Everyone is helping, from Dusit’s CEO to the tourists

The central theme of US President Barack Obama was taken up almost over night by the citizens of Bangkok: “Yes we can” is the new big, peaceful citizens’ movement in the Thai capital. Only one day after the last gunshots were fired, thousands of people met on the battle-ravaged streets to volunteer for a clean-up operation.

The mayor of Bangkok expresses his gratitude to the thousands of volunteers during a walk through the city streets

Celebrities, entrepreneurs, big, small, poor and rich citizens of the strained city of Bangkok gathered on the streets with politicians, policemen and soldiers for a literal clean-up. Everybody was swinging shovels and brooms in order to turn the City of Tears back into the City of Angels. The volunteers were at times working so fast that the trucks, diggers and tools sponsored by various private entrepreneurs and the hundreds of “official” trucks and construction material just weren’t enough.

Thousands of people from all walks of life, including the CEO of Dusit International Hotels, Mr Chanin Donavanik (left) and members of his team, have joined the clean-up operation now under way in Bangkok.

But it was not only the citizens of Bangkok who wanted to clean up their city, there were also many foreigners and tourists who took part in the operation.

Water and food were sponsored all day long by small and large companies alike. Cars arrived from the whole region and distributed water and food among the volunteers.

Thousands came to help clean up Bangkok’s streets

Lumpini Plaza in front of Dusit Thani Hotel, where the clean-up volunteers congregated