Administrators had suggested to neighbors of the city’s overflowing Sukhumvit Soi 3 rubbish-transfer facility that the excess could be stored on vacant land near the Eastern National Indoor Sports Stadium. But word soon spread to Soi Chaiyapruek 2 residents who responded with a vehement “not in my backyard” protest.
On May 15, emergency contractor Ruamkha Advance Tech International began hauling away excess garbage to a landfill in Rayong. About 100 tons had been removed by Tuesday, but the site gets 400-plus tons a day, so Ruamkha’s work hardly is a permanent solution.
Following meetings with East Pattaya and Jomtien Community leaders May 9 and 13, Mayor Anan Charoenchasri admitted defeat, dealing another setback to Pattaya’s losing battle against trash.
The rubbish war truly has reached a tipping point: Pattaya has lost use of its former dump in Khao Maikaew, the Interior Ministry has barred the city from moving garbage dumped at the Soi 3 facility to other locations, the transfer facility is over capacity, garbage bins around the city are being left uncollected and city hall has bungled the contracting process for a new trash hauler.
The anger at this month’s hearings was palpable. T2P1 – EP
Pattaya rubbish problem gets worse as residents block dump site
