Thailand Fights Addiction To Plastic Bags

[thaibeachlovers]

Plastic bags In New Zealand last about 1- 2 months in the ground. We went through this no bags and 'save the planet

bags'. Eventually the speed of getting people through the checkouts won I guess.

There is an Australian company which has a plant, in Melbourne I think, that makes diesel fuel from plastic bags. 1 kilo of bags 1 kilo of fuel.

There was research done at Chulalongkorn University some years ago on the problem of getting plastic bags to degrade

Not sure of the outcome

Saw an article on tv about a company in India that is successfully making fuel from plasic bags. If they started same in LOS there'd be no more bag problem, as enough poor people fossiking in the rubbish for recyclable now.

[luckylarry]

<BR><FONT size=5><B>Thailand Fights Addiction to Plastic Bags</B></FONT><BR>By Lynette Lee Corporal<BR><BR>BANGKOK, June 28, 2010 (IPS) - Buy a hairpin and the sales clerk has a microscopic plastic bag for it. A soda purchase from a corner store may end up having the liquid poured into a plastic bag, and then topped off with a plastic straw. There is no plastic bag yet that could fit a car, but if there was one country that could come up with one, Thailand would probably be it.<BR><BR>But here in the capital, local authorities have restarted a campaign to wean the residents of the Thai capital from their plastic bag 'addiction'.<BR><BR>For the second year in a row, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is holding its 45-day 'No Bag, No Baht' project, which offers consumers a one-baht (three U.S. cents) discount for every 100 baht (nearly three dollars) purchase if they use their own cloth bags when shopping in several local markets. Meanwhile, each plastic bag will cost them one baht.<BR><BR>This year's BMA campaign was launched on Jun. 5, World Environment Day. Last year, the campaign targeted a cutback of 4.4 million plastic bags among Bangkok consumers. This year, BMA authorities want a cutback that is three times that figure.<BR><BR>BMA figures show that every day, more than 600,000 plastic bags are used in this city of nine million people.<BR><BR>Their annual disposal cost reaches more than 600 million baht (18.4 million dollars), city officials have said. Local media have quoted BMA deputy governor Porntep Techapaibul as saying that of the city's daily 10,000 tonnes of trash, about 1,800 tonnes are plastic bags, a number projected to increase by about 20 percent each year.<BR><BR>By now, many Bangkok residents have heard of the health and environmental hazards posed by plastic bags. Made from a non-renewable natural resource, petroleum, the bags have for their main ingredient polyethylene — or polythene — which is said to take 1,000 years to decompose on land and 450 years in water.<BR><BR>Story continues: <A class=bbc_url title="External link" href="http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=51969" rel="nofollow external">ipsnews.net</A><BR><B>-- IPS</B><BR>2010-06-28<BR><BR> <BR>

<BR><BR>You do not get a Plastic Bag at any Mackro Stores as far as I know.<BR>

[koto]

9 million people use 600,000 plastic bags per day? Is that not one bag per person every 15 days? A likely story.

Is that right that they weigh 1,800 tonnes every day, 600,000 plastic bags weigh 1,800 tonnes? They must be thicker and heavier than the bags we get here in Chiang Mai. Correct me if I am wrong as maths was never my strong point.

Yep, I would have though that at least two bags/person/day are handed out. The 7/11 even use two large bags, one inside the other, as "one might break" for anything heavier than a packet of peanuts.

If 600,000 bags weigh 1,000 tonnes, then they reckon each bag weighs 3 gramms. Which is a bit much. But I think the figure of 600,000 is on the low side.

What is this, Maths for retards? If 600,000 bags weigh 1,000 tonnes, then 600 bags weighs 1 tonne= 1,000 kg = 1,000,000g. Each bag weighs 1666g or 1.666kg, which is simply ridiculous. 1.66g I might accept!

Does anybody really care?

Not enough to make a difference, most lazy uncaring people wait for someone else to do it, People today are to wrapped up in themselves to care about the children, wildlife and waterways and they are leaving a mess to big to fix. Wake up humans and do your share of giving back, just because you didn't leave the trash behind, don't be so proud, that you can't pick it up and dispose of it properly, we all need to get off of our lazy bums and do some Tam Boon.

[CWMcMurray]

I take my own cloth bags to Tesco, Carrefour, etc. They look at me like I'm crazy! And it's hard to tell the clerks at 7/11, etc., that you don't want a plastic bag. It's only a can of coke! I don't need a bag for it.

