debra.

A few months later, she attended a SEEK meeting at the Holiday Inn, which is where she first heard about the popular 1990s Thai anti-littering campaign ‘Magic Eyes’.

“I thought it was a fabulous concept and, as it was Thai-devised, such a successful campaign. I wanted it here in Phuket. So I contacted the Magic Eyes Organisation in Bangkok on their Facebook page and asked if they were doing anything in Phuket and if there were any ways I could help. Unfortunately they said not owing to a distinct lack of funds.”

However, instead of being disheartened, Debra decided that she liked the campaign so much that she would print out the images and start handing them out herself.

“I distributed them around Bang Wad Dam on the toilet blocks, on trees and fences andgave them out to kids.”

In February, Debra decided to go back to the Rural Irrigation office to meet with the new Director of the Phuket Irrigation Project Phuket, Mr Phatcharamuruk.

“I thought,as the problem of dumping rubbish and general littering was still happening, I would make an appointment to meet the new director and seek help once again.”

Again Debra just dropped by, but this time armed with her iPad containing plenty of photos of the dam and the road leading up to it in severe disrepair. She also had printed out anti-littering logos and a picture of an old Magic Eyes sign she’d taken at Saphan Hin Park in Phuket Town.

“When I showed the Director the photos I had taken and he listened to the ways I was trying to help, he called two members of his team into the office. After a lot of discussion between the men, the director’s assistant Mrs Maew assured me that something would be done”

To Debra’s surprise, the Rural Irrigation Project Department Office has, in the last month or so, put up 10 Magic Eyes signs around the Bang Wad Dam, which now has, in English and Thai, ‘Help Keep Bang Wad Dam clean’ written on them.

There are now also four new garbage bins in the area, and cleaners who are responsible for the toilet block, the main parking and grass area of the dam.

Although Debra is clearly pleased with the result of the speedy work by the Rural Irrigation Project Department Office, she is also clearly frustrated by what she sees as the snail’s pace that other changes are brought about on the island.

“I am so determined to improve the environment in Phuket as the state that it is in is just so wrong. I just approach people who I think can and should help with a smile, respect and loads of enthusiasm.

“But I can only do so much, so I have decided to focus on my area, the road that I drive on and the places that I walk around. I focus on the people responsible for my area, but I would like to speak to the Phuket Governor as well.” Watch this space.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/australian-lady-keeps-close-eye-on-the-phuket-environment-39138.php


-- Phuket News 2013-05-03

Not an easy task. The habit of throwing garbage in the ground is ingrained into people at a very young age here. The other day I saw a woman wearing one of those green and white shirts you see around so often which were certainly handed out free at some environmental awareness function with slogans on them which say "Green Planet" and Save The World" etc. throw her tak-a-away food bag with styrofoam in it onto the side of the road as if it's nothing And the dumping of truckloads of rubbish along secluded roads is the norm. It will take a sea change of education and awareness as it did in the west in the 70's and 80's to make much of a difference.

2,000 baht fine if a BIB catches you dropping a cigarette butt in Bangkok.

Oops, sorry, that's got nothing to do with keeping the place clean.

I had the opportunity to meet her a few months back at a CSR meeting organized by SEEK Phuket. She's absolutely lovely and so passionate about the environment - good to see someone making positive changes!

can she come to pattaya as well?

There should be a Thai national campaign against littering. I remember that TV spot with the Indian Chief, tear running down his face seeing the littering. It had an impact. The children don't know not to litter here. Water pollution? It's great to see we're starting to have troops (a trooper) on the ground.

Interesting hobby.

Actually a waste of time. Terrible garbage collection and lax law enforcement won't change a thing but good on her using her twilight years being positive. Most retirees just complain.

On a side note, don't you need a work permit to do volunteer work?

Interesting hobby.

Actually a waste of time. Terrible garbage collection and lax law enforcement won't change a thing but good on her using her twilight years being positive. Most retirees just complain.

On a side note, don't you need a work permit to do volunteer work?

You said it yourself, "interesting hobby".

She is not doing any work or volunteering for anything. She has taken it upon herself to try and educate folks about litter (or rubbish as some say).

You could argue that she is illegally representing Magic Eyes since they do not have a Phuket division and she seems to be using their branding in some of her literature.

Anyways, my hat is off to the lady. Her hobby seems to have brought about some positive results to her community.

Interesting hobby.

Actually a waste of time. Terrible garbage collection and lax law enforcement won't change a thing but good on her using her twilight years being positive. Most retirees just complain.

On a side note, don't you need a work permit to do volunteer work?

I hope 'leaflet lady' recycles all those leaflets she hands out!

Its a dangerous occupation in my book. Annoy the wrong person and cost them too much money then its trouble. She wouldnt be the first environmentalist to run a foul of someone or a government

There should be a Thai national campaign against littering. I remember that TV spot with the Indian Chief, tear running down his face seeing the littering. It had an impact. The children don't know not to litter here. Water pollution? It's great to see we're starting to have troops (a trooper) on the ground.

When you see Thai kids on school coach outings deposit their litter on the ground & the teachers say nothing, it's not surprising they have zero awareness; the parents would generally be the same, at least they were when family visited my house. I educated the kids not to drop litter in our garden., but it took a while, probably think I am a crazy farang.

Spent considerable time wandering the streets of Bangkok, Patong & Karon last year and carried our rubbish for miles looking for a bin. Ended up back at our hotel or found street vendors had rubbish bags and had no problems disposing rubbish into these. Early morning walks would see local rubbish truck collecting all the black plastic bags left in the gutter and I'm sure more people would use proper receptacles if they were available. We were appalled at the rubbish at tourist areas. I live opposite a 'tourist' area in Australia and am also appalled by the rubbish left by fisherman & picnickers.

There ya go, Just what I was hoping, people taking action and not just bitching, good for her, as you say (ghworker2010) can she come to Pattaya,