British couple’s dream Thailand trip turns into a nightmare filled with rubbish and half-finished buildings

[alex8912]

11 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

working of alien act:

WORK : the engagement in work by exerting energy or using knowledge for purpose of obtaining wages or other benefits.

Perfect. Now we know what kind of world you live in. 

[justaphase]

My 1st trip to Ko Samet was 16 years ago. The beaches were lovely but even then all the rubbish got thrown behind the guest houses.

Thai people don't care about anything but themselves and money.

[Graemej100]

4 hours ago, BKKBrit said:

There's a great charity that depends on the enthusiasm of people to help make the world a little more pleasant to live in - Trash Hero.  They have just undertaken a clean up in Koh Lipe - 

Do you support and lend a hand, also? Give it a go - and yes, it would be better to educate but these guys do this and more by example. 

 

 

 

This is just bullshit and a waste of time. Tomorrow it will be the same. I cleaned one beach in Jomtien every day for two years. It went from being a rubbish tip to a reasonably clean beach - but it took three months, every day, to get it to that stage. Then it took constant daily cleaning to keep it that way. (and do NOT say that it were dirty farang tourists who left the mess. It was NOT!) I went on holiday for a week and I couldn't believe how filthy it was when I go back. I came to the conclusion that Thailand doesn't care if you clean the beach and doesn't care if you do not. In fact, I have a strong suspicion that the attitude of those who are in charge of the beaches is that, if we wait long enough some stupid farang will come and clean it for us so why waste money on something that is going to be done anyway.  

[justaphase]

And why didnt they just go to the Maldives then?

3000 quid?  A flight is no more than 500. <deleted> expensive hotel.

[Advocate]

4 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

"The litter problem is crazy. Nobody seems to care where they throw their trash and they leave building waste lying around."

 

Welcome to Thailand.

 

They are not the only ones. I remember in the late 1970s motorists stopped at traffic lights in London would empty their car ashtrays on the street.

 

Its only about 30 years since the British dredged the garbage and bodies out of the Thames and turned it into a river.

[bark]

5 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

"The litter problem is crazy. Nobody seems to care where they throw their trash and they leave building waste lying around."

 

Welcome to Thailand.

They are work there. Can't you see the black plastic and the Pallet behind ?

[recom273]

4 hours ago, phetphet said:

I thought it was part of a National Park. How do they get away with all this unlicenced construction?

15 years ago it was pretty much deserted. Only three or four small resorts. Another beautiful place destroyed in the name of money.

 

No, although it is in the tarutao group of islands. It's not part of the park. It's settled by sea gypsies.

 

I'm sure this 'Maldives of Thailand' tag tricks a lot of people, it's just another ruined paradise island due to the refusal of the authorities to keep building in check, but really - 80 quid a night, 4000B what did they expect - low season ? I didn't even think the boats were running.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, BKKBrit said:

 

Are you serious?! 

 

 

When foreigners wanted to help clean up and provide medical aid after the tsunami they were denied work permits. The Thais probably wanted to hide the fact that, I believe, about 80 percent of the aid money went missing. Funny that. How on earth could that happen in Thailand.

[Thechook]

4 hours ago, BKKBrit said:

 

Are you serious?! 

 

Yep it's a job reserved for thais.

[JustNo]

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Cynicism aside, but if they'd have researched it properly, they'd see that it's a popular backpacker place and was 'turned' a long time ago. 'Idyllic' in Thailand nowadays really requires a boat ride to a secluded island/beach.

No it doesn't... I have found various havens up and down the coats from Hua Hin to Chumphon over the years that are the main land and not islands. In fact one beach in Chumphon I was astonished to find that I was almost alone on, and it was maybe the most beautiful beach I have been on. Another one that springs to mind is the beaches around and in Sam Roi Yot. 


^^^ Chumphon



^^^ Sam Roi Yot 

Edited September 29, 2016 by JustNo

[Detectorist]

5 hours ago, BKKBrit said:

There's a great charity that depends on the enthusiasm of people to help make the world a little more pleasant to live in - Trash Hero.  They have just undertaken a clean up in Koh Lipe - 

Do you support and lend a hand, also? Give it a go - and yes, it would be better to educate but these guys do this and more by example. 

 

 

I was on Lipe a couple years ago. Trash hero exists but they don't clean Lipe - they go to nearby islands.

[SOTIRIOS]

...as with these innocent victims....we 'pay through the nose'.....

 

...should we also be picking up their sh*t....???

 

...the level of complete disregard for foreigners has gone through the roof....

 

...while the embassies hold their 'socials' I guess....???

[swerver]

5 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

Of course.

 

As a foreigner you require a work permit for any work including unpaid volunteer work.

 

Same like the foreigner who has a bar in what ever you like to call HER name when hanging around the joint and talking the boozers he needs a WORKPERMIT. I have seen it happen while having a beer and the boys from the Labor Dept. walked in while the foreign "owner" was talking to me in a bar in Soi Cowboy in its early days.  

[Grubster]

They may not be capable of a good time, I would have laughed like crazy about the garbage and wandered out into those wonderful waters I see. My friend who has been nearly everywhere said Ko Lipe was fantastic a few months ago, but then he went there to have a good time. If you go anywhere in the world during the low season you can expect much construction and the debris and noise it creates to be there when you are. Thats partly the reason its cheaper. Get over it.

