News Forum - Phuket’s Khai Islands overwhelmed by rubbish

[Thaiger]

Phuket’s UWC Thailand and 5 Star Marine have collaborated with government departments to help clean up the rubbish stricken Khai Islands off the coast of Phuket. Yesterday, staff and students from UWC Thailand International School and 5 Star Marine collaborated as part of the tourism restart plan and program. The popular islands needed a major clean up before they were ready for tourists to visit again. They were joined by members and volunteers from the Sustainable Mai Khao Foundation, one of Phuket’s organisations focussed on connecting and empowering the community to preserve the natural environment. More support came from the […]

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[NCC1701A]

i though the Russians just resumed flights to Thailand. 

[gazmo16]

Maybe time to place some bins around Thailand before all the Tourists arrive to dump their trash, what is it with Thailand and a real lack of bins everywhere ?

(yes I know this is sea drift but land dumped rubbish isn't helping either)

[DWiener]

Having cleaned rubbish off the beach at Karon in front of my sandbox resort, and Lamai and Crystal Bay in Samui over the last 6 weeks, and now at Hua Hin, I'm amazed at 2 things - 

1. How dumping rubbish (or leaving it if it washes ashore) seems to be a Thai pastime.

2. How the typically low-rent tourists that frequent Phuket and Samui don't seem to care about rubbish on the beaches. 

[Bob20]

15 minutes ago, DWiener said:

Having cleaned rubbish off the beach at Karon in front of my sandbox resort, and Lamai and Crystal Bay in Samui over the last 6 weeks, and now at Hua Hin, I'm amazed at 2 things - 

1. How dumping rubbish (or leaving it if it washes ashore) seems to be a Thai pastime.

2. How the typically low-rent tourists that frequent Phuket and Samui don't seem to care about rubbish on the beaches. 

Why stand up and do something if you can watch YouTube and soaps on your phone whilst sitting down and occasionally closing your eyes?

[Stonker]

I don't want to be a wet blanket (again) but if that's all the rubbish this PR stunt collected they could have saved on the T-shirts and cost of getting them out there and paid a couple of locals a fraction of the cost to collect ten times as much, on a regular basis.

Free advertising, nothing else.

[JamesR]

2 hours ago, Stonker said:

I don't want to be a wet blanket (again) but if that's all the rubbish this PR stunt collected they could have saved on the T-shirts and cost of getting them out there and paid a couple of locals a fraction of the cost to collect ten times as much, on a regular basis.

Free advertising, nothing else.

True, it is funny how the rubbish seemed to have set itself in a very neat long line allowing photographic affect,  most of the rubbish had drifted in from the sea and under normal circumstances would not be there as the beach would have been cleaned on a daily basis.

Most of the many beaches in Phuket are spotless in normal years as I have seen over the last 30 years of visiting the island. 

[Stardust]

5 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Phuket’s UWC Thailand and 5 Star Marine have collaborated with government departments to help clean up the rubbish stricken Khai Islands off the coast of Phuket. Yesterday, staff and students from UWC Thailand International School and 5 Star Marine collaborated as part of the tourism restart plan and program. The popular islands needed a major clean up before they were ready for tourists to visit again. They were joined by members and volunteers from the Sustainable Mai Khao Foundation, one of Phuket’s organisations focussed on connecting and empowering the community to preserve the natural environment. More support came from the […]

The story Phuket’s Khai Islands overwhelmed by rubbish as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

Phuket the new world class destinations. Maybe should developp first waste management and wastewater management before talking nonsense zbout world class destinations and think high quality tourists like to swim between shit and used condoms and beaches full garbage. And by the way some safety standards, infrastructure standards, learn something about cabeling, proper side walks without 1 meter holes to break your legs, etc etc . Maybe talk about in 10 years again and check if something is approved. Maybe they have to do something and not just by a order like the incompetent Clowns thought thats their job and doing nothing and be useless.

[DWiener]

4 minutes ago, Stardust said:

Phuket the new world class destinations. Maybe should developp first waste management and wastewater management before talking nonsense zbout world class destinations and think high quality tourists like to swim between shit and used condoms and beaches full garbage. And by the way some safety standards, infrastructure standards, learn something about cabeling, proper side walks without 1 meter holes to break your legs, etc etc . Maybe talk about in 10 years again and check if something is approved. Maybe they have to do something and not just by a order like the incompetent Clowns thought thats their job and doing nothing and be useless.

Yeah the place is a mess. But nothing will change. And when the next pandemic hits everyone will be 'OMG my life is ruined' all over again

[JamesR]

19 minutes ago, Stardust said:

Phuket the new world class destinations. Maybe should developp first waste management and wastewater management before talking nonsense zbout world class destinations and think high quality tourists like to swim between shit and used condoms and beaches full garbage. And by the way some safety standards, infrastructure standards, learn something about cabeling, proper side walks without 1 meter holes to break your legs, etc etc . Maybe talk about in 10 years again and check if something is approved. Maybe they have to do something and not just by a order like the incompetent Clowns thought thats their job and doing nothing and be useless.

There must be two Phukets in Thailand as the Phuket I go to is not like that, maybe you have never been there or maybe if you did it was a long long time ago.

[Stardust]

I mean general in Thailand it was not specific on Phuket. And as all my children born and grow up in Thailand and Thaipassport and I born in south east Asia but my education in Europe. I guess I know a little bit Thailand.

[JamesR]

21 minutes ago, Stardust said:

I mean general in Thailand it was not specific on Phuket. And as all my children born and grow up in Thailand and Thaipassport and I born in south east Asia but my education in Europe. I guess I know a little bit Thailand.

I am not sure which comment you are referring to as you have not included that comment?

[Stardust]

14 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I am not sure which comment you are referring to as you have not included that comment?

Sorry my mistake , sure your comment about Phuket. I was referring about their statements as a world class destinations and this garbage and waste water problems is around Thailand as we know from Koh Samui or Koh Larn or beaches in Pattaya etc etc.

[King Cotton]

5 hours ago, Stonker said:

I don't want to be a wet blanket (again) but if that's all the rubbish this PR stunt collected they could have saved on the T-shirts and cost of getting them out there and paid a couple of locals a fraction of the cost to collect ten times as much, on a regular basis.

Free advertising, nothing else.

With you, 100% . . . shameful, but licenced, sort of!

[Stardust]

2 hours ago, JamesR said:

True, it is funny how the rubbish seemed to have set itself in a very neat long line allowing photographic affect,  most of the rubbish had drifted in from the sea and under normal circumstances would not be there as the beach would have been cleaned on a daily basis.

Most of the many beaches in Phuket are spotless in normal years as I have seen over the last 30 years of visiting the island. 

30 years and never seen the backyards where the mountains of garbage are. It seams in 30 years not come around a lot in Thailand. Or I guess to make holiday each year in Thailand is not the same like living 30 years in Thailand. 

[JamesR]

19 minutes ago, Stardust said:

30 years and never seen the backyards where the mountains of garbage are. It seams in 30 years not come around a lot in Thailand. Or I guess to make holiday each year in Thailand is not the same like living 30 years in Thailand. 

I have a house in Phuket , I do not see any garbage.

Examples of my trips there, in 2020 I was there for seven months, in 2018 to 2019 I was there for one year.

I went to many areas in Thailand, I did not see the sort of garbage you are talking about.

It might be bad where you live but Phuket is not like that and I have not seen anywhere else like that.

I have met some people who have lived in Thailand for decades and think the rest of Thailand is the same as where they live as they never go anywhere and do not really know Thailand, many just seem to know what it is like living in a third world area in the middle of nowhere up-country in a wooden house.

[Stardust]

5 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I have a house in Phuket , I do not see any garbage.

Examples of my trips there, in 2020 I was there for seven months, in 2018 to 2019 I was there for one year.

I went to many areas in Thailand, I did not see the sort of garbage you are talking about.

It might be bad where you live but Phuket is not like that and I have not seen anywhere else like that.

I have met some people who have lived in Thailand for decades and think the rest of Thailand is the same as where they live as they never go anywhere and do not really know Thailand, many just seem to know what it is like living in a third world area in the middle of nowhere up-country in a wooden house.

Sorry I guess everybody who is living long time enough in Thailand is aware about the waste and wastewater management. And you cannot be around a lot otherwise you had seen huge garbagemountains in the outskirts or even on some Islands. Sorry but knowing is not same like believing and people who saw it know it.

