A timely reminder of our ongoing abuse of nature

This Loy Krathong festival should be used as an opportunity to clean up the environment rather than create more garbage that blocks waterways

During the upcoming Loy Krathong festival, Bangkokians should perhaps make a wish that we can clean up our natural and manmade waterways and that the city and nation will be able to recover quickly after the water finally recedes.

Instead of floating lotus-shaped krathongs made of Styrofoam, or even of natural materials, instead of putting any vessel into the river, Thais may well be advised to do the opposite. They should instead collect whatever is floating in the water.

Bangkokians are now facing a severe health threat from approximately three million tonnes of trash that has been left floating as a result of the deluge. People should thus think of more responsible, creative ways to celebrate this festive annual event.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and relevant agencies are facing the huge challenge of getting rid of a huge volume of uncollected trash, together with the dirty flood water.

Treating this huge amount of uncollected daily waste, as well as dealing with the dirty water, will become one of the most difficult challenges in this crisis - one that perhaps has been overlooked so far. The clean-up mission has to be effectively started even before the post-flood clean-up begins. If this does not happen, it could lead to outbreaks of several unpleasant diseases.

Bangkok is home to 12 million people who produce a massive amount of trash, day in day out. The flood water now settled in many parts of the city and its perimeter has made it difficult to collect and treat garbage. In addition, Bangkok is now a destination for additional debris that is flowing down from flooded provinces further north.

About 9.4 million people in the city's flooded areas are expected to generate 500 kilograms of rubbish each over the course of a few weeks. In normal circumstances the BMA can collect only 8,700 tonnes of garbage a day. Now, however, Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra says the city authorities can collect only some 7,000 tonnes a day because even the garbage trucks find it difficult to negotiate flooded areas. In some districts, only 30 per cent of garbage, can be collected daily.

Trash and dirty water will become the sources of many waterborne diseases such as cholera, and irritations such as pink-eye and rashes. Unfortunately, agencies such as the Public Health Ministry have not given the public sufficient warning and advice on how to protect themselves from the diseases that can come with the floods. Another serious issue is possible contamination of the tap water supply and water resources for public use.

Unless people act responsibly during this year's Loy Krathong festival, instead of clear routes for floodwater to escape through, we could be faced with waterways full of all kinds of extra debris including plastic and paper, even wood and glass.

We could leave this task to the BMA alone. But communities should contribute by participating in a campaign to get rid of trash and garbage in waterways during this year's festival.

Agencies will have to work cooperatively - something we have seen little of so far during this disaster. If they do not, the public will suffer the consequences of bad sanitation.

An effective clean-up operation will also be a factor in restoring the confidence of foreign investors because - with so many people left unemployed by the deluge - this is an issue of critical concern. At the same time, the government and communities must heed the longer-term lessons that this crisis offers. The public must have greater awareness about sustainable consumption habits. The consequences of this flood have shown how people unnecessarily create extra garbage. The massive number of floating plastic bags in the dirty water is a glaring example.

Consumers should take this Loy Krathong festival to reflect on what we have done to our waterways and wider environment, and how we can recycle and reuse.

If we don't learn something from the flooding this year, our Loy Krathong festival will be meaningless. What's the point of celebrating Loy Krathong if we fail to be respectful to the water spirit?