Why do locals burn trash?

[oneday]

It's due to a lack of centralized trash pick up. The government doesn't care and so the locals are left with having to deal with it themselves. Many years ago, before plastic, this wasn't all that bad and nothing probably smelled that bad, but now they burn everything and that makes all kinds of problems they are just oblivious to. After all, they just don't have the resources or the education to know that they should be taking this to a trash bin SOMEWHERE!

Burning everything makes the most God awful smells on this planet, besides being just plain toxic. I have started getting my girl to place all the (what should be designated as UNBURNABLE trash) into a separate can. Every time she goes to the local town she takes the bag and dumps it in a garbage can on the city street.

I have no problem burning paper, dried vegetation, wood and stuff that can be burned and doesn't smell like a rubber tire, but all that other stuff is just horrible to smell.

Edited March 18, 2015 by oneday

[marko kok prong]

Where we are , the biggest problem this time of year is the burning of the sugar cane stubble , every day it is like black snow falling .

That shit gets into your house on the breath of the wind.

Agree,for the past few months i have had too clean it up in the mornings,not to mention the ancient cane trucks hogging the center of the road so they don't tip over,it also really annoy's me when it get,s on the clothes hanging outside,it nearly ruined a piece of my lingerie,i mean my wife's lingerie the other day.

[Suradit69]

Because they are not very smart, and don't care about the nuissance and/or health of others or the environment in general.

"Because they are not very smart ..."

Given most of the posts in this thread, "they" have fairly stiff competition in the not-very-smart department.

[Muhendis]

Asked my sister in law once,"give good feel',she replied,i presumed she was on the same subject as me,one can never be 100% sure though.

Roughly translated I guess she is saying "because its fun".

[marko kok prong]

Because they are not very smart, and don't care about the nuissance and/or health of others or the environment in general.

"Because they are not very smart ..."

Given most of the posts in this thread, "they" have fairly stiff competition in the not-very-smart department.

No doubt you would be leading the field,a good length ahead .

[marko kok prong]

Asked my sister in law once,"give good feel',she replied,i presumed she was on the same subject as me,one can never be 100% sure though.

Roughly translated I guess she is saying "because its fun".

No idea old chap.

[Robert24]

Why not?

[nithisa78]

Because they are not very smart, and don't care about the nuissance and/or health of others or the environment in general.

It would take someone not very smart to recognize someone not very smart.

[ronthai]

Also happens in the cities where garbage collecions are twice a week.

I have lived at several locations in Pattaya. One previous location 2 neighbors burnt their garbage (or whatever it was) and where I live now Jomtien/Thepprasit area, there is at least one person burning once a week and a not build land for sale area behind his home/shop.

[tigermonkey]

"Why do locals burn trash?"

It's due to a lack of education. Most Thais don't know the value of compost.

Can't really compost metal, plastic.. otherwise agree. .

I live in a village and have for a long time. We are on a river. Before we got streetlights and garbage collection most people threw their trash in the river and sent it to float downstream to Bangkok. Just before dusk it was quite a sight watching all the rubbish from a village of 100k people float downstream.

It's true plastic and metal can't be recycled. Most people sort out their rubbish in piles in the front yard and sell it about once a month. It is unsightly yet practical.

I'd really wish we could have a community composting program, perhaps with green bins, where we could send all the organic waste to be composted together with the leftover rice stalks and sugar cane stalks to be mulched and also composted. The status quo is to burn the rice and sugar cane fields and this is making places in the north like Chiang Mai unlivable with smog.

The compost could be redistributed free for for all the rural people's vegetable gardens. This program would not cost much. I won't waste my breath trying to tell them how things could be done.

WOW, that is a huge village ! I can't even begin to picture trash from 100,000 people floating down the river -- are you sure that this wasn't India ?

[timber]

True a lot of it could be used in compost, but in our area there isn't any garbage collection by the government. No education or enforcement by the government on what to do with it.

[thehelmsman]

No garbage service so we burn everything except glass.

[cup-O-coffee]

It's almost like a troll question. Apologies to you if you do not understand why I say this. The reason I say this is because you pose a relatively simple question without offering any due diligence as to why you have no other answer than.. what? That they burn trash for no other reason than... what?

I would relish the chance to pose some answers to your question, but like a responsible adult, I would like for you to return a post outlining the reasons you, first, have uncovered.

Don't you have people around you, in your immediate environment, who could better answer this than those who did?

It seems odd that you ask something that any semi-intelligent person would at least spend the time to clarify in order to justify something that those with eyes to see and ears to hear could arrive at conclusively.