My wife says it's a Thai thing...they feel if they don't get a bag, they are getting ripped off...go figure...

Same, we have used our own cloth bags for over 16 years in various countries. Every little helps but we are definitely the oddities amongst the masses.

Could simply charge for plastic bags as they did in HK and now China, that tends to make people think more-maybe!

I will agree that the chain stores may be pushing this because they are "Thinking Green", but the "green" that they are thinking about has nothing to do with helping the environment.

The price of plastic bags is already accounted for in the current prices for all of these chain stores, so they should give you a discount if you use your own bag... not charge you more if you do not.

I think that they are all likely to jump on this Bandwagon as it is a way to increase their profit margin while claiming to be "Green"..... I will let you decide for yourselves which of these two you think they are more interested in...

Edited June 28, 2010 by CWMcMurray

[AgentSmith]

I remember the good old days of brown paper bags for groceries and trips to the convenience store.

Someone tried to introduce them here but couldn't figure out how to get the bottoms from falling out as they slurped away on their soft drink with ice.

Those paper bags are a huge misconception in countries such as the US. The production results in 4 times as much carbondioxide per paper bag as it does per plastic bag of similar size. The only greener way if you want to stick to plastic bags is the switch to biodegradable plastic bags. Then again it's even better to use reusable durable cotton bags. A nice alternative is to put your groceries in a few of the store's used cardboard boxes. At least that way your packing behavior doesn't result in a higher plastic or paper production. If the store is within walking distance from your house then use on of those grocery trolleys. They carry a lot, are usually very durable and save you a lot of back aches especially of you are one of those people that shop for multiple days at a time.

What I don't understand: isn't 7 eleven an American company? Can't they provide all the shops with educational material and actively discourage plastic bag use? Because as stated by others before: plastic bag use in Thailand often takes ridiculous forms. I always go to the same 7 eleven store and they still don't get it that I want to use one of their own plastic bags over and over again. Or that I indeed don't need a bag for simply a can of coke. Or like the local liquor store, they look as if they see burning water - Dutch expression - when you try to point out that that cardboard box of wine does not need a bag because it already has a handle of its own... Seriously, sometimes that ignorance or even lack of common sense can make me mad, but on many other days it doesn't even bother me enough anymore to actually say something about it. The cashiers are often too stubborn anyway and when even after 100 times it still hasn't sunk in then it seems there are really only two options left: either make plastic bags expensive or, even better, ban them through a law all together.

[overhaul38]

It's a great idea but I can say that I reuse every plastic bag. Primarily I place them as a liner in the kitchen garbage can but they do come in handy.

[overhaul38]

I remember the good old days of brown paper bags for groceries and trips to the convenience store.

Someone tried to introduce them here but couldn't figure out how to get the bottoms from falling out as they slurped away on their soft drink with ice.

Those paper bags are a huge misconception in countries such as the US. The production results in 4 times as much carbondioxide per paper bag as it does per plastic bag of similar size. The only greener way if you want to stick to plastic bags is the switch to biodegradable plastic bags. Then again it's even better to use reusable durable cotton bags. A nice alternative is to put your groceries in a few of the store's used cardboard boxes. At least that way your packing behavior doesn't result in a higher plastic or paper production. If the store is within walking distance from your house then use on of those grocery trolleys. They carry a lot, are usually very durable and save you a lot of back aches especially of you are one of those people that shop for multiple days at a time.

What I don't understand: isn't 7 eleven an American company? Can't they provide all the shops with educational material and actively discourage plastic bag use? Because as stated by others before: plastic bag use in Thailand often takes ridiculous forms. I always go to the same 7 eleven store and they still don't get it that I want to use one of their own plastic bags over and over again. Or that I indeed don't need a bag for simply a can of coke. Or like the local liquor store, they look as if they see burning water - Dutch expression - when you try to point out that that cardboard box of wine does not need a bag because it already has a handle of its own... Seriously, sometimes that ignorance or even lack of common sense can make me mad, but on many other days it doesn't even bother me enough anymore to actually say something about it. The cashiers are often too stubborn anyway and when even after 100 times it still hasn't sunk in then it seems there are really only two options left: either make plastic bags expensive or, even better, ban them through a law all together.

