Green Pattaya and Koto (Keeper of the Ocean) joined forces on Jomtien Beach Saturday 3 August for a morning picking up detritus deposited by the incoming tide. Koto is known by anyone who has spent time in Jomtien as he tirelessly patrols the shoreline collecting rubbish and making friends with the beach dogs.
Green Pattaya joined Koto and publicised his works with a banner marking the meeting point opposite Siam Bank. Then we walked the beach northwards towards Soi 5. It was inspirational seeing the dedication of this man talking about the sea with sunbathers, producing leaflets for the interested, while having a moment to pull a doggy chew from his pocket for the beach animals. One dog, Lola, a beautiful young beach dog kept in health by his concern kept us company as we cleaned.
We walked the beach northwards from Siam Bank towards Soi 5.
Koto likes to arrive at low tide when more beach is exposed and its easy to see the extent of the polythene bags and string caught by the sand, so Pattaya Green joined him early on Saturday to help with the daily clean along Jomtien Beach. The volunteers from Rotary were joined by the students from the junior branch at Banglamung School Interact Club in their distinctive uniform polo shirts.
Interact students from Banglamung spend part of their holiday picking up trash on Jomtien Beach.
It was a perfect match; Koto teaching the young Interact students about the dangers that come from cigarette and plastic in the ocean while they joined with him picking up discarded plastic and glass.
Green Pattaya, Rotary Interact Club from Banglamung School and Koto joined forces to clean up Jomtien Beach Saturday 3 August.
It was a small clean up in two ways, since the plastic was in tiny pieces all along the beach and we couldn’t spend too long looking for every bit; we needed to appreciate our achievement before the tide turned again throwing up the next wave of plastic from the sea. However, the impact was huge with interaction with people on the beach, vendors and tourists helping with assistance and encouragement, and Koto always ready with his printed handouts for those interested. The students made a wonderful contribution to our effort and agreed to return for another day next month. Pattaya media caught the action and City Hall agreed to remove the collected rubbish which numbered a horrific 30 bags.
You can find out more about Green Pattaya visiting https://www.facebook.com/GreenPattaya.
Green Pattaya is a project by Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard and the club was represented by many friends like Lars, Nick, Nui and fellow Interact students from Banglamung and Rotarians Neo, Paul, Maggie, Russell and Past President Jan.
The plastic was in tiny pieces all along the beach.
