A Farang as a street sweeper in Sattahip
In Sattahip, the naval town south of Pattaya, a foreigner is widely praised for sweeping a section of the busy thoroughfare every day. Locals admire his diligence in clearing the street of sand and other debris so traffic is not endangered by slippage.
A Daily News reporter went to investigate, saw the foreigner at work and wanted to chat with him. His identity and country of origin were not important to him, his comment was: “I am a happy man and I love Thailand. I've lived here for a long time. I am doing this to give back what Thailand and the Thai people are giving to me and moreover I want to set an example for other people here whether Thai or foreigners. I just want to prevent someone from being injured in a traffic accident caused by gravel, sand and other debris.
Comments
On an English-language forum there was quite a bit of commentary on this industrious foreigner, both negative and positive. If it makes that man happy then surely he should. Expecting others to help him is a vain hope. He should be careful not to get hit himself. He works, voluntarily, but that is not allowed without a work permit. There is not a Thai that sticks out a paw to help him.
What Do You Think?
I myself sometimes have the urge to grab a broom and sweep the area around the collection point of garbage cans, but no matter how clean I made it, a little later it was a mess again. I stopped. So I don't do anything for the community, because the Thai won't take over the good things about cleaning anyway.
What do you do for the public good and what do you think of that foreigner in Sattahip?
See a video of the man at work below:
[youtube]https://youtu.be/9rq8geDK_gU[/youtube]
I wouldn't do it myself so quickly, but I still think that the best man deserves a huge compliment for his commitment to safety and the environment.
When I saw a newspaper report that approximately 700 children drown every year (2 per day), I felt like I had to do something. Have a private pool and my wife was going to invite children. There was so much interest in learning to swim that I had to make a schedule. Now look out from my window and see them swimming and diving. A lust for the eye.
What that man is doing there seems more dangerous than useful to me. Sometimes he really stands in the middle of the lanes brushing. Maybe he is slightly disturbed because I certainly don't think that's normal. He feels good about it but does not realize the futility of his act. I wouldn't be surprised if the police pull him off the road sooner or later, and quite early, because safe is something else. His brushing on the street can also be disturbing for the drivers of any vehicle.
So dear friend, who wants to give something back to the Thais, act normal!
Regards.
bert
it is true what you say very dangerous the must be insane to do this in thailand.
it's mopping with the tap open and playing with your life'
This man wants to do something to maybe not spend his day on the alcohol, and what is dangerous. I normally don't mind this.
I'm in Hua Hin for 2 weeks.
Every day when I go to the beach
I start walking through the water at the Hilton
and watch out for broken glass, usually from beer bottles.
I do this on the way to the last rock and later on the way back again.
Find between 5 and 6 shards every time, which I throw away at the restaurants
or give it to security at the Hilton.
Is appreciated by many farangs , especially by families with kids .
I think I set a good example and I think ,
that the farang from Satahip does this too .
What I do on the beach costs me nothing
but maybe with other people , and not all farangs ,
but prevent a lot of pain for all kids.
I regularly participate in community work here in the village. Cleaning canals, setting up things for a village festival (-tambun) and the demolition. Work in the local temple.
I like doing it and get a lot in return.
Kindness, lots of fun and respect.
And no, no problems with things like “no work permit”, “dangerous”, … .
Just normal behavior like I did in my home country.
Nearly sixty years ago I was with the scouts and we were already learning to sweep with the wind!
This man is slightly insane, so he keeps sweeping. Or is it his hobby.
I also sweep around my house every day.
I also keep the part of the road on both sides adjacent to our plot clean.
Stone dust , plastic bags , empty bottles , empty snack bags and sometimes glass or other sharp parts are gone .
Knowing that as a motorcycle or moped rider you can fall victim to skids or a flat tire.
Some time ago, late in the evening, a passing moped around ten o'clock dropped some beer bottles from his basket.
He just drove on , but the street near my house was full of glass .
So I sweep things together in the dark around eleven o'clock.
And why .
Early the next morning, many ordinary Thai people pass through my immediate area on their way to work or fields on their mopeds to a factory in the city of Lamphun.
And a flat tire means a day late for work or no pay at all.
About a kilometer further on in a bend the street is full of grit , I do not sweep here .
But the Thai who lives there doesn't do this either, but every time I drive through this corner on one of my bikes, the speed is very slow.
And then you see the school children passing you at great speed , but once things go wrong and one crashes .
And then it's again oh what a pity hospital or else the monks are already calling for the upcoming cremation.
Tribute to this man on the video.
Jan Beute.
I must honestly say that it is quite clean in the village.
Only the youth are too lazy to throw things in a garbage can 5 meters away.
Especially if they are on a moped.
Then you would have to stop and you don't have one of those things for that.
But apparently it will be cleaned up later, otherwise the village would be a rubbish dump now.
In our street in Cha Am, it is a Thai who drives his moped with sidecar every morning at sunrise and collects all valuable waste from the roadside with his long grab stick (with a clip in the front). It is nice to see how diligently quickly he selectively collects. If the Thai government now also gives money for plastic bags and isimo containers….it will be spotless every day. The roadsides are now only stripped of plastic and glass bottles and cans. So folks...it's possible...just want it!
The Municipality employs street sweepers who do all this regularly, including grass trimming and tree pruning etc. I see them daily, especially on Sukhumvit. This man, now that he has been spotted on the Internet by means of a video, now finds himself in the greatest difficulties BECAUSE no work permit is required, which is also required for voluntary work. The law even says that painting your house by a Farang, that is you, requires a provisional work permit. You must apply for this and specify for how long, say 3 wks, and then you will receive a work permit or permission for 3 wks. Now there will be cries again that this is not true because I have etc. etc. This is the law in Thailand. I also paint my house inside and out without such a permit, but only 1x such a complaint has to be made to the police and there you go. Painting and street sweeping are protected professions and may only be done by Thais.
Dear Theo S.
You live in another world , Sukhumvit is a street and a city part of Bangkok .
But believe me in towns like Pasang in the north of Thailand and certainly in the adjacent Tambons , you will not see any municipal street cleaners there .
Many farangs live in protected Moo lanes , with swimming pools , etc. .
They are often run by a private organization , which also sweeps and maintains the gardens , etc. .
But in the rest and the vast majority of Thailand, there is really no cleaning.
And I'm not afraid of getting into trouble with my retirement visas.
ever visited.
Wish they would come check it out.
Jan Beute.
There will certainly not be a lack of accolades from the Thais, and preferably with a huge smile.
Finally, as long as they don't have to do it themselves….
That man still has what is called a selfless “civic sense”, something you have to look for in Thailand.