Kamala gets island's first full time beach cleaners

[webfact]

Kamala gets island's first full time beach cleaners
Jody Houton


Supasima 'Nui' Sunval of NEV-Net educates the beach cleaners on recycling and beach refuse collection.

PHUKET: -- For the first time in the island’s history, a Phuket beach now has two full-time beach cleaners, thanks to a unique partnership between the private and public sectors.

It’s been a long time coming, explains Supasima ‘Nui’ Sangwan, the coordinator for the Kamala-based NEV-Net (Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Volunteer Network), who is personally training the two full time cleaners.

“I have been going around with the staff since they started on August 1 to show them where the worst affected areas are, and explain to them about recycling and other environmental issues.”

The beach cleaners, who will wear KGC vests, will work six days a week, nine hours a day and will be paid B9,000 each per month. As an added incentive, they will be allowed to keep and then sell on all recyclables collected in the area.

Salaries for the beach cleaners were raised by the Kamala Green Club (KGC), which is comprised of local business members and concerned individuals, while the local OrBorTor will provide the cleaners with bags and refuse collection equipment.

It’s a great initiative, believes Ms Nui, and one that is only able to work because of the good working relationship between the different components.

“Other areas in Phuket don’t have this same partnership and work ethic of working together like we do. It’s equal and fair and so everybody has fun and wants to work together.”

Ms Nui adds that around 50 per cent of people resident in Kamala belong to either the Kamala Green Club or NEV-Net.

Enough money has been raised to ensure that the two beach cleaners are paid for the next four months, but by then Ms Nui believes that the OrBorTor may take over, as “they have a plan.”

It is hoped that, much like the KGC has done with recycling and other environmental initiatives, other areas of Phuket will be inspired and motivated to introduce similar schemes in the future.

Meanwhile the Kamala Green Club and Nev-Net also have lots of plans for the neighbourhood, “We’re going to plant more trees, and also want to install Magic Eyes signs around the area, with bins attached.”

To find out more information about the Kamala Green Club, visit: facebook.com/KamalaGreenClub. Or to contact Mrs Nui at Nev-Net, call 089 648 3603.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/kamala-gets-island%E2%80%99s-first-full-time-beach-cleaners-41231.php

-- Phuket News 2013-08-06

[Katipo]

While this is commendable, wouldn't it be better to change the culture of chucking rubbish into the sea and onto the beach (and everywhere else for that matter) in the first place?

Much of the rubbish on Thai beaches is tossed overboard from the likes of fishing boats.

[JetsetBkk]

Silly me! I was expecting to see a picture of something like this:

.

[SSSlongtime]

why does the local council not pay cleaners like every where in the world ,

[Shot]

Great news. Good for them.

[impulse]

Silly me! I was expecting to see a picture of something like this:

You can hire 100 human beach cleaners at 9000 baht per month for less than it would cost to amortize and keep fuel in that thing.

And they'll feed their families, and the money will trickle down to the local economy and not some factory in XXXX. And unlike that beast, they only put out a little methane exhaust.

I salute the step they've taken. Let's see what they do with it.

Edited August 6, 2013 by impulse

[huuwi]

While this is commendable, wouldn't it be better to change the culture of chucking rubbish into the sea and onto the beach (and everywhere else for that matter) in the first place?

Much of the rubbish on Thai beaches is tossed overboard from the likes of fishing boats.

are you sure??? can it be from diving boats as well, or maybe it comes out of the klongs?

[Greer]

Excellent - its about time that communities throughout the Kingdom took more notice of how the environment affects tourism, and beaches are an obvious starting point because any rubbish is so obvious and usually relatively easy to clear up.

On a related note - there could be more (and larger) bins located along beachfront paths and roadsides with signage to encourage people to play their part in keeping the place tidy.

Having said that, we should also be aware that much of the crap dumped on our beaches comes from the tourists themselves - so making it easier for them to dispose of their garbage in the proper place will help a lot.

[Shaksey]

Great news. Kamala is the only decent resort area left in Phuket imo. Just need to get at least 50% of the illegal beach businesses moved off now.

[eezergood]

why does the local council not pay cleaners like every where in the world ,

Most of the so called workers here dont pay taxes for a start! Bar girls, tuk tuks I am sure etc....

Also people that make money, illegally, by working the beahes should be made to pay a percentage towards keeping the area clean!

[SinglePot]

Great news. Kamala is the only decent resort area left in Phuket imo. Just need to get at least 50% of the illegal beach businesses moved off now.

Mind you, I had the best tasting BBQ prawns I have ever had from a cabin with Muslim women chefs on Kamala Beach.

Good news on the clean up program.

Well done.

[IrishIvan]

why does the local council not pay cleaners like every where in the world ,

Most of the so called workers here dont pay taxes for a start! Bar girls, tuk tuks I am sure etc....

 

Also people that make money, illegally, by working the beahes should be made to pay a percentage towards keeping the area clean!

Thats why LOS has a high consumption tax and sin taxes on alcohol and ciggarettes. Its much easier to collect taxes this way. Your average bar girl drinks and smokes heaps thus contributing more than an expat pensioner to the government coffers

This is a great result though. Hopefully there are more full time cleaners employed on all beaches. I know of some farangs that need the work this low season. Can farangs do this type of work?

[Shaksey]

Great news. Kamala is the only decent resort area left in Phuket imo. Just need to get at least 50% of the illegal beach businesses moved off now.

Mind you, I had the best tasting BBQ prawns I have ever had from a cabin with Muslim women chefs on Kamala Beach.

Good news on the clean up program.

Well done.

There's an old woman who does the most amazing pancakes there too. These kind of small stalls/carts are OK, but the people who set up whole bars and mini-restaurants on the beach need to be moved on. The authorities did smash up and move a lot of them on about 18 months ago but they were all back in time for this years high-season.