Nongprue is urging its residents to step up their recycling efforts as the sub-district battles trash collection staffing and budget shortages.
Nongprue Council President Preecha Wongsiriwimol chaired an Aug. 15 planning meeting on the sub-district’s garbage crisis, which has worsened in the past year. The municipality is now collecting 100 tons of garbage a day, which has strained its capabilities to the max, inciting complaints from residents.
Councilman Somchai Chimwiset questioned a suggestion that the local government spend 4 million baht to repair existing garbage trucks, suggesting new vehicles should be purchased instead.
However, Mayor Mai Chaiyanit said staffing, not trucks, is the sub-district’s biggest problem. Not only are there too few workers, the ones on the payroll are poorly trained, he said.
Nongprue’s Environment Department has fewer than 40 employees and just 14 garbage trucks, Mai said.
Councilman Teerawit Thongnok noted that Nongrue’s outside trash contractor also is a problem, claiming the company is illegally using foreign workers. However, he added, few Thais want to be garbage men these days, so the contractor may have little choice.
Mai said the sub-district has put out more trash bins recently, but that won’t help if no one empties them.
He said residents have to do a lot more recycling and that the sub-district should spend time and money educating locals on how to improve their separation and recycling efforts.
