Beach Rubbish

[slippery snake]

Hi, I live at Patong Beach and most mornings the beach is cleaned of the rubbish,  but usually just at the high water mark and the sand above,  but not down at where the sea level is at the time. 

Yesterday I went for a walk along the beach and 2 farangs were picking up rubbish. They had collected 3 big black plastic bags of it.   I spoke to them and they were tourists on holiday, they did not even live here !!!    So isn't that a terrible situation when tourists are cleaning up the beach.   One was from Canada and the other one from New Zealand..

WHY ? WHY ? WHY ?  aren't all the Thais that rent and use part of the beach, as part of their contract,  made to clean up the part of the beach in front of where they work ?

I see in front of a row of deck loungers, so much rubbish from plastic bags and bottles to old shoes, straws, bottle tops and nearly anything else you can name, and yes I saw a used condom too.

And the jet ski guys walk over the rubbish, I once watched them putting a jet ski into the sea and a plastic bag wrapped around the guys foot,  but instead of grabbing it to put into a rubbish bin,

he just kicked it off to leave in the sea.      

Don't they realize the beach is their livelihood and a few minutes cleaning it each morning would be very beneficial to them.  As most tourists,  I guess,  would like to have a nice clean beach to enjoy. 

Just maybe with all the rubbish on the beach, they might decide to go to Vietnam for their next holiday ???? 

I will be looking at Vietnam for my next holiday, for sure !!!!! 

[seajae]

unfortunately many thais are not environmentally friendly and just throw their crap down where ever they are, many are also very lazy in regards to cleaning up a mess or picking up rubbish. I have watched a husband and wife ride onto a jetty to fish,  they threw their household rubbish in on one side then went and started fishing on the other, they have no pride in their country at all and do whatever is easiest fro them. You do get some that try to do the right thing but not many, just look along streets and roads, in open areas etc, rubbish everywhere

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, slippery snake said:

One was from Canada and the other one from New Zealand.

Nice work guys and good to see a Kiwi on the case!!

[NamKangMan]

"Just maybe with all the rubbish on the beach, they might decide to go to Vietnam for their next holiday ????"

 

http://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/cat/1501

 

Here's the break down.  I would suggest that's tourists with real money to spend, not China package holiday "zero baht tourist." 

 

http://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/items/11997

 

 

From the link: 

 

"International visitors to Viet Nam in July and 7 months of 2017

Update: Thursday, July 27, 2017 Views: 443   International visitors to Viet Nam in July estimated 1,036,880 arrivals, increase 9.2% over last month and up 21.1% over the same period last year. Total international arrivals in 7 months reached 7,243,216 arrivals, increase 28.8% over the same period last year. "

[mikiea]

been here only 3 years , all thai mainland beaches smell like something dead and trash , i have seen many and all i have seen are full of trash , dead fish , 7/11 bags , terds , and a sticky ooze  at the waterline ....this is what happens when your coastline  waters come from your toilet bowls .

, just pump the shxt out in the beach water ......off shore beaches is quite another matter .....

[DrDave]

Some of the trash that washes up on the beach is seasonal. That is, at certain times of the year, due to wind patterns I think, there will be huge amounts of trash deposited on the beach overnight.

In past years, Patong Municipality had crews out early in the morning to clean the beach, but I don't know if they continue to do this. Based upon the trash I've seen at times, I think not.

Most frustrating, as mentioned in the OP, is the fact that those who make their living using the public beach make no effort to keep the area clean. The jetski and parasail guys are quick to chase anyone away from the portions of the beach they've appropriated, but make no effort to clean it. They seen to be quite happy to setup their "shops" right in the middle of a trash line.

As with other matters, the only way it seems that local officials will take action on a problem is if they're shamed into it. How often have you heard a police official say that they had to take action on something because "it could hurt Thailand's image" - not because it was their job, or a matter of public safety?

I would suggest posting pictures of the trash on as many social media sites as possible, with a tag of Patong Beach. Maybe the local officials will take notice and do their job.

[SiSePuede419]

Patong sounds nice ?

[Rancid]

Most Thais seem to have only a personal space awareness, this area is generally kept very clean, however anything outside that they are happy to litter. No, there is very little concern for the environment here except if it intrudes on personal space or affects the bottom line.

[Kopitiam]

Some expats have started a Phuket beach conservancy project (see link below).  Its a shame that most of the locals are not concerned about their prize assets in Phuket.

 

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Phuket-Beach-Conservancy