Last week, I had the chance to meet a group of young people with a charitable spirit who called themselves the “Dee Sat” group (meaning the science of being good). The group usually gathers at weekends and on holidays to do community service, mostly collecting garbage strewn across the streets around their neighbourhood.
The act of collecting and sorting waste is simple, yet meaningful. Group members not only help keep streets clean, they also raise public awareness about the importance of giving back to the community and making a difference, even with little money or manpower
. What impressed me was their self-determination and strong commitment to undertake this project.
Their volunteer work near their community in Soi Ramkhamhaeng 65 has been shared on the Big Trees Project's Facebook page by Oraya Sutabutr, a project member. The Big Trees Project has organised several social activities, most of them environmental projects.
The "Dee Sat" group consists of four members: Taveelarp "Prem" Buntham, Woranan "Bew" Junsawee, Chamigorn "Aon" Wongchompoo and Nutthapong "Gob" Wannasawang. All four are students at Ramkhamhaeng University.
Mr Prem, who leads the group, said he started collecting garbage on his own near his apartment some three years ago. He later asked the other three group members, Mr Bew, Mr Aon and Mr Gob, his flatmates, to lend a helping hand.
"I met the other three and found out that we had a lot in common," Mr Prem said, adding each of them loves participating in social activities and had joined different clubs in high school.
All group members grew up near water. Mr Aon lived in a house located near the Hanuman stream, off the Prachin Buri River in Prachin Buri province. Mr Bew and Mr Prem are from Krabi, where their houses faced a river.
The group's mission is to collect and sort garbage scattered around their community.
"We don’t think big. We just want to keep the project simple. The simplest option is usually the best one. We should do what we can to bring positive change to our society. And we have good intentions," Mr Prem said.
The group have made use of resources found in their community such as cleaning equipment and materials.
They also use allowances to purchase extra gear.
Their equipment includes strainers for collecting and sorting garbage from the canal, forceps to handle waste material and bags to collect the waste.
"It's very simple. All could be found in our building's grocery store," said Mr
Prem.
The group usually conducts their clean-up activities at weekends and on holidays when group members are available.
They collect waste near Mitmahadthai Bridge and both sides of Khlong Saen Saep in Soi Ramkhamhaeng 65.
The activities tend to run between 1pm and 7pm, with the objective of filling up 10 garbage bags, with a full bag of waste weighing about 5kg, according to Mr Prem. They do not wear any protective clothing, instead opting for T-shirts, shorts and sneakers.
Mr Aon said the group sometimes requires official assistance, particularly in cases where they come across large pieces of garbage, like a mattress, clogging a water gate and blocking the flow of water.
"This task is far beyond our capabilities to handle," Mr Aon said, adding the group mostly collects plastic bags, bottles, household garbage and leaves.
“We sometimes find used condoms and human waste in a small alley in a nearby community where unruly teenagers and homeless people hang out," Mr Bew said, when asked what the most disgusting items they find were.
The group collects and sorts garbage for city's garbage the authorities' convenience. They then leave it at a designated spot near their apartment for the city garbage collectors.
But despite their good intentions, an apparent rarity now a days, Mr Prem complained that some residents see the group as part of a criminal network.
"We have to explain to community members what we have done to create better understanding. It’s good to know that they support us after they learn what we are doing," he said.
Some residents appreciate their efforts.
Sirikanya Mahamad, a housewife living near the community, is glad to see the younger generation contributing to society — even in a simple way. "I hope their good deeds inspire others to do the same."
The group wants to create a network of volunteers that would allow it to take on bigger projects, Mr Prem noted.
"More work needs to be done. If we have more members, we could extend our activities to cover other areas," he added.
People who want to become part of the group must embrace the spirit of volunteering and be willing to dedicate their time, Mr Gob said.
Giving back to society can be done in many ways, he said, adding it is everyone's duty to give back to society as much as they can.
"We don’t have a lot of money to make donations to charity. But we make efforts and over time we believe they can make a difference to society," Mr Gob said, adding that the group'