As you know every business in Thailand is owned 51% or more by Thais.

[dumball]

Just one small point , as a smaall boy during and for some years after WW11 , practically everything was re-cycled , right down to vegetable parings being put in a bin supplied to use for pig slop , excess food parings and food was put in a trench dug for the purpose to make fertilizers when we grew our own vegetables . Those of you who 'Re-cycle their plastic bags for bin liners , where do you think they go ? "To the dump , to the dump , to the dump-dump-dump !!!

Here in Canbodia , they have re-usable bags on the shelf in lucky market stores , not bad for a struggling country still digging its way out of extreme poverty .

[F4UCorsair]

I've been saying for years that if the governments of the world are serious about issues, any issues, plastic bags, emissions, anything at all, then they should collectviely legislate. Even individual countries legislating is a start, but one country leislating is like one person using cloth bags.

The proof that they'e not serious is that they don't use the power the have to genuinely fix problems, and that could be for any number of reasons, including politicians on the take.

Incidentally, my son in law did some research and apparently one heavy cloth (flax I think) bag consumes more energy in its manufacture than 10,000 plastic shopping bags,so it may be pi$$ing in the wind replacing plastic with alternatives unless there is a more energy efficinet process, at least from an emissions point of view.

[Charger770]

If the bags were simply banned (as in Rwanda, mentioned above) you'd be amazed at how quickly and effortlessly people would adapt.

As for bio-degradable bags - nothing dissapears without a trace.

I guess the starting point is charging (or discounting) for every bag used or not used.

I loathe plastic bags. They are the modern icon of man's short-sightedness and lack of concern for shi_tting were he eats.

[Deeral]

Biodegradable plastics are not a total answer to the problem - even "degradable" plastic bags don't actually fully disappear - many just reduce to smaller molecules - but they are still there. and there are questions surrounding the carbon footprint etc.THere are several drawbacks with these bags - Google to find out.

Part of Thailand's problem is not so much it's obsession with plastic bags - they are obsessed with packaging - the concept of face - the wrapping often outdoes the contents - until this mindset is changed the plastic bag and all the other wrappings will keep going.

[Tagaa]

<br>

<br>My wife says it's a Thai thing...<br>

<br><br>God I hate it when people say that "Oh, it's a Thai thing", corruption - "its a Thai thing", lateness, "its a Thai thing" or, my personal favorite, Greng jai (being considerate) "its a Thai thing" - as if no other nation has the concept of being considerate towards other people - 555555<br><br>:-)<br>

<br><br>I have no idea where you live, but here in up country Issan, these people are THE MOST INCONSIDERATE people on the planet. In the three years I have lived out here in no mans land, greng jai is a word I've never learned as I never (well almost never) seen it.<br><br>If it happens I stop & utter a low "well just dam_n" & then fall over with disbelief.<br><br>Before someone chimes in & says if I don't like it I should move, that's happening at the end of next month.<br><br>Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.<br><br>

[Deeral]

Whereas it is annoying to hear Thai people trying to account for a shortfall by saying it is a Thai thing or "it's the Thai way" - I don't think you fully understand the meaning and function of "kreng Jai"

Edited June 29, 2010 by Deeral

[GungaDin]

<br>

<br>My wife says it's a Thai thing...<br>

<br><br>God I hate it when people say that "Oh, it's a Thai thing", corruption - "its a Thai thing", lateness, "its a Thai thing" or, my personal favorite, Greng jai (being considerate) "its a Thai thing" - as if no other nation has the concept of being considerate towards other people - 555555<br><br>:-)<br>

<br><br>I have no idea where you live, but here in up country Issan, these people are THE MOST INCONSIDERATE people on the planet. In the three years I have lived out here in no mans land, greng jai is a word I've never learned as I never (well almost never) seen it.<br><br>If it happens I stop & utter a low "well just dam_n" & then fall over with disbelief.<br><br>Before someone chimes in & says if I don't like it I should move, that's happening at the end of next month.<br><br>Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.<br><br>

Did you preview your post before posting?

That applies to many on here!

[bkkjames]

TVF has a new topic to talk bad about Thai people.

Blame the Farang. Where plastic bags and soft drinks came from? Not so long time ago there where no plastic bags and no polystyreen food-containers. Food was packed in banana leaves.

