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Takhli Municipality
Takhli Municipality Takhli District, Nakhon Sawan
Vision: “Takhli” City of Happiness Population: 23,843 (2018) Number of communities: 22 Area: 16 square kilometers
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Once a hub of northern railway routes, Takhli has grown into an urban community with a higher population density. Shophouses mushroom on both sides of the city’s main roads while the outer areas are still mostly occupied with agricultural lands. The people living in the town’s municipal area are mostly in trading and agricultural business. Takhli is currently aiming to become a sustainable, livable city under the ‘Takhli, the lively town’ vision.
Environmentally Sustainable City Management Model
Key of Success
Policies with clear administrative direction and approach formulated to solve existing issues and fulfill people’s demands. They also contribute to strengthening the public sector through education, enabling people’s understanding and participation as a crucial tool.
Collaborations between different working units such as integrated operation between water supply division, public health division, and treasury division, which offer people the convenience of paying more than one utility charges in one bill.
Participation requires engagement and contribution from the government, public, and public sector.
Integrated waste management
Manage solid wastes from the source to the midway processes, and the destination using the 3Rs principles by encouraging community members to be a crucial part of the sorting process. The municipality also promotes the exchange of sorted wastes with money and products and the establishment of “Local Environment Volunteer Network.” The mid-way process includes the provision of waste separation bins in the community with designated hazardous waste disposal point with and a proper waste collection system. For the destination, the municipality is selected by Nakhon Sawan province to be a model municipality in solid waste management and disposal of residual wastes and the ability to
store and transport hazardous wastes for proper disposal.
The city of Takhli’s waste management innovation is made possible through the collection of waste management fees and water charges in the same billing cycle, which is indicated in the city solid waste ordinance. The municipality establishes the waste management committee while frequent meetings are held with the provincial administrative office to report the progress. Furthermore, systematic waste management is designed to encompass the source, mid-way processes, and destination.
Elevating environmental management to achieve sustainable development under the ‘Bawon’ concept (house (community), temple and school)
Srisawat Community and its members join forces in committing to waste sorting at the household level in hopes to reduce to the production of wastes. Food wastes become food for swine and livestock while the animals’ excrements get converted into bio-fertilizer. Cow dungs conversion creates organic fertilizer used to adjust rice fields’ soil fertility while surplus products get sold to generate additional income for local households. The approach led to a significant decrease in the
use of farm chemicals. The initiative aims for the community to become a learning center that provides information about organic fertilizer production from animal manures. Baan Mai Phon Thong also employs the earthworm condominium method to help with the disposal of organic wastes. The worm manure is later used as a substitution for farming chemicals, simultaneously creating a chemical-free agricultural environment while generating extra income for local households.
The local temples take an active part in the community waste sorting system. Organic wastes are sorted and converted into compost. The daily sermons also encourage locals about the awareness and responsibility in waste sorting and the benefits of efficient waste management.
Schools contribute by turning general wastes into a variety of everyday life products. Plastic straws, paper cups, and milk containers are transformed into bags, aprons, and tablecloths used inside the schools’ cafeteria. Students bring plants from the school’s agricultural plot home and learn to nurture and observe their growths while parents take an active part in encouraging the children to adopt habits in waste management.
From pig manure to cooking gas
Takhli Municipality has taken a proactive approach to solve the pollution problems caused by swine manure and polluted water from local swine farms. Proper information and knowledge about health and sanitation strategies have been provided through training as the community and livestock farmers learn to turn animal manure into biogas. It follows one of the activities initiated by the municipality to turn animal wastes into usable energy. The method hopes to help farmers reduce production costs while minimizing conflicts between livestock owners and the surrounding community. With financial support from the environmental fund, the biogas operation has evolved into Rojana Community’s pilot learning center of household biogas management.
Learning Center for Environmental Management
Learning Center # 1 Center of Biogas production from animal manure, Rojana Community
Takhli Municipality, together with local swine farm operators in Rojana Community, has been producing biogas from swine manure since 2015. The biogas production helps eliminate unpleasant smell and wastewater from swine farming, while the generated biogas becomes a new source of energy for local households. At the same time, the extracted bio liquid becomes a fertilizer kitchen gardens and fish ponds.
Learning Center # 2 Waste Management Center. Wat Khao Hua Takhli Temple, Saraphee Community
As an officially established waste-sorting center, Wat Khao Hua Takhli Temple operates under an environmentally friendly approach with efficient environmental management. The operation encompasses systematic waste sorting protocol, biofertilizer production, while environmental issues have been regularly included in the sermons. The temple also encourages its congregation to use reusable utensils instead of plastic products for merit-making and food offering ceremony.
The center was established in 2003 as a sanitary landfill before it received an additional budget in 2014-2016 to elevate its operations to an integrated waste management center. It offers services from recycling, waste sorting, biofertilizer production using organic wastes, and disposal of unusable general wastes. Takhli Municipality is a designated waste disposal center and responsible for the destruction of wastes from 14 local administrative organizations. The center charges THB 600/ton disposal fee and is currently handling 44-45 tons of waste per day.
Learning Center # 4 Sea-Pool Park
Located in Takhli Yai Community, this 18.6-acre public park is home to many trees with ponds and pools surrounding its island-like landscape. The park has been a recreational spot for people to relax and exercise. The municipality has been using the park to promote Thai cultures such as New Year merit-making, which serves as both a local activity and a tourist attraction. The park is also selected to be one of King Rama 10 Commemoration parks.