With utmost respect at your slight oversight and possible lack of attention to detail.

[lvr181]

What is your VIABLE alternative?

[flyingdoc]

A variety of reasons, but at the end of the day, it IS bad for the environment!

[nidieunimaitre]

Of course some trash could and should be composted.

But as for plastic etc - why not burn it yourself, or dump it in a hole? Why go through the trouble of keeping it separate, and handing it to the garbage collectors, so that the government can burn it or dump it?

I think it is better for the environment to burn / dump plastic yourself.

[Daniel Ingalls]

....First we must go back in time when matches were invented. Western world first had matches back in the early year of 1827, and by the 1830's, it had spread around the world. Removing trash from sight was an easy task, by

simply dig a pit, or trench four feet deep. As the trash filled near the top, it was covered with loose dirt. Then Outhouses became popular. In the Americas around 1600, bottles, broken dishes, and other house hold items that were small, ended up in this circular hole 6 ft or more feet deep with a roof over it. When it became full, a new outhouse was made nearby. and the old was covered up with dirt from the new hole, and so on. Today collectors go to archives of old towns looking for these old outhouses to sift through the soils to fine bottle treasures and other artifacts. There, unlike today there was no aluminum cans, tin foil, plastic wrap ,or zip lock bags. Most was biodegradable. In Thailand before the use of matches became available, very few fires were made for the purpose of burning trash. Most was biodegradable and was simply tossed on a pile of rotting mulch. Some farmers realized the importance of this mulch and used it their vegetable gardens, along with chicken manure, and water buffalo dung. Then in the 1960, the use of plastic came to Thailand. Take out orders were of banana leaf with a sheet of plastic wrap the food was laid on and the banana leaf folded over and held in place with bamboo twine or straw. Later the plastic bag came, and drinks with a straw in a plastic bag, with a rubber band became the new way of selling home made drinks. And this is when we got into trouble. Bags began to litter the sides of curbs, and along the roads. Plastic rappers in layers of banana leaves began to show up floating in rivers and out to sea.

A few year later, and plastic cups, bowls, added to these trash heaps. Then in the 1970's styrofoam became the new item. From packaging material, to coffee cups. They also were not biodegradable to the environment. Then people started to burn these trash piles, and here we are today. 46,000,000 million people every day buying goods packed in plastic wrap, cardboard, Styrofoam. all burnable, and in such small sizes, not recyclable. What to do with so much?.......Burn! And along with it, weeds, chunks of unusable wood, plastic, and rubber. A toxic combination floating in to the air. Burning trash and rubbish is done all over the world, this is nothing new. The new trend now is, and its been around for decades, dump all trash at huge indoor site. Conveyor belts move the piles of trash through a process that sorts out the glass, metal, cardboard, and plastic bottles to be sold for recycle. What remains is trash to be burnt in a controlled area of the building that heats up huge water tanks forming steam to produce energy on an electric grid. This is a solution to the trash problem in Thailand. Once people understand the process of recycling and what it does, I think it will be well received. It must be pointed out that the burning of trash at this facility does not emit smoke or harmful gases into the atmosphere. In time the litter in the streets and byways will be of the past. Stores like Makro, where you need to bring your own bag is the wave of the future. But like everything else, they must be educated and persistent. Another thing lacking all over Thailand, is a trash can. Some Mall you can't find a trash can anywhere. Outside downtown, you really have to look hard to find a trash can. This needs to be corrected. In the future, I don't know how far into it, Trash companies will be looking for trash to feed these recycling centers........there is money to be made with trash.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Daniel Ingalls

[Oziex1]

A developing nation Hmm, not sure

[angiolo]

When I was a bit younger in London we had the most deadly smog ... Smoke and fog... Then some London official made it illegal to burn coal in the house fireplace.. Result no smog only clean fog. So you Thai people stop polluting your precious air. Stop the burning. OK 5555

[nidieunimaitre]

Presently, there is no alternative for burning / dumping your own plastic.

[Briggsy]

A. They like doing it, burning that is, it's fun to watch.

B. They like any kind of short cut in any activity. Just burn it and it's "gone".

C. It has no immediate financial cost.

D. Everybody does it.

E. It keeps you warm.

F. Put a kettle on top and you have free hot water.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

Kinda funny to read about people complaining about the smoke and burning garbage. Lots of people maintain leave the Thais alone. What they do is because it is their custom. Like having a dozen dogs bark all day and all night; like parking your motorbike on top of the guy next to you; etc etc yet now everyone is complaining about the smoke and burning garbage.

I hear Chiang Mai is having the worst season ever. Sky is black. But hey quit bitching cause that is their custom. It's kinda interesting though that a lot of restaurants and homeowners start burning in the morning before light of dawn. Kinda sneaky of them. They know it's wrong but it's the same old story. The government nor the cops do jack spit about it. Same as traffic control or any law for that matter. There is no respect for anyone's privacy or dignity in this country. They do it because those responsible are busy collecting bribes and "protection money" to pay off the cops. Simple as that.

But it is difficult to believe they do not know they are killing themselves with the poison in the air. They are smart enough to burn downwind from their homes but too stupid to realize the air all around them is killing them slowly. Quite amazing.

On the other hand I am spending my time in Prachuap Khirikhan to get away from the smoke. It is amazing how quiet it is here. No where near the mob of soi dogs roaming the streets. And people actually make room (more or less) when parking their bikes so something is amiss in Chiang Mai methinks.

Although the local wat burns garbage every day. This wat has a market attached to it and is more or less a large department store that sells almost everything around it. I think if Budda was alive today he would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on in Thailand.

One more comment. I read about Myanmar sending those guys to jail for 2 1/2 years for making fun of the Budda statue. So make fun of the Prophet get killed; make fun of Budda go to jail; make fun of Jesus get a nasty complaint. Only waiting to hear from the Jews what they do. Funny how the older the religion the nuttier they are.

Edited March 18, 2015 by SCARLETIBIS1

[Shaunduhpostman]

To the reasons above I would add that it is probably more satisfying or even fun to burn the trash. The transformative powers of fire applied to garbage probably wins hands down over letting it fester in a bin until collection time. It is also instant gratification, the trash set on fire is quickly out of the way or thought to be so, no waiting for a smelly truck.

[nidieunimaitre]

Kinda funny to read about people complaining about the smoke and burning garbage. Lots of people maintain leave the Thais alone. What they do is because it is their custom. Like having a dozen dogs bark all day and all night; like parking your motorbike on top of the guy next to you; etc etc yet now everyone is complaining about the smoke and burning garbage.

I hear Chiang Mai is having the worst season ever. Sky is black. But hey quit bitching cause that is their custom. It's kinda interesting though that a lot of restaurants and homeowners start burning in the morning before light of dawn. Kinda sneaky of them. They know it's wrong but it's the same old story. The government nor the cops do jack spit about it. Same as traffic control or any law for that matter. There is no respect for anyone's privacy or dignity in this country. They do it because those responsible are busy collecting bribes and "protection money" to pay off the cops. Simple as that.

But it is difficult to believe they do not know they are killing themselves with the poison in the air. They are smart enough to burn downwind from their homes but too stupid to realize the air all around them is killing them slowly. Quite amazing.

On the other hand I am spending my time in Prachuap Khirikhan to get away from the smoke. It is amazing how quiet it is here. No where near the mob of soi dogs roaming the streets. And people actually make room (more or less) when parking their bikes so something is amiss in Chiang Mai methinks.

Although the local wat burns garbage every day. This wat has a market attached to it and is more or less a large department store that sells almost everything around it. I think if Budda was alive today he would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on in Thailand.

One more comment. I read about Myanmar sending those guys to jail for 2 1/2 years for making fun of the Budda statue. So make fun of the Prophet get killed; make fun of Budda go to jail; make fun of Jesus get a nasty complaint. Only waiting to hear from the Jews what they do. Funny how the older the religion the nuttier they are.

Your last paragraph might by some be considered a little bit off topicish, so I come to your rescue.....: The bible clearly states that he who burns rubbish will burn in hell.

[marko kok prong]

....First we must go back in time when matches were invented. Western world first had matches back in the early year of 1827, and by the 1830's, it had spread around the world. Removing trash from sight was an easy task, by

simply dig a pit, or trench four feet deep. As the trash filled near the top, it was covered with loose dirt. Then Outhouses became popular. In the Americas around 1600, bottles, broken dishes, and other house hold items that were small, ended up in this circular hole 6 ft or more feet deep with a roof over it. When it became full, a new outhouse was made nearby. and the old was covered up with dirt from the new hole, and so on. Today collectors go to archives of old towns looking for these old outhouses to sift through the soils to fine bottle treasures and other artifacts. There, unlike today there was no aluminum cans, tin foil, plastic wrap ,or zip lock bags. Most was biodegradable. In Thailand before the use of matches became available, very few fires were made for the purpose of burning trash. Most was biodegradable and was simply tossed on a pile of rotting mulch. Some farmers realized the importance of this mulch and used it their vegetable gardens, along with chicken manure, and water buffalo dung. Then in the 1960, the use of plastic came to Thailand. Take out orders were of banana leaf with a sheet of plastic wrap the food was laid on and the banana leaf folded over and held in place with bamboo twine or straw. Later the plastic bag came, and drinks with a straw in a plastic bag, with a rubber band became the new way of selling home made drinks. And this is when we got into trouble. Bags began to litter the sides of curbs, and along the roads. Plastic rappers in layers of banana leaves began to show up floating in rivers and out to sea.

