SPECIAL REPORT: Alarm raised as Thailand drowns in plastic trash

[HHTel]

3 hours ago, Cadbury said:

But China is by far the worst; nearly nine times that of Thailand.

But China has 20 times the population of Thailand!

 

A more reasoned stat is to state plastic waste per capita.  You'd be surprised at the results.

[KiwiKiwi]

2 hours ago, wicketkeeper said:

Need a sponsor, a T-shirt maker and a distributor.

It says "I don't want a plastic bag".

 

 

Good luck. Putting Thailand at the centre was a nice touch.

 

 

[CanuckThai]

Back home, retailers were forced to charge $0.05 per plastic bag used.  Cloth bags are hung near cashier checkouts for a $1.00 (+/-).  A majority of people shopping bring their own reusable bags, and supplement with an extra purchased plastic bag if need be.  It's working... 

[The Teacher]

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

is water pollution a problem ? sure, yet i believe thais will have about as much success dealing with it ,involving something called Planning, as they have had dealing with air pollution

Maybe, but I fear same as the traffic rules, they all too pig-headed to care about no one else but themselves no way of changing that unless you use a bigger stick than currently using 

[overherebc]

Every day I see kids on motorbikes buy soft drinks in plastic bags, drink them while riding then when finished the bag and straw gets thrown in the ditch. Why? simple answer, they are following the habits of their parents.

Edited May 6, 2018 by overherebc

[Kenny Boy]

5 hours ago, Lungstib said:

I stood behind a woman yesterday who bought bottles of water. 6 plastic bottles, covered in thick plastic shrink wrap, placed inside 2 carrier bags, which she didn't carry but strapped on a m'bike. With 12 bottles of water, bread double plastic wrapped and a few other items she needed an environmental warning as she drove away up the road. It's a lifestyle that will be hard to change.

Agree totally.

When I buy 4 yoghurts (in shrink wrap) I get 4 plastics spoons individually wrapped in more plastic.

Pretty sure if you could buy a plastic  carrier bag here they would put it in another carrier bag to take it  home in.

Lack of education sadly.

The Thais are oblivious to it.

It's normal.

 

 

 

[Cranky]

Pollution control works in (some) developed countries for one reason - education.  Most westerners are conscious of not littering as it as been drummed into us from an early age. Much like driving conditions here, there is only one place to implement change in developing countries and that is kindergarden.  

[kingstonkid]

Before we blame the Thais let us think for a minute.  

First where were plastic bags originated US.

 

Why convenience and saved money to the company.

 

Why did we go away from the glass bottles of pop to the plastic to save money in production?

 

The solution is easy.  Go back 50 years.  Glass bear and pop bottles with at return charge of X]

 

Paper bags at grocery stores if you want you can use plastic but have to bring your own.

 

this will not only help the economy but will also help many of the people on the street.

 

As to the vendors go back to paper plates and bowls.  I am afraid you are not going to get away from plastic utensils but they are easily managed.

[lovelomsak]

23 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

Before we blame the Thais let us think for a minute.  

First where were plastic bags originated US.

 

Why convenience and saved money to the company.

 

Why did we go away from the glass bottles of pop to the plastic to save money in production?

 

The solution is easy.  Go back 50 years.  Glass bear and pop bottles with at return charge of X]

 

Paper bags at grocery stores if you want you can use plastic but have to bring your own.

 

this will not only help the economy but will also help many of the people on the street.

 

As to the vendors go back to paper plates and bowls.  I am afraid you are not going to get away from plastic utensils but they are easily managed.

This makes to much sense and would probably cut into profits.

  I remember well the paper bags and glass bottles in Canada when I grew up. Large milk bottles sitting on doorsteps in the morning etc.

. The problem with glass bottles in Thailand. In the  past the bottles were glass here also. But when you bought the pop the store worker would open the bottle and empty into a plastic bag. I f you wanted to drink from the bottle and not use the bag you had to pay 2 baht for the bottle. The reason being the store owner made money from recycling the bottles.He sold them by the case and if a case was a bottle short he lost 2 baht. So each bottle was worth 2 baht to the store owner.

Edited May 6, 2018 by lovelomsak

[allyoops]

This problem has been going on for a long time now and it's time it was tackled .It should have been done many years ago but governments and businesses have kept on burying their heads in the sand .Seven eleven shops and markets put it in a bag if you by a can of coke or a bottle of water .

Australia sorted the plastic bag problem many years ago and the UK has just done it ,it's now normal to take your reusable bags with you .This is not difficult .They sell bags for one pound that lasts for years or ten p for the reusable plastic ones.I believe the use of throw away bags in the UK went down by 90% pretty much overnight ,no problem .

Over packaging is another thing ,it's crazy ,there is a need now for places to stop selling prepackaged everything .

[soistalker]

Thai people don't care about this problem. It doesn't effect them. And they are not smart enough to understand that throwing their trash everywhere creates problems. How could you possibly explain to someone with an I Q. Of 70 and a 3rd grade education the concept of cause and effect?

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, HHTel said:

But China has 20 times the population of Thailand!

 

A more reasoned stat is to state plastic waste per capita.  You'd be surprised at the results.

For your benefit I did NOT create the statistics. I quoted the source of the statistics in my original post. Did you bother to read the source?

They are talking about metric tonnes per country regardless of population.

Rather than having a poke at me for a bit of fun I suggest you complaint to the originator of the statistical information as per the link and inform them that China has 20 times the population of Thailand. It seems they are unaware of that fact. 