[Deepinthailand]

4 hours ago, clockman said:

Third world and always will be.!

Long may it continue to be as well

[Deepinthailand]

From a story about a holiday nightmare good old tv enthusiasts have yet again turned it into a work permit thread

Please please stop bashing on about bloody work permits. ENOUGH is ENOUGH. 

[nakhonandy]

1 hour ago, AlQaholic said:

Yeah, I didn't say divers litter, I said they don't experience the problem same way as this couple as they spend their days out at sea. If you are a diver you don't have the same problem as this couple.

Fair point. I didn't think you meant that. 

 

Unfortunately as divers we do experience this though. A lot of this rubbish ends up in the sea destroying aquatic habitats and life. Something divers do care about.

[impulse]

With all the reviews on all the booking websites, how in the world do these places still get guests?  

 

Do the booking sites censor, or are people too lazy to spend 2 minutes on an honest review that may save the next sucker a similar disaster?

[OMGImInPattaya]

They've invented this thing called the "internet." Maybe they should have used it to look for reviews of their property and the general area on Trip Advisor or Google. Koh Lipe is no Maldives and is a new up and coming Thai beach destination and will be a bit rough and tumble for years as it gets built out.

Edited September 29, 2016 by OMGImInPattaya

[Winkburn]

6 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

Nice sentiment but you are breaking the law if you assist without a work permit.

 

Yes but sitting back and being negative achieves absolutely <deleted> all

[AsianExport]

So they do not have internet to check exactly how it is before going there ? Ridiculous ! They deserve to be cheated !

[impulse]

6 minutes ago, AsianExport said:

So they do not have internet to check exactly how it is before going there ? Ridiculous ! They deserve to be cheated !

 

Nobody deserves to get cheated out of the holiday they spent the entire year looking forward to and saving up for.  

 

Haven't you ever read a string of glowing reviews, then figured out the people writing them may have been less than honest- as in paid by the establishment they're reviewing?  

 

There's an entire industry built around creating false reputations on the interweb.  Look it up.  Might even save you from fulfilling your own cruel wish.

Edited September 29, 2016 by impulse

[Deepinthailand]

6 minutes ago, AsianExport said:

So they do not have internet to check exactly how it is before going there ? Ridiculous ! They deserve to be cheated !

Your statement is the ridiculous thing. I know many older people who do not have internet. It's not mandatory yet

[mcfish]

I remember when I was 18 on my first international trip to Nandi Fiji... Just Indians and muddy swamps but the pics showed paradise.. Ended up paying double to get to an island

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[sambum]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

 

isn't it Koh Samui (or perhaps all the islands) that have huge dump sites that are becoming a massive problem, this is typical of Thailand, they have been reaping in huge tourist revenue for decades but are unwilling to spend any of it on infrastructure - health and safety - building standards etc etc etc, get it in pocket as fast as possible spending little to nothing on improvements - they only have their greedy selves to blame when people take their business elsewhere

 

Correct about Koh Samui - posted many times - this is from 2015 and nothing done yet:-

 

HomeNews- Samui News- National News- Business NewsEntertainment- Book Review- Events on Samui- Ex-Pat Interviews- Movie ReviewFood & Health- Restaurant Reviews- Health Food- Pub Guide- Thai CookingSamui Info- Diving Info- For BritsOpinionContact UsEventsTip-Off

 

 

The shocking truth behind Samui’s garbage disposal crisis

Samui’s garbage disposal problem is escalating out of control. With an incinerator that has been out of action for years, mountains of rubbish and waste piling up around the roads leading to the garbage site, and a garbage site full to capacity it is little wonder that the rivers and ponds in a two mile vicinity of the unit are polluted, contaminated and toxic.

The buildings at the garbage control unit are abandoned, the windows have been smashed, the staff are long gone and all that remains is a stinking, toxic derelict site with no change in sight.

Despite Major Ramnate Jaikwangbeing issued an ultimatum from the Governor of Surat Thani and the army to bring in new contractors to deal with Samui’s garbage crisis, and fix the incinerator that was out of order at the beginning of his term in 2008, nothing seems to have been done, but quite clearly the need for something to be done is now of the utmost urgency.

[evadgib]

4 hours ago, mike324 said:

well, its pretty much like this all over thailand, not just koh lipe, no surprises here. 

Sushhhhh! You'll piss the Samui bashers off, including the odd one that might actually have set foot (t)here this century! :)

Edited September 29, 2016 by evadgib
looks like I was too late!

[Wake Up]

You know my definition of a loser is someone who lives in a place and every day wakes up and trashes it on TV. Just saying swampy is available to fly to your Utopia. ✈️?

[reptile91602]

Before you clean up beaches the Thai government needs to stop the fishermen from throwing all their trash in the ocean and develope some kind of sewage system for every city instead of buying submarines or high speed trains that will be taking tourist to garbage dumps like Koh Lipe!

[oldlakey]

1 hour ago, AsianExport said:

So they do not have internet to check exactly how it is before going there ? Ridiculous ! They deserve to be cheated !

Nobody deserves to be cheated, grow up

[Sphere]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

....dubbed the 'Maldives of Thailand'....

 

There was hint in the last two words..... "of Thailand".