There is a lot of recycling going on for all kinds of material. And believe it or not many plastic products in Thailand are made of biodegradable plastic.

your post is typical xenophobia.

you sound like the taliban leader with 5 mobile phones.

& a laptop.....

-------------------

My local fried rice vendor serves the take-aways on a banana leaf in Polystyrene box!

Explain the Thai "logic" in that K.'kissdani'!

maybe he use this kind of food boxes: Born-Bio-Packaging

I often say in the 7/11 that i don't need a bag. without getting strange looks. Maybe that is only because you are Farang and speak with a funny accent.

Or if you buy your food for the evening down the soi where all the food vendors are and you give them your own reusable food box to carry the stuff away you will not get strange looks. Try that with your fried rice dealer.

If Farangs think everything is so bad and backward in Thailand and Thai people are so stupid and not intelligent same as Farang, why you Farang coming here at all. Where is there the Farang "logic"?

Sad your post is. Must really bother you so much that farangs give a bigger hoot about the long term sustainability of Thailand's environment - more so than most Thais I know. But then again hanging out on TV and waiving your nationalistic views on a farang forum as opposed to some Thai chat room either means you are :

a. trollish in nature

b. have no original ideas on how to solve the problems facing your country

c. practicing your English

Unsurprisingly, I read today that Thailand is 2nd in the world for number of 711's. Of course all these are owned by Thais but hey, blame the farang for inventing it in the first place. Where's the Thai logic?

Edited June 29, 2010 by bkkjames

[Deeral]

"If Farangs think everything is so bad and backward in Thailand and Thai people are so stupid and not intelligent same as Farang, why you Farang coming here at all. Where is there the Farang "logic"?" - What a completely facile thing to say! - or is this jusrt a sad example of either Thsi - head-in-the-sand attitude.

[ryladie99]

I take my own cloth bags to Tesco, Carrefour, etc. They look at me like I'm crazy! And it's hard to tell the clerks at 7/11, etc., that you don't want a plastic bag. It's only a can of coke! I don't need a bag for it.

My wife says it's a Thai thing...they feel if they don't get a bag, they are getting ripped off...go figure...

I am so proud of you for doing the right thing, and remember to watch your cloth bag after using a couple time...

Your wife is right?? I could help laughing about it. By the way, the Americans do the same thing. My take and opinion.

[barryofthailand]

Thailand was going to launch a project last Jan that was to start on the 1rst. The Government got Tesco, Big C,and carrefour to buy into it. Almost the same as the BMA did for one day in BKK. They were going to start charging one Baht for a small plastic bags, and three baht for a large ones.

This never happened, as when publicized, Thai people objected to this idea. Most Thai people do not give a hoot about the environment.

Barry

[Deeral]

THai lack of concern for their own environment - and consequently the rest of the world - is a matter for great concern in itself - the issues are wide ranging, from plastic bags thru factory health and safety, to wildlife conservation - it is difficult to see where to start...but it is hindered by the naive interpretation on "harmony with nature" - that leads to some ghastly abuses of the environment........who wants to swim in a mixture of polythene bags and industrial effluent - well if you don't swim like many Thai people -- who cares??

[Thai at Heart]

THai lack of concern for their own environment - and consequently the rest of the world - is a matter for great concern in itself - the issues are wide ranging, from plastic bags thru factory health and safety, to wildlife conservation - it is difficult to see where to start...but it is hindered by the naive interpretation on "harmony with nature" - that leads to some ghastly abuses of the environment........who wants to swim in a mixture of polythene bags and industrial effluent - well if you don't swim like many Thai people -- who cares??

One has to laugh when the beaches around Rayong are covered in plastic dumped from the boats coming into Rayong port.

Despite the boats being owned by Thais, of course it is the Cambodian employees disposing of rubbish over the side of the boat. I really don't understand how complicated it can be to at the least get people to put rubbish IN THE BIN.

Of course, there is the classic story about the Thai tourism authority visiting the UK in the 80's to see how the Brits performed the "Keep Britain Tidy" campaign. After a visit to a Welsh beach they took pictures of all the signs, and proceeded to copy them in what they thought was English (but actually Welsh) and place them on the beaches in Phuket.

