Thai retailers to stop giving plastic bags from Jan 1

[rexall]

59 minutes ago, z42 said:

Errr, people can be responsible and bring their own. People NEED to take responsibility and actually think ahead sometimes.

Not really that hard tbh

Excuse me!  People don't as you say NEED (in all caps) to do anything!  Just your opinion and the opinion of your overlords!

[malt25]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

I don't agree with this at all, it will not work and there will be a spectacular backtrack within a matter of months.

 

Just watch and see.

I read your comment.... & then saw you avatar.  555555555

[rexall]

53 minutes ago, csmith said:

Isn't everything biodegradable .… isn't it a matter of 'how long'

 

p.s. Even humans are biodegradable ... ummm imagine if they were not ...

 

 

Dude! Not mummies!  ????

[jimn]

39 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Exactly! But if you have been using big c for all those years then you are bound to be a bit confused.

 

Just saying it’s would be better to post something at the entrance to warn people. 

There has been notices in Thai and English at the checkouts in Big C and Tesco Lotus for weeks. You just havn't been looking.

[z42]

41 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Exactly! But if you have been using big c for all those years then you are bound to be a bit confused.

 

Just saying it’s would be better to post something at the entrance to warn people. 

If you can read Thai you would know they have those signs on checkouts in both big and express versions of atesco, tops, and big c near me.

 

Paper bags are already piling up in prep there too.

[Daveyh]

Hmmm ....... Although I agree that plastic is a real problem here & must cease asap, but what are the alternatives?? Government have not indicated to the general public what they are at all, so I guess it's the "up to you" syndrome again? Shopping is not a problem as I'm sure biodegradable bags will be on offer before long. Shops I've recently been to have cardboard boxes available .......... so it's obvious that these stores have taken the initiative & are aware that this law has not been thought through properly ............. well done to them. 

I think the main problem here is going to be the fast food on the street & the take home meals for the millions of workers who live in shared rooms, have limited cooking facilities & rely on this essential service. It will certainly create serious problems for them as buying a "hot & cheap ready meal" is paramount to their daily lives ............ & remember Thai culture .............. they need to eat as often as possible too! Perhaps everyone will begin carrying food containers to work as seen in China, so there will be thousands/millions of these littering the streets eventually, that's guaranteed.

It's not just here that this problem exists as this environmental disaster is worldwide. Thailand should be doing more to improve their infrastructure services, that goes without saying, especially the disposal of domestic waste. All these "landfills" dotted across the countryside are not the answer or the burning of rubbish, plus the dumping at sea it not acceptable. It must all be disposed of properly, but there's a cost, which may be not an option for years in Thailand ............ they need disposable sites here as in other countries for waste, so that it can be safely disposed of to minimize the damage to our environment. It's a huge task ............. I personally don't think Thailand is ready for it.

 

[fxe1200]

1 hour ago, justin case said:

villa always claimed their bags are bio-degradable ...so why do they stop ?

 

MONEY

They are biodegradable, but it takes them roughly 500 years to decompose.

[Beggar]

The new camouflaged plastic bags for next year. 

 

[Swede65]

My gf works at 7-11 and she says they're not giving bags as from jan 1. I don't see their name in the list above, is 7-11 under another company? 

[unamazedloso]

So now i have to buy plastic bags to collect rubbish to burn? seriously? Its an outrage????

[Sheryl]

The success of an initiative like this depends heavily on providing customers with reasonable alternatives. Especially in places where people are not likely to have driven their own car in. There is quite a limit to how much you can reasonably expect people to carry out in their own 2 hands.

 

Paper bags...cardboard boxes...cheap string bags and cloth bags sold at the cashier (cheap and at the cashier point if sale being the operational terms here).

 

Otherwise it will be a rapidly abandoned fiasco.

[Burma Bill]

Will be very interesting to see if their sales plummet as customers use other stores that DO provide plastic bags! I can also see possible chaos at checkouts - abandoned products!

Edited December 22, 2019 by Burma Bill
additional information

[Burma Bill]

7 minutes ago, Swede65 said:

My gf works at 7-11 and she says they're not giving bags as from jan 1. I don't see their name in the list above, is 7-11 under another company? 

Part of the CP Group who have the franchise.

[murraynz]

6 hours ago, z42 said:

Fantastic. I wish this works as planned

They need to reach Thai people how to use rubbish bins. 

[theonetrueaussie]

2 hours ago, legend49 said:

April 1st moved to January? Number 5 in your list, Makro I have never received once a plastic bag from them, take your goods out in the shopping trolley, you cant bring your own bags in with you, must leave them at security counter.

Take the goods out in the shopping trolley AND.....attach trolley to back of motorbike and ride home??

[Millcx]

6 hours ago, Chazar said:

this govt?

 

Is  that the next campaign?

They think it will attract plane loads of tourists with big arms 

Love the doing away with the plastics but there will be an issue if the retailers don’t have alternate bags to buy etc (Planet friendly ones)

Tescos expect you to stuff everything in your pockets with no help

Bit of a joke 

[Deli]

How many people will loose their jobs due to this stupid regulation ?

