Garbage on Doi Suthep

[Beng]

This was taken right at the entrance to the nature trail.

[daoyai]

You call that garbage? You should see the monk-dump behind the wat, now that's garbage

[Beng]

You call that garbage? You should see the monk-dump behind the wat, now that's garbage

Really ? Why is the park authority not doing something about it ?

[eyecatcher]

They did!

they erected a lovely sign saying "please to do not throw away your litter".;

it was soon under a pile of garbage.

no bin sited as a prompt for said litter ?

sign in English because it must be the English speaking tourists at fault?

another great plan that went tits up.

(cannot locate the photo I took but its at the very top of the monks trail)

[Papayabokbok]

I guess if you stepped back a few more feet when u took the pic you would see a big yellow bin!

Thainess 101.......

Ps i was going to take a similar shot outside the 7-11 as i looked at the trash by one of the FEW bins in thailand

[rickirs]

it is the nature of Thailand.

[Misterwhisper]

I am shocked!

And just today a certain survey (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/792818-poll-discover-thainess-campaign-can-boost-tourism/) revealed to us that 1) "Thainess" would [eventually] succeed in boosting [faltering] tourist numbers and 2) that "Thai people’s generosity, cooperative efforts among related agencies and environmental conservation would have a key role in the sustainable growth of tourism".

I am not sure where those pollsters have been recently, or if they took those alleged replies seriously, but this country is drowning in trash even at the most scenic spots, not to mention that every neighborhood brandishes its very own "landmark trash heap" (or several), all courtesy of all those oh so environmentally conservative locals.

I might sound cynical, but the un-culture of discarding your waste wherever you please is just one of the many facets of "Thainess" nobody wants to address.

Then again, India is much, much worse in terms of littering. But hey, this is a forum about Thailand, not India.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Misterwhisper

[Alan Hall]

I flew into CM airport yesterday and the taxi driver threw a juice carton out the car window - these people are plain dumb peasants.

[ThePlant]

If you want to see litter try the following;

Visit any popular Thai beach (Bang Saen, Cha Am, Had Sai Kaew on Ko Samet) on a weekend evening once the crowds have departed and see the devastation they leave.

Next time you're on a train look out of the window at the crap that gets thrown from the train regardless of where. It is heart breaking on the Southern line where the train passes through some stunning areas of natural beauty.

Take a walk along your nearest canal, river and enjoy the feast of garbage bags floating along. I was recently on a walk along a picturesque stretch of canal near my house. When I got to a part where a school backs onto the canal I was staggered to see (what I assume was a teacher) calmly stroll out of the yard and hoy a bag of litter in the canal. I think she heard my 'dafuq' exclamation as she gave me an embarrassed look and smile, then in response to my look of contempt, her sheepish grin was replaced with the 'it's my country whiteboy, so I'll do what I want" snarly look.

It's a lack of education, respect for others, plain and simple. I'd like to see the apologist gang try and defend Thailand's severe littering problem. Don't mither trying to educate them off your own bat all you'll get is the 'it's my country' BS excuse....

[Loptr]

You call that garbage? You should see the monk-dump behind the wat, now that's garbage

Really ? Why is the park authority not doing something about it ?

Where do you think you are? Here's a hint, you're not in Kansas anymore...

[inzman]

Typical all over this country. Lack of education is the culprit. Even if a bin was present, they wouldn't use it. But there usually are no bins to begin with.

[CMKiwi]

I too have seen an increase in the amount of rubbish/garbage/trash being dumped on the roadside. Maybe its more obvious now during the cold season as the grasses die down but nonetheless its quite disturbing to see.

Where I live there is no garbage collection so we must take our garbage into the local towns collection point, its a little bit of a hassle but the proper way to try and keep the place tidy. We could pay a local guy to collect but thats not to say he wont just throw it over the bank somewhere on his travels.

Im not sure what the answer is to sort this problem out. Imposing fines will not work.... as there are bugger all people that will enforce any rules. Its a bit like traffic rules in some ways.

Ive said to my other half that if I ever saw a person dumping rubbish on the side of the road, that Id follow them to their house. Later on Id return their dumped rubbish into their yard.....with perhaps some additional crap. But would they learn anything by doing so? I somehow doubt it.

[Beng]

They did!

they erected a lovely sign saying "please to do not throw away your litter".;

it was soon under a pile of garbage.

no bin sited as a prompt for said litter ?

sign in English because it must be the English speaking tourists at fault?

another great plan that went tits up.

(cannot locate the photo I took but its at the very top of the monks trail)

Signs should be in thai only.

[Beng]

I guess if you stepped back a few more feet when u took the pic you would see a big yellow bin!

Thainess 101.......

Ps i was going to take a similar shot outside the 7-11 as i looked at the trash by one of the FEW bins in thailand

Wrong guess. There was no bin there. Still no reason to leave trash behind.

[Tham1]

Most Thais live in a pig sty anyway and throw garbage anywhere. I don't understand why maybe poor education or lazy?

[Mousehound]

This is a western problem as well. litter is a major problem in Oz. Two years ago I was teaching and the school head girl threw her lunch wrappers on the ground and then refused to pick them up. I spoke to her mother and the reply was "why should she pick it up? You are the teacher, it's your job to clean the place up, that's what you are paid for". I fear this is just a sign of the times. The parks around where I live in Oz are filled with dumped rubbish, including tons and tons of asbestos. having said that, there is no doubt that Thailand is really spoiled by the pervasivelitter problem. Litter clean-ups have to be handled at local levels to be effective.

[WorkingTourist]

This is a western problem as well. litter is a major problem in Oz. Two years ago I was teaching and the school head girl threw her lunch wrappers on the ground and then refused to pick them up. I spoke to her mother and the reply was "why should she pick it up? You are the teacher, it's your job to clean the place up, that's what you are paid for". I fear this is just a sign of the times. The parks around where I live in Oz are filled with dumped rubbish, including tons and tons of asbestos. having said that, there is no doubt that Thailand is really spoiled by the pervasivelitter problem. Litter clean-ups have to be handled at local levels to be effective.

I’m on the board for our ground owners union back home, so I know first hand how many resources we spend on cleaning up after our members (and their guests), it’s frustrating, but if we do not do it, things would be much much worse, and litter seems to encourage more litter.

So agree, also a western problem, I was driving with some kiwis (in NZ) where one of the girls, after we all agreed on how nice the nature was, threw a can out the window.

I think the main problem in Thailand is the lack of a proper trash infrastructure with trashcans, rather than have people throw their trash in the gutter or wherever a pile has already been built up.

[CMKiwi]

In some ways I think the locals are just plan lazy.... but then the trash isnt that bad so maybe its just the minority who dont give a damn about their surroundings?

[Beng]

A little further down at the viewpoint... just before the really sharp and steep bend leading up to the temple, there are 5 different and coloured bins for all kinds of trash. Still, the whole area is covered with garbage. To me, this is sheer ignorance.

Maybe putting up some fake CCTV cameras would do the trick ?

[Beng]

You call that garbage? You should see the monk-dump behind the wat, now that's garbage

Really ? Why is the park authority not doing something about it ?

Where do you think you are? Here's a hint, you're not in Kansas anymore...

Thanks mate. Good point.

[MrBrad]

Thais love and greatly respect Thailand, or so they say. I don't believe it. If they did, they'd take better care of the country, starting with the natural beauty and the environment. I still unforgettably remember the impact of the trash I saw in Thailand on my first trip here in 1988; it made a lasting impression of the widespread disregard for nature here. Trash heaps of plastic bottles on Ko Samet, the boat captain heedlessly trowing his trash into the bay, vile and plugged up canals in Bangkok, the careless tossing of garbage out the train windows; it all set the tone.

Promotion of care for the country has to start at the top. Clean air, clean water, and clean highways and streets are all big issues that few really are concerned about. Taking care of the local litter problems would require more than a few public service ads on TV. Who's going to correct those who don't comply? Calling out and shaming others when they are throwing litter just isn't in the Thai DNA.