[fiercesnake]

<br>

<br>My wife says it's a Thai thing...<br>

<br><br>God I hate it when people say that "Oh, it's a Thai thing", corruption - "its a Thai thing", lateness, "its a Thai thing" or, my personal favorite, Greng jai (being considerate) "its a Thai thing" - as if no other nation has the concept of being considerate towards other people - 555555<br><br>:-)<br>

SO TRUE! Why is it that outside people can not question things that are just plain wrong because they are not from that country? It's not just here, it is a general trend throughout the world. One day humans will realize they are the same species, and that the boundaries we place over ourselves which end up causing more wars and hatred are totally self imposed and are mostly over ideas of power, greed and religion. If something is wrong, it's wrong! We should be able to question it and not just accept it because "it's a Thai thing", or the old classic, "This is Thailand". So what, that's an excuse to keep doing silly things just because it's the way it's been done for several years before now? Hey it had to start somewhere, so what did they do before that? You are right; these are just excuses for bad behaviour.

Plastic bags though in this case is just a case of educating the populous and hopefully for once getting them over another externally imported but now culturally accepted norm. There is nothing "normal or natural" about plastic bags. Just another demand for more oil, more petroleum and all the associated environmental and economic problems. The more demand, the more the oil will run out sooner, with little real alternatives on the scene. Reducing the demand is just one tiny part of the solution so good on the BMA to try to at least change yet another bad imported idea.

Edited June 29, 2010 by fiercesnake

[Jimi007]

I remember the good old days of brown paper bags for groceries and trips to the convenience store.

Someone tried to introduce them here but couldn't figure out how to get the bottoms from falling out as they slurped away on their soft drink with ice.

Those paper bags are a huge misconception in countries such as the US. The production results in 4 times as much carbondioxide per paper bag as it does per plastic bag of similar size. The only greener way if you want to stick to plastic bags is the switch to biodegradable plastic bags. Then again it's even better to use reusable durable cotton bags. A nice alternative is to put your groceries in a few of the store's used cardboard boxes. At least that way your packing behavior doesn't result in a higher plastic or paper production. If the store is within walking distance from your house then use on of those grocery trolleys. They carry a lot, are usually very durable and save you a lot of back aches especially of you are one of those people that shop for multiple days at a time.

What I don't understand: isn't 7 eleven an American company? Can't they provide all the shops with educational material and actively discourage plastic bag use? Because as stated by others before: plastic bag use in Thailand often takes ridiculous forms. I always go to the same 7 eleven store and they still don't get it that I want to use one of their own plastic bags over and over again. Or that I indeed don't need a bag for simply a can of coke. Or like the local liquor store, they look as if they see burning water - Dutch expression - when you try to point out that that cardboard box of wine does not need a bag because it already has a handle of its own... Seriously, sometimes that ignorance or even lack of common sense can make me mad, but on many other days it doesn't even bother me enough anymore to actually say something about it. The cashiers are often too stubborn anyway and when even after 100 times it still hasn't sunk in then it seems there are really only two options left: either make plastic bags expensive or, even better, ban them through a law all together.

7-11's in Thailand are mostly owned by CP Corporation. Some of the wealthiest Thais own CP...

[GungaDin]

Thailand was going to launch a project last Jan that was to start on the 1rst. The Government got Tesco, Big C,and carrefour to buy into it. Almost the same as the BMA did for one day in BKK. They were going to start charging one Baht for a small plastic bags, and three baht for a large ones.

This never happened, as when publicized, Thai people objected to this idea. Most Thai people do not give a hoot about the environment.

Barry

It's called the DGAS syndrome.

It goes hand in hand with "Mai Phen Rai"

Which translated (roughly) means "I don't give a sh*t"

You will find examples of DGAS all over Thailand, every day, it's a strong part of Thai 'culture' !

[bonobo]

As an environmental issue, plastic bags are largely a public opinion problem, not one actually having to do with the environment.  When compared to paper bags, plastic have a smaller carbon footprint and do not pollute the waterways nearly as much.  

The landfill issue is a red herring.  All the reports of landfills being filled by 2012 are complete bogus.  Landfills are continually being dug and then filled.  So when 2012 comes along, simply more will be dug, and current fills will be covered and converted to other uses.  And plastic bags, particularly the flimsy shopping bags, do not really add as much to the volume as most other packaging.

However, plastic shopping bags are an aesthetic issue.  Blowing around the streets and fields, yes, they are an eyesore.  And they can be an anathema to marine life. In this case, corn or algae-based plastic bags, for example,  are a good option, even if their carbon footprint is higher than that of petