Pattaya unprepared for plastic-bag ban

[MaxLee]

The 7-11 clerk still grab for the plastic bags and plastic forks and spoons, even if you put your bag right in front of them, tells you a lot, and next day and next day and the following day, they make the same mistake again.

[Oxx]

Why don't they ban plastic chairs, plastic bottles, plastic storage boxes too? Replace them with wood, and it'll feel like we've gone back to mediaeval times.

[mikebell]

21 hours ago, jacko45k said:

who may die of starvation without plastic bags. 

Let them eat cake; the motto of Prauth's Government.

[HHTel]

5 minutes ago, Jimbo2014 said:

Dear Thailand.  You cant just ban plastic bags as most plastic doesnt come from just bags.  Its a good start but you need to do the following:  Ban plastic straws, packaging etc. where unnecessary, police the ban, heavily fine people for littering, conduct a public awareness campaign.  Only after this combination of actions can you hope to see change.  

The legal bans are coming.  From Jan 1st the ban on 3 types of plastic (microbeads, cap seals and oxo-degradable plastics.) come into force with more to follow.

Enforcement will be the biggest challenge as in the past, laws are only good at the outset, then forgotten.

[chrissables]

52 minutes ago, robblok said:

Why would you want to bag them, the old way did not work nobody brought bags. Its an all or nothing kind of thing. Its the same in all other countries in the world that are mildly civilized.

 

I have been bringin my own nylon bag that folds up. Its so easy to just have a bag like that in the car or motorbike.

 

I don't get the childish foreigners who refuse to plan and make a big show out of it. I guess they are totally inflexible and not willing to change. I guess that happens more the older one gets. 

Do you carry they bag every day every trip, even if walking? 

 

 

[HHTel]

2 minutes ago, Oxx said:

Why don't they ban plastic chairs, plastic bottles, plastic storage boxes too? Replace them with wood, and it'll feel like we've gone back to mediaeval times.

Because most of those are 100% recyclable.  The problem is 'single use plastic'.  Plastic does have a role to play.  Chairs, boxes and the like are not the problem.

[Burl Ives]

20 hours ago, baansgr said:

Both Tesco and 7/11 have had cloth bags for sale on their counters for past few weeks, only 15 baht also, at least they are doing their bit, if somchai hasn't taken notice he will have to fork out for one soon

3 Baht in Tops!

[Papafarang]

Cloth bags are only 3 baht in family mart in patong 

[ivor bigun]

The wife has been using cloth bags for years ,once in a while we get plastic carrier bags ,to use as bin liners afterwards , not a problem

[Jaxxper]

Ever since I can remember Makro have never issued plastic bags. Roll your trolley of paid for goods to your car, unload the trolley into bags you brought with you.

Should be the same at other large supermarkets. Just got to think ahead.

Simples

[Papafarang]

Nevermind plastic bags 

its the elastic bands that seem to be a problem 

imade I rubber ball out of them for my 6 year old stepdaughter ( that’s who give me my user name)

she has now got her school friends collecting them 

looking like I got a job for life not bless her

[Naamblar2014]

Just a light lunch with 2-3 people can generate a lot of single use plastic.  stopping the shopping bags is a good idea so hopefully this kind of behavior can be changed also.  That IMO will be more difficult to change.

[johng]

1 minute ago, Jaxxper said:

Ever since I can remember Makro have never issued plastic bags.

But you can buy them at the checkout if you need too.

[wavodavo]

19 hours ago, Don Mega said:

Hahahahahaha, yep when they did the bag ban in Aus last year there was massive public butthurt and outrage too !!

This whole plastic bag thing is a rort.In Australia the big stores stopped giving out the free thin plastic bags and instead sell you a much thicker bag that takes 20 years to break down for 15 cents each.This is gonna bring them approx.15million $ extra profit per year. Yes you can buy the cloth bags but from my observations I would say that 70% dont bring any bags and buy these (including me )who forget or were not planning to shop.

[LALes]

I've been carrying plastic bags with me for over 20 years, first in Hawaii and now Thailand.  How lazy can  someone be to not have a folded bag with them at all times.  Fits right in your back pocket.  Keep it by your door, re-fold it after you come home with groceries.  Its about time the stores put the onus on customers to bring their own.  This sense of entitlement to free bags has got to stop and it will once people realize they have no choice.