A few year later, and plastic cups, bowls, added to these trash heaps. Then in the 1970's styrofoam became the new item. From packaging material, to coffee cups. They also were not biodegradable to the environment. Then people started to burn these trash piles, and here we are today. 46,000,000 million people every day buying goods packed in plastic wrap, cardboard, Styrofoam. all burnable, and in such small sizes, not recyclable. What to do with so much?.......Burn! And along with it, weeds, chunks of unusable wood, plastic, and rubber. A toxic combination floating in to the air. Burning trash and rubbish is done all over the world, this is nothing new. The new trend now is, and its been around for decades, dump all trash at huge indoor site. Conveyor belts move the piles of trash through a process that sorts out the glass, metal, cardboard, and plastic bottles to be sold for recycle. What remains is trash to be burnt in a controlled area of the building that heats up huge water tanks forming steam to produce energy on an electric grid. This is a solution to the trash problem in Thailand. Once people understand the process of recycling and what it does, I think it will be well received. It must be pointed out that the burning of trash at this facility does not emit smoke or harmful gases into the atmosphere. In time the litter in the streets and byways will be of the past. Stores like Makro, where you need to bring your own bag is the wave of the future. But like everything else, they must be educated and persistent. Another thing lacking all over Thailand, is a trash can. Some Mall you can't find a trash can anywhere. Outside downtown, you really have to look hard to find a trash can. This needs to be corrected. In the future, I don't know how far into it, Trash companies will be looking for trash to feed these recycling centers........there is money to be made with trash.

Thanks Dale,i was having trouble sleeping,thanks so much.

[answermeplease]

I don't think the question is simple. I asked several of my Thai friends (city folks), and none of them knew. Sure, I could have gone out there to the fields and interviewed 10 people actively burning their trash, but I would have needed a Thai translator. Therefore I opted to ask on TV first, hoping to find one of them here to answer my question in English. Don't despair, I will certainly ask an active trash burner next time I get the chance.

It's almost like a troll question. Apologies to you if you do not understand why I say this. The reason I say this is because you pose a relatively simple question without offering any due diligence as to why you have no other answer than.. what? That they burn trash for no other reason than... what?

I would relish the chance to pose some answers to your question, but like a responsible adult, I would like for you to return a post outlining the reasons you, first, have uncovered.

Don't you have people around you, in your immediate environment, who could better answer this than those who did?

It seems odd that you ask something that any semi-intelligent person would at least spend the time to clarify in order to justify something that those with eyes to see and ears to hear could arrive at conclusively.

With utmost respect at your slight oversight and possible lack of attention to detail.

[marko kok prong]

Kinda funny to read about people complaining about the smoke and burning garbage. Lots of people maintain leave the Thais alone. What they do is because it is their custom. Like having a dozen dogs bark all day and all night; like parking your motorbike on top of the guy next to you; etc etc yet now everyone is complaining about the smoke and burning garbage.

I hear Chiang Mai is having the worst season ever. Sky is black. But hey quit bitching cause that is their custom. It's kinda interesting though that a lot of restaurants and homeowners start burning in the morning before light of dawn. Kinda sneaky of them. They know it's wrong but it's the same old story. The government nor the cops do jack spit about it. Same as traffic control or any law for that matter. There is no respect for anyone's privacy or dignity in this country. They do it because those responsible are busy collecting bribes and "protection money" to pay off the cops. Simple as that.

But it is difficult to believe they do not know they are killing themselves with the poison in the air. They are smart enough to burn downwind from their homes but too stupid to realize the air all around them is killing them slowly. Quite amazing.

On the other hand I am spending my time in Prachuap Khirikhan to get away from the smoke. It is amazing how quiet it is here. No where near the mob of soi dogs roaming the streets. And people actually make room (more or less) when parking their bikes so something is amiss in Chiang Mai methinks.

Although the local wat burns garbage every day. This wat has a market attached to it and is more or less a large department store that sells almost everything around it. I think if Budda was alive today he would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on in Thailand.