[HHTel]

6 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

other stores that DO provide plastic bags! 

Considering the list published which includes the many thousands of 7/11, Family Mart, Tesco, Big-C and others, it will take time finding a store that gives out plastic bags.  The 'mom and pop' shops will carry on for a while.

Don't forget that this is a signed agreement, not a law.  However, the law banning the issue of plastic single use bags starts Jan 1st 2021.  So it's only a matter of time.

 

I've never seen such a deluge of 'excuses' as there are from the posters here.  Many countries have had a ban in place for years with no real problems.  More than half the countries in the world have some form of restriction.

 

Here in Thailand, people are slowly beginning to wake up.  I've noticed over the last few days that 7/11 now have cloth bags for sale at the check-outs. In 3 sizes, I think. "It'll never work in 7/11" I hear you say.  Well on some of the islands, Koh Samet for example, 7/11's have not issued plastic bags for a long long time and was still working just a few weeks ago when I was there.   To contradict some posters, many of the major outlets do have alternative bags available.

 

For those who quoff at having to buy 'plastic' bin bags as a result.  It should be noted that many of the bin liners are now degradable.

 

I'll put money on the fact that people will adapt quicker than you think.

 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, z42 said:

Errr, people can be responsible and bring their own. People NEED to take responsibility and actually think ahead sometimes.

Not really that hard tbh

Got it in one.... if you go shopping take a few tote type bags.

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, jastheace said:

no. i get it. most of us do.

I think I know what you are suggesting, but printing it on paper would make the point far more effectively.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

I use the bags for dog poo. So what do I do now? fling it over to the neighbors yards?

 

I think if you look in the supermarkets they will still sell plastic bags for wrapping food. Just don't confuse the contents when you cook.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, recom273 said:

Exactly! But if you have been using big c for all those years then you are bound to be a bit confused.

 

Just saying it’s would be better to post something at the entrance to warn people. 

 

Just get a few 'actors' to talk about it in the nightly soaps. Then everyone will know, even the dumbest ones. Especially the dumbest ones.

[Bantex]

I recently went into a 7/11 store which had signs displayed at each till saying “no plastic bags” only in English but not in Thai. I was buying eight items and staff reached automatically for the usual plastic bags, I told them I didn’t want any plastic bags and i handed over my own reusable shopping bag. The staff thanked me for not using plastic bags but when I got home, I discovered that they had put my purchases in plastic bags before putting them in my own reusable shopping bag.

[orchidfan]

2 hours ago, recom273 said:

We have had no plastic bag days in the supermarkets down our way and some independents don’t give bags down our way - while the idea should be applauded - no alternatives are provided. 
 

People have got to the till with their shopping only to find no bags, no way to carry it home in their bikes - it’s caused no end of confusion with security staff as people push loaded trolleys out of the exits.

 

its also a massive missed opportunity - I bought a few ikea bags from Lazada but no stores have supplies of reusable bags for sale. 
 

The usual Thai clusterflop 

My favorite local 7/11 now has cloth bags for sale near the checkout tills.

BUT they're a size that you could only fit 2 bottles of milk or 3 beer cans in!

Not much thought put into that plan.

 

 

[HHTel]

1 minute ago, orchidfan said:

My favorite local 7/11 now has cloth bags for sale near the checkout tills.

BUT they're a size that you could only fit 2 bottles of milk or 3 beer cans in!

Not much thought put into that plan.

 

 

I think you'll find that they have larger ones also.  The 7/11's here just have the small one hung behind the checkout with the logo 'Choose Me' and a green leaf but they showed me that they have larger ones available too.

[wgdanson]

2 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

My favorite local 7/11 now has cloth bags for sale near the checkout tills.

BUT they're a size that you could only fit 2 bottles of milk or 3 beer cans in!

Not much thought put into that plan.

 

 

You'll have to cut down on the milk then!   LOL

[geisha]

I just hope these retailers come up with a plan to provide shoppers with a good alternative ! As in French supermarkets etc, non plastic  bags  for fruit / veg , free. ( certainly the price of them is included in the sell price. ) , Then you can buy shopping bags for a 1€.50. They are good sturdy ones which hold a lot. Good value. Other shops use paper or non plastic bags. 

Tesco Pattaya, I didn’t know they’d already brought in the rule ! So I didn’t have bags with me. They had nothing ! ( a few papier bags not very good for heavier food/ drinks) So there I was stuck with a full caddy . I argued a bit,, not much good, no one speaks English.I Would happily  paid for  bags. So after holding up the place for 5 minutes they found me a roll of plastic Tesco’s. This is typical of Thai organisations. PS , have bought bags in advance from Central and Foodland Terminal 21 !!!!

[khunbillmex]

will the sale of bin liners go up? or the water bill go up because of the increase of bum gun use?

[chris26be]

2 hours ago, z42 said:

Errr, people can be responsible and bring their own. 

In several shops you cannot bring your own bags in with you, can you? 

[orchidfan]

The little shops around wet markets etc which sell packets of various sizes of plastic bags are going to have a bonanza.

Or will they be banned from selling plastic bags in 2021?