Trash burning in rural Thailand

[jamal]

Although our tambon is part of "amphur muang", it is not part of the tesaban and is therefore governed solely by tambon administration known as Aw-Baw-Thaw or OBT for short. In other words, although we are in the city of Phetchaburi, we technically live in rural Thailand. The OBT provides trash pickup at a fee of 20 Baht per month per 55-gallon trash can but also allows residents to simply burn their trash. I did not know this when my wife and I bought land and spent my savings building my retirement home in what appears to be an idyllic pastoral community. I don't know why we did not notice this during the construction of our house but every evening and every morning at least one neighbor sets his trash alight. The air becomes hazy and and the house fills up with smoke. The smoke is smelly as it is toxic. During these fires and for hours afterwards our house smells like a garbage can. Also, my health is deteriorating. I have developed a wheezing cough with a burning sensation in my upper respiratory area. We have tried talking with our neighbors even offering to pay for a trash can for them if they would stop burning their trash but they just laugh and tell us not to worry about it. I did approach the Pooh Yai and the Kamnan but noticed that they too burn their trash. I am at the end of my rope here and seriously considering abandoning the Thailand retirement plan and going for plan B of some kind. My question is this: is there anything that we can do about it? Is there a legal way to stop the trash burning that would not alienate our neighbors? All advice and assistance very gratefully received and thank you in advance.

[Silaworld]

I am truly sorry that I can give you only one piece of advise.
Please seriously consider plan B.
Maybe you can change your neighbour's attitude, you could try it of course. However some time later there’s a chance it will happen again.
Your health is not worth it to endure the trouble you will have in Thailand all the time.
If there is one thing I learned about Thailand after so many years, is that you will not change them. They do not have a long term vision.

[Thonglor10]

Well I think that the problem is readily solved. Firstly I like the approach that says "don't complain - fix it". So in my case where we live on a large property in the NE, our family and those nearby have worked together to resolve the issues. We have allocated land to be used as a landfill - we have all got together with a local merchant to collect and resell most of the plastic that gets used (eg old containers etc) and then we bury the remaining small amounts of plastic waste.
We do burn some farm waste along with the burn for the sugar cane. In our case, the problem has been easily solved - the rural children have enjoyed making the project and getting a little money for when they resell the plastic - so everyone wins.
All too often I hear farangs complaining about problems that they can easily fix - just do it - as the advertising says. Thai folk are smart and very innovative - so let's capitalize on this rather than just redefining the problem over and over. Cheers

[Sci-nerd]

Well... I see above two very different approaches to a very serious problem. And so I wonder which solution would opt for the best future of all.

Burning trash and fields are an increasing and right now very present problem. Just look at the current media coverage of smoke hazards in the Chiang Mai region.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/340664/farm-fires-cause-heavy-pollution

The original problem stands:
How to solve traditional habits of burning trash and crops?

Personally I would run away if my health was bad, and I had financial options. Knowing how tough it can be to change anything in Asia. But let us argue that moving out is not an option. What are liable solutions?

- Local government campaigns, educating people and students about dangers of smoke.
- Prohibition of burning trash, with enforcement of the law.
This does not eradicate the problem of the poor, not being able to remove their trash elsewhere. They would in stead begin to pile it on their land or in the forest, creating a long term pollution problem.

- Making a local trash site, with an option for separation and recycle system. monthly or annual burnings.
This option would demand a serious local investment purchasing a landfill area, and securing underwater pollution issues. Also it would drastically improve irritants from smoke and garbage in the local area. A main problem would be the recycling and separation.

- Government recycling investments, providing opportunity for locals to sell units of separated trash; paper, metal, plastic, glass, chemicals.
A high level investment for any government, but will bring income to waste collectors and keep green areas green. Does not solve the problem of rural households burning their trash, simply because it is easier.

- Locals enforcing trash collecting systems in their own community, prohibiting private trash burning.
Demands a very strong community as well as community leader. The problem remains of where to put the trash, and who will pay the bill.

Looking at the way most European communities solved their growing trash problems (this is only 50-100 years ago), usually gives a pretty good idea of the magnitude for this. Add to this the poorly educated and traditional rural communities in Thailand, and a largely inadequate administration system. However looking at the modern and scientific possibilities we have today, I would certainly think it is doable to solve this problem.

But investments MUST be made.