One more comment. I read about Myanmar sending those guys to jail for 2 1/2 years for making fun of the Budda statue. So make fun of the Prophet get killed; make fun of Budda go to jail; make fun of Jesus get a nasty complaint. Only waiting to hear from the Jews what they do. Funny how the older the religion the nuttier they are.

Your last paragraph might by some be considered a little bit off topicish, so I come to your rescue.....: The bible clearly states that he who burns rubbish will burn in hell.

Is that from the bible of a certain poster here,clue the old name for Thailand and before it an affirmitive?

[Daniel Ingalls]

Kinda funny to read about people complaining about the smoke and burning garbage. Lots of people maintain leave the Thais alone. What they do is because it is their custom. Like having a dozen dogs bark all day and all night; like parking your motorbike on top of the guy next to you; etc etc yet now everyone is complaining about the smoke and burning garbage.

I hear Chiang Mai is having the worst season ever. Sky is black. But hey quit bitching cause that is their custom. It's kinda interesting though that a lot of restaurants and homeowners start burning in the morning before light of dawn. Kinda sneaky of them. They know it's wrong but it's the same old story. The government nor the cops do jack spit about it. Same as traffic control or any law for that matter. There is no respect for anyone's privacy or dignity in this country. They do it because those responsible are busy collecting bribes and "protection money" to pay off the cops. Simple as that.

But it is difficult to believe they do not know they are killing themselves with the poison in the air. They are smart enough to burn downwind from their homes but too stupid to realize the air all around them is killing them slowly. Quite amazing.

On the other hand I am spending my time in Prachuap Khirikhan to get away from the smoke. It is amazing how quiet it is here. No where near the mob of soi dogs roaming the streets. And people actually make room (more or less) when parking their bikes so something is amiss in Chiang Mai methinks.

Although the local wat burns garbage every day. This wat has a market attached to it and is more or less a large department store that sells almost everything around it. I think if Budda was alive today he would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on in Thailand.

One more comment. I read about Myanmar sending those guys to jail for 2 1/2 years for making fun of the Budda statue. So make fun of the Prophet get killed; make fun of Budda go to jail; make fun of Jesus get a nasty complaint. Only waiting to hear from the Jews what they do. Funny how the older the religion the nuttier they are.

Your last paragraph might by some be considered a little bit off topicish, so I come to your rescue.....: The bible clearly states that he who burns rubbish will burn in hell.

The newer version, "LOVE THY NEIGHBORS TRASH!"

[marko kok prong]

How about 'love thy neighbours,and trash them'.

[nidieunimaitre]

Kinda funny to read about people complaining about the smoke and burning garbage. Lots of people maintain leave the Thais alone. What they do is because it is their custom. Like having a dozen dogs bark all day and all night; like parking your motorbike on top of the guy next to you; etc etc yet now everyone is complaining about the smoke and burning garbage.

I hear Chiang Mai is having the worst season ever. Sky is black. But hey quit bitching cause that is their custom. It's kinda interesting though that a lot of restaurants and homeowners start burning in the morning before light of dawn. Kinda sneaky of them. They know it's wrong but it's the same old story. The government nor the cops do jack spit about it. Same as traffic control or any law for that matter. There is no respect for anyone's privacy or dignity in this country. They do it because those responsible are busy collecting bribes and "protection money" to pay off the cops. Simple as that.

But it is difficult to believe they do not know they are killing themselves with the poison in the air. They are smart enough to burn downwind from their homes but too stupid to realize the air all around them is killing them slowly. Quite amazing.

On the other hand I am spending my time in Prachuap Khirikhan to get away from the smoke. It is amazing how quiet it is here. No where near the mob of soi dogs roaming the streets. And people actually make room (more or less) when parking their bikes so something is amiss in Chiang Mai methinks.

Although the local wat burns garbage every day. This wat has a market attached to it and is more or less a large department store that sells almost everything around it. I think if Budda was alive today he would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on in Thailand.

One more comment. I read about Myanmar sending those guys to jail for 2 1/2 years for making fun of the Budda statue. So make fun of the Prophet get killed; make fun of Budda go to jail; make fun of Jesus get a nasty complaint. Only waiting to hear from the Jews what they do. Funny how the older the religion the nuttier they are.

Your last paragraph might by some be considered a little bit off topicish, so I come to your rescue.....: The bible clearly states that he who burns rubbish will burn in hell.

The newer version, "LOVE THY NEIGHBORS TRASH!"

Yes, but only if she is over 18.