After severe flooding hit Ban Den Phatthana in Chiang Mai, homes were submerged in two meters of water and mud. Villagers have lost everything. Now, they face mountains of waste that the municipality won’t remove.
Although the flooding situation in Chiang Mai City has improved and is almost back to normal, many people still suffer from damage to their homes. Their houses are nearly in ruins, covered in mud and piles of waste waiting to be collected.
Homeowners in Ban Den Phatthana, Kawila Subdistrict, live in difficult conditions. They are trying to clean up their belongings but cannot remove the waste because the Chiang Mai Municipality will only clear garbage piled on main roads.
Residents in back streets and alleys must move and dispose of their garbage, which is challenging because there is a large amount of waste, and the alleys’ entrances and exits are still muddy.
Some homeowners who can afford it have hired pickup trucks to move the garbage for 1,000 baht per trip, even though it is only about 200 meters from their homes. However, elderly and low-income residents cannot afford to hire a pickup truck. They are appealing to relevant agencies for help.
Mr. Sompong Wichaising, a flood victim from Ban Den Phatthana, said the floodwaters severely damaged more than ten homes on his street.
Now, they suffer from large piles of garbage and debris that are too much to handle. He stated they do not have the money to hire a truck to move the waste to designated locations.
The 9,000 baht compensation per household is not enough for the damage and the loss of income from being unable to work, but it is better than receiving nothing. I urge the Chiang Mai Municipality to help remove the piles of garbage from our community, he said.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
