Rong Kluea second-hand market | Bangkok Post: news

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Wading through the lucrative wasteland

The second-hand goods business is booming _ markets are thriving and many reap the benefits of the inevitable waste _ but it's also creating an environmental headache

Published: 27 Jan 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

When a garbage truck pulls in at tambon Parai landfill, 20-year-old Rot Tha and a dozen fellow Cambodians rush to see what it has brought.

STOMPING GROUND: A worker walks through a rubbish dump in tambon Parai of Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district. Unwanted items from Rong Kluea market are dumped here. Photo by Patipat Janthong.

The truck has arrived from nearby Rong Kluea market.

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ivan
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Discussion 6 : 28 Jan 2013 at 12.566
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(continuing)there is nothing wrong in selling donated articles as long as it brings more cash into Cambodia that will be used to buy food and a better life for the people of that country, at least the money comes right into the hands of the people instead of the Politicians and Big Shopping Center conglomerates...
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ivan
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Discussion 5 : 28 Jan 2013 at 12.525
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Dr Smith is right, let me add that most factories moved from China to Cambodia and soon will be moving to Bangla Desh where the Germans already brought in Top of the Top machinery, workers abound and they are very good workers. What is called counterfeit clothing is in great part surplus items from the same factories that produce the originals,this is allowed to let the workers make an extra side money and avoid messing around with the production. Live and let live is the moto... Great clothing, shoes, bags and everything else can be found at the border market, cheap prices and good quality, the second hand clothing is in good part donation;
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drsmith
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Discussion 4 : 27 Jan 2013 at 14.134
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This article has several inconsistencies. First of all, all of these clothes are coming from Cambodia. The majority of which are counterfeit brands manufactured in Cambodia, China and Vietnam. Clothes are sold in Cambodia in 100kg bundles, where the good clothes are picked out and sold, others are cut for the material and new items sewn by the many shops/workers in Rong Kluea. Unused items discarded as mentioned. Tea money is paid to bring these bundles across the border into Thailand. Usually no more than 25% of the 100 kg bundle is wearable. Sorry these are NOT donated items.
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patchar
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Discussion 3 : 27 Jan 2013 at 13.243
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playing rich countries' waste are made useful by poor people living in a developing countries. I see no bad on it. To think that these second-hand clotings, shoes, bags, are far better in quality and styles than those fake ones or immitations made in China.Ptices of these second-hand are much lesser compared to those China made and thus, affordable to the poor..
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dao
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Discussion 2 : 27 Jan 2013 at 09.582
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The irony is these goods were donated for good will and are sold for cash or dumped in the garbage .
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faranginkorat
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Discussion 1 : 27 Jan 2013 at 07.151
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Life would be made easier if seperate dumpsters were provided, one type for garbage and the other for used goods that can be recycled.
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