[DWiener]

7 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I have a house in Phuket , I do not see any garbage.

Examples of my trips there, in 2020 I was there for seven months, in 2018 to 2019 I was there for one year.

I went to many areas in Thailand, I did not see the sort of garbage you are talking about.

It might be bad where you live but Phuket is not like that and I have not seen anywhere else like that.

I have met some people who have lived in Thailand for decades and think the rest of Thailand is the same as where they live as they never go anywhere and do not really know Thailand, many just seem to know what it is like living in a third world area in the middle of nowhere up-country in a wooden house.

Try going for a walk at say, the rocks at the left of Karon Beach. Notice all the plastic bottles and fishing net bits jammed in all the rocks. You can't miss it. Or go to Layan Beach and see all the rubbish by the island. I could name several other places I saw full of rubbish in Phuket and I was only there for two weeks. You'd have to be blind not to see it!

[Bob20]

8 minutes ago, DWiener said:

Try going for a walk at say, the rocks at the left of Karon Beach. Notice all the plastic bottles and fishing net bits jammed in all the rocks. You can't miss it. Or go to Layan Beach and see all the rubbish by the island. I could name several other places I saw full of rubbish in Phuket and I was only there for two weeks. You'd have to be blind not to see it!

Unless you're blind and just bought the new eyes @gummy is referring to

[Stardust]

9 minutes ago, Stardust said:

Sorry I guess everybody who is living long time enough in Thailand is aware about the waste and wastewater management. And you cannot be around a lot otherwise you had seen huge garbagemountains in the outskirts or even on some Islands. Sorry but knowing is not same like believing and people who saw it know it.

And by the way we had big problems in the years and month with less rain when this garbage fields were burning and couldn't stop the fires and burnt for many month. And sorry to tell you my guessing was right because everybody who living long time enough in Thailand would remember that and everybody born and grow up in south east asia knows about the garbage problems or the burning of the garbage and the pollution of it. To tell something else is really not the reality or means not be aware or not know a lot about south east asia. And you seams also not knowing something about the countryside because there is mostly no waste management only to burn it in field or garden! 

[Stonker]

24 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I have a house in Phuket , I do not see any garbage.

Examples of my trips there, in 2020 I was there for seven months, in 2018 to 2019 I was there for one year.

I went to many areas in Thailand, I did not see the sort of garbage you are talking about.

It might be bad where you live but Phuket is not like that and I have not seen anywhere else like that.

I have met some people who have lived in Thailand for decades and think the rest of Thailand is the same as where they live as they never go anywhere and do not really know Thailand, many just seem to know what it is like living in a third world area in the middle of nowhere up-country in a wooden house.

Agreed, @JamesR. The rubbish is there and many places could do with a clean but it's nothing like what's described by a few here apart from in a very few places.

Nothing wrong with "living in a third world area in the middle of nowhere up-country", though, although it's not for everyone. There's nowhere else I'd rather be.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, Stardust said:

I guess I know a little bit Thailand.

Opinions differ.

[DWiener]

6 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Opinions differ.

Eyesight differs!

[Stardust]

40 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I have a house in Phuket , I do not see any garbage.

Examples of my trips there, in 2020 I was there for seven months, in 2018 to 2019 I was there for one year.

I went to many areas in Thailand, I did not see the sort of garbage you are talking about.

It might be bad where you live but Phuket is not like that and I have not seen anywhere else like that.

I have met some people who have lived in Thailand for decades and think the rest of Thailand is the same as where they live as they never go anywhere and do not really know Thailand, many just seem to know what it is like living in a third world area in the middle of nowhere up-country in a wooden house.

By the way I live in a city in a good area but I have relatives on the country side, too and I have land a house there, too. You really doesn't know Thailand and anything about reality of the Thais or in Thailand , this you show with your comment. You experienced Thailand as a tourist and knowing when traveling maybe the life in a hotel thats it. Because it is absolutly absurd what you write and not the reality of south east asia or the people who living here.

[PsyZed]

Glad to hear that Thailand is ready to invite plenty of tourists. With 500 THB fee and trash on the islands. Can I ask where the shitload of money goes?