Curse succeeds in stopping litterbugs, Thai official says

[webfact]

Curse succeeds in stopping litterbugs, official says

By Coconuts Bangkok

Photo: JS100

BANGKOK: -- For all the fruitless crackdowns on gambling, traffic, prostitution, pornography, etc., one city official says he has an approach that works: appeal to superstition.

After Lat Krabang district amused us Friday by putting up a sign to hex people who litter, the district chief responded that his simple yet genius solution has worked before.

District Chief Sin Nitithadakul said Saturday this is not the first time hes threatened to curse citizens who litter, as he pioneered this method when he was chief of Bang Kapi district.

When residents living near Saen Saeb canal completely ignored a sign warning that littering would be punished with a THB10,000 fine last year... [read more here]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/06/15/curse-succeeds-stopping-litterbugs-official-says

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-06-15

[Pattaya28]

Quote ""For all the fruitless crackdowns on gambling, traffic, prostitution, pornography, etc., one city official says he has an approach that works: appeal to superstition.""

So it is actually admitted that the "crackdowns" are fruitless

And now playing the "superstition" card. Hilarious !!

[coulson]

Well...........if the hat fits..........

[WhizBang]

Stupid is as stupid does.

[jcisco]

Could of tried posting an enforcement officer doing some ground work identifying the source of the trash, if it was just pedestrian type source or more dumping by businesses. And then deciding if installing bins or fences was an appropriate solution to the problem.

Or could of just gone on an enforcement blitzkrieg the community won't forget for awhile.

The competency of public servants or the reporters ability to report the situation in well rounded manner is seriously suspect because of those sorts of reports.

[Bluespunk]

So play upon mindless, crass superstition rather than put into action proper campaigns designed to educate people on the best way to preserve and/or protect their environment?

Great....

[WitawatWatawit]

"Go thee and Sin no more ..."

[jcisco]

"Go thee and Sin no more ..."

you first, don't forget to write

[h90]

"When residents living near Saen Saeb canal completely ignored a sign warning that littering would be punished with a THB10,000 fine last year"

yes because it was simply not true....Or how many were punished with 10.000 THB?

[Cuchulainn]

Don't drop your rubbish into the canal or the Bogie Man'll get ya!!

Jesus!! You couldn't make it up!!

[krisb]

Actually a very clever idea.

Looks clean enough to swim in now.

[Artisi]

Actually a very clever idea.

Looks clean enough to swim in now.

They have even installed a little ladder to make it easy for you to climb out.

[Artisi]

That's a wimpy curse, a real curse is something like "if you throw rubbish here, your chicken's will turn into emu's and kick you dunny down"

[tominbkk]

How about anyone caught throwing litter in will have to eat the litter and follow that meal with 2 liters of fine klong water?

[halloween]

Start a rumour the area is haunted. Not only stop the littering, it would turn the area into a ghost town.

BTW Brought a few white disposable Hazmat suits over, used them as raingear. Had to stop, at night they were scaring the crap out of people.

[JeremyBowskill]

pikey's selling lucky heather or clothes pegs would clear up here, surprised more diddicoys have not made their way over......... At very least they could show Thais how to tar mac,

[NickJ]

A Nation of Babies Governed by Idiots.

OR

A Nation of Idiots Governed by Babies.

You Pick.......

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

as if living in a dirty rotten, disease infested, environment isn't enough of a curse? What other curse are they being threatened with? Bad lottery numbers?

[UKCanuk]

It's a tactic which has worked elsewhere too. In Bombay there was a terrible problem with people pissing against walls in the city until the city officers started putting icons of the various gods at eye level along the wall in the worst affected areas. The theory went that the locals were too embarrassed to let the gods see their taliwackers and went to look for a toilet elsewhere. You really couldn't make it up!

[skildpadden]

Well they didn't have respect for the environment, didn't want to keep the city nice and clean, sadly they only have respect for superstition.

[NickJ]

How many Doctors, lawyers and or Educated people from the West are married to Thai wonen who believe in the hocus pocus ? .....Guys who never got a date or whatever.....Its kinda like a Dr in London

dating a girl half his age that sells doughnuts.............My ex was mad about the spirit house at every property we ever bought.

Who here reading this actualy believes that the spirt house on there property has anything to do with a temple?

nada...nothing.....the mystic is very much diffrent than the Buddhaism

[ggt]

Why don't they place a curse on Thais who rip off foreigners every chance they get?

I have been cursing them for years...has not worked for me...but then I am not superstitious...

[Jimlove]

Maybe this "curse-trick" can work on police, officials, scam-artist, rapists, robbers, murderers, thiefs and what not ... there is plenty of Work to be done here ...

[oneday]

It's hard to argue with success.

Whatever works I'm all for it.

[Jonmarleesco]

TiT. I can well imagine it would work.

[Robby nz]

Perfectly sensible approach, if you are dealing with superstitious people use their superstitions to get them to change their behavior.

Heck Ive cursed litter bugs myself many times particularly in national parks but perhaps curses after the deed is done dont work or maybe I have to do it in Thai.

[Artisi]

It's a tactic which has worked elsewhere too. In Bombay there was a terrible problem with people pissing against walls in the city until the city officers started putting icons of the various gods at eye level along the wall in the worst affected areas. The theory went that the locals were too embarrassed to let the gods see their taliwackers and went to look for a toilet elsewhere. You really couldn't make it up!

At just below waist height would have ensured no pissing up the wall.