[DUNROAMIN]

We have all got very lazy when it comes to convenience shopping. I have no problem seeing all plastic bags of every shape and size disappear, we carry our own reusable bags in the car all the time, it not hard, however, the big problem that is going to take a long time to go away is consumer products packed in plastic not once, but many times twice or three times for one item. 

Unfortunately, humans are the worst enemy for the destruction of our planet.

[robblok]

29 minutes ago, chrissables said:

Do you carry they bag every day every trip, even if walking? 

 

 

Not when walking, but a bag in my motorcycle and one in the car is enough. 

 

You don't seem to get that the optional approach did not work. Most people will not carry a bag unless they have too. So its an all or nothing kind of thing.

 

I get what your saying but something needs to be done. 

[Asquith Production]

19 hours ago, champers said:

This will have massive implications. I see mass street protests with the real possibiity that the government could be forced out of office.

Dont worry after a few hiso complain they will do one of their famous u-turns.

 

[Don Mega]

21 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

This whole plastic bag thing is a rort.In Australia the big stores stopped giving out the free thin plastic bags and instead sell you a much thicker bag that takes 20 years to break down for 15 cents each.This is gonna bring them approx.15million $ extra profit per year. Yes you can buy the cloth bags but from my observations I would say that 70% dont bring any bags and buy these (including me )who forget or were not planning to shop.

Yeah but the outrage and butthurt was damn amusing.

[ThaiFelix]

18 hours ago, bluesofa said:

That's interesting. Big C in Udon Thani haven't been giving out plastic bags at the cashier for over a month now.

Afer scanning, all the goods go back into shopping trolley unbagged, then I push the trolley to the car park and put everything loose in the car boot.

 

We have some large plastic storage boxes about 2 feet square (and the same deep). I suppose it would be a good idea to put one in the boot, just to keep the shopping together.

 

Same at makro.

[Baggy]

5 hours ago, sanemax said:

What did you do when you got home with no grocery's ?

Great way to lose weight 

[Card]

I agree with the ban but just banning retailers from supplying them is ill thought out. What are people to do about trash bags? Thats what the re-use them for. Instead, they will just go to suppliers like Makro to buy big packs of new ones, unless they also will not supply them anymore. There needs to be a good, cheap biodegradeable substitute for bin liners.

[CGW]

32 minutes ago, Naamblar2014 said:

Just a light lunch with 2-3 people can generate a lot of single use plastic.  stopping the shopping bags is a good idea so hopefully this kind of behavior can be changed also.  That IMO will be more difficult to change.

How else would people be able to buy and consume takeaway food like this without using plastic bags? carrying "containers" is hardly an option for most working people.

[Don Mega]

5 minutes ago, CGW said:

How else would people be able to buy and consume takeaway food like this without using plastic bags? carrying "containers" is hardly an option for most working people.

Not sure how I will be able to buy a coke with ice from the mom and pop store, they might have to start selling it in the bottle it comes in !!!

[parafareno]

i was in big s suk yesterday and i got a plastic bag

 

[parafareno]

7 11 will never  ban bags

[murraynz]

18 hours ago, mike787 said:

 not sure about pattaya, but i'm ready.

the TOPS  supermarket in central festival, has had NO  plastic bags for several months, already..

lager reuseable bags can be bought for 19thb...

 

if it works there--im sure that other suprmarkets and customers can adapt..

[lensta]

18 hours ago, nightfox said:

I can already see some clueless falangs in Pattaya making a big stink and fools out of them self's in places like Friendship supermarket about why there are no plastic bags, mostly Russians and Chinese who cant read or speak English.

Actually, when I was in China in 2011, you had to buy a plastic bag at the supermarket if you wanted on. The Chinese were bringing their own reusable bags so I guess they are used to it by now.

[mlmcleod]

Why has there been no discussion about paper bags?  Of course all the retailers signed on.  Far more profit without plastic bags.

[murraynz]

1 hour ago, Assurancetourix said:

 

Doesn't it make you react to see how the Thai people consider their country?
A huge open garbage can 

these 'dumps' are everywhere in thailand---THIS is what the authorities need to stop-urgently...

educate thai people to use rubbish bins--start fining them for littering and dumping...

i know many people who wont visit thailand--too dirty, they say...