I repeat the link again especially for you so that you can get in touch with them and enlighten them by providing them the statistics based on population. And I really couldn't care less as to what you think I might be surprised at. https://www.statista.com/chart/12211/the-countries-polluting-the-oceans-the-most/

Edited May 6, 2018 by Cadbury

[jacko45k]

Coincidentally I just saw a program from the UK about the recycling of plastics, and how previously China was accepting all the European  'recycling' waste. Well it was, but they are unhappy that the stuff hasn't been segregated according to their needs and specifications. This sent shock waves through the EU as they had little alternative. 

I am sure they said Thailand was accepting some of the plastic for recycling.... this is worrying as  Thailand seems to already have a problem.

[Chris Renaix]

I know it's a global problem, and I know it's an attitude problem.  But to be in 2018, and seeing even young people's yaws dropping when I decline a plastic bag when I buy a bottle of green tea...  there's a lot of environmental education to do in the schools folks...

[KiwiKiwi]

3 hours ago, zzidenn said:

 Think it’s hard to implement these ideas without the help of the government. In Europe only after a few laws where passed it all got into motion. Foam has been banned by law for years and the big ones like McDonald’s etc. had no choice but to follow, just recently retailers have been prohibited under harsh fines to give out plastic bags for free, ever since people rather bring their own than spending a few cents on bags. This is how it is done and works

Same goes for household garbage recycling, etc. ( in Germany the recycling bin is free of charge, so is the paper and glass bin, all other (unsorted) garbage has to be paid for) 

You can’t blame the people, blame the lawmakers, blame the leaders of this country who don’t want to change. They have to be the good example and thought leaders.

You certainly can, and should blame the people. for being lazy and selfish. But you're right,, the government (who should be leading the people) are even more to blame. Here in Thailand, the government usua;;y teaches the dim Thais all the wrong things, and mostly they only think if there's a buck in it for them. They bring a whole new meaning to the word 'useless'.

 

But then, as I've said before, any population gets the government it deserves. Ooh look, the Donald's on the telly again, gotta go - can't miss the Donald.

 

Edited May 6, 2018 by KiwiKiwi

[Xonax]

The problem is not the use of plastic, but rather ignorant governments and consumers, who don´t give a crap about the pollution it creates, when not recycled properly.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Xonax

[Ceruhe]

It's not drowing when you can swim :)

[Pdavies99]

Put it simply: Thailand could not care less!

[SunsetT]

7 hours ago, kannot said:

Very simple, 90% of Thais dont give a (insert expletive of choice here) drive round by me and watch all and every piece of crap fly out of the car windows and off motorbikes. They buy a drink with ice  and drink it on the bike and when finished.........off the back, young kids learn easy too.

Go to the beach on a Sunday watch them all sitting under a tree, mass of  bottles and bags styrofoam, come back in the evening and there it all sits mounting up, blowing round in the breeze, feeelthy dirty LAZY PIGS.

There is no need to be so derogatory and to blame Thais or Thailand regarding plastic waste. It is simply the lack of knowledge and education of most consumers  on this subject which was also the case in the West until very recently. If you want to blame anyone then blame the manufacturers  and companies using and continuing to use so much plastic in packaging, and Western governments who have failed to publicise and limit it's use despite knowing the environmental danger of it not being biodegradable.

 

The way to get Thais, and any uneducated people, to change, would be to bombard and brainwash them with repetitive 'Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle' advertisements during the soap opera movies that they love so much.

[johng]

There should be an (more government funded) incentive to collect all plastics for
Plastic to Oil

http://pyrolysisplant.com/plastic-to-oil/

[scorecard]

8 hours ago, Thailand said:

This is just another of those rinse and repeat stories.

Been going on for years not likely to change until attitudes change or charges are made on plastic bags etc.

 

To some extent true, however there are a few countries where there is now legislation in place to reduce usage.  It's a start.

 

 

[leggo]

When I first went to Jomtien beach over 30 years ago the sea was full of plastic and became really visible at low tide. It was quite disgusting then so who knows what it is like now!

[lvr181]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“The plastic problem is actually serious, just like other global environmental problems. But we did not see it, as it did not appear to our eyes – not until recent years,” said Tara.

Oh really? Have a look at the trash laying around your country and on the beaches! And numerous comments on social media.

 

Where have you been? 

[eliotness]

3 hours ago, HHTel said:

But China has 20 times the population of Thailand!

 

A more reasoned stat is to state plastic waste per capita.  You'd be surprised at the results.

Also along with population you need to consider miles/kilometres of coastline. In both cases Thailand comes out very badly for plastic pollution in the oceans.  Furthermore Thailand's sea pollution is only a small fraction of its land dumping.

[eliotness]

For those teachers among us, There is a good teaching package produced by The British Council called 'Litter".  I recommend it.

[johng]

'Litter".  I recommend it.

How about this too

[kingstonkid]

Here is what they need around the islands and in the canals

http://solarlove.org/solar-water-wheel-collects-50000-pounds-trash/

[MikeN]

39 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

Oh really? Have a look at the trash laying around your country and on the beaches! And numerous comments on social media.

 

Where have you been? 

If you read the original in full, “he” is a prominent and long term marine environmentalist and has been campaigning about it for a long time, the “ we” is referring to the general Thai population.

[johnny49r]

8 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

This is global problem not just a Thai problem.

It's a global problem but Thais are arguably the worst offenders. The government could do something but they are too busy posturing for position. The educational system could educate but that's not what they do. The police could do something but law enforcement is not part of their job description. 

Thais seem to find great beauty in the trash strewn landscapes - you will never see a Thai person pick up trash or use a designated trash disposal container. Got trash? Just throw it to the ground and walk on!

[natway09]

There are so many smart people in the world including those that invented plastic in the first place , I do not believe they cannot come up with a suitable biodegradable plastic ....... just laziness & money