THAILAND: Workers battle tons of garbage floating through Bangkok

Record ID: 739612

  • Title: THAILAND: Workers battle tons of garbage floating through Bangkok
  • Date: 12th November 2011
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (NOVEMBER 11, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF A DISTRICT WORKER LAUNCHING HIS BOAT INTO THE FLOOD WATER TRACTOR MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH A FLOODED ROAD VARIOUS OF CHAIRAT KWANMAKE PADDLING BOAT CHAIRAT KWANMAKE PUTTING GARBAGE INTO THE BOAT (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) CHAIRAT KWANMAKE, 63 YEAR-OLD RESIDENT SAYING: "Water has surrounded the whole village. It does not help if I clean up only in front of my house." DISTRICT WORKER STACKING WOVEN BASKETS VARIOUS OF THAI ARMY MAN TYING BOAT TO HIS JETSKI WORKERS ON JETSKI PULLING BOAT WORKERS ONBOARD WOMAN PUSHING RAFT WITH CHILD ON SUPIT KLAIMAK, 57 YEAR OLD DISTRICT WORKER, IN BOAT WITH PEOPLE WADING THROUGH WATER SUPIT KLAIMAK TALKING ON SPEAKER (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) SUPIT KLAIMAK, 57-YEAR-OLD, LAD PRAO DISTRICT OFFICER SAYING: "We tried to collect as much as possible garbage but it is difficult because we have limited resources such as this boat. Garbage is the most contributing factor to making the water filthy." VARIOUS OF WORKERS EMPTYING SUBMERGED GARBAGE CAN WORKER PICKING UP FLOATING GARBAGE MORE OF WORKERS EMPTYING BINS MORE OF SUPIT TALKING ON SPEAKER FLOODED ALLEY WORKER LOOKING ON HUGE WASHED UP PILE OF GARBAGE STACKING ON EACH OTHER WORKERS ONBOARD FLOODED HOUSES
  • Embargoed: 27th November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand, Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Disasters
  • Reuters ID: LVA6WULYGNNNX2D22NV6GQT9CSY2
  • Story Text: Thai garbage collectors reached areas cut off by the floods for the first time in weeks Friday (November 11) amid fears that the uncollected rubbish is a hazard to pulic health.
    Garbage collectors used boats and jet skis to reach Sena Nivet village to the north of Bangkok, cut off by the floods for several days.
    Surrounded by smelly, filthy water, almost one metre high, the villagers battle to keep their homes as clean as they can.
    "It does not help if I clean up only in front of my house," said the 63 year-old resident Chairat Kwanmake. "Water has surrounded the whole village."
    Officials say the flooding hindered the daily routines of garbage collectors leaving rubbish uncollected and endangering people's health.
    "We tried to collect as much as possible garbage but it is difficult because we have limited resources such as this boat," said Supit Klaimak, a 57 year-old Lad Prao district officer.
    "Garbage is the most contributing factor to making the water filthy."
    Thai newspapers reported that Bangkok will have to deal with more than three million tonnes of garbage after the waters recede. That garbage will include soaked furniture, electronic equipment as well as human waste in plastic bags.
    So far there have been no fatal disease outbreaks reported, said Thailand's Public Health officer, only a few cases of dengue fever and leptospirosis, which is a severe bacterial infection.
    At least 533 people have been killed since the middle of July from heavy seasonal monsoons, reported Thailand's Department of Prevention and Mitigation on Friday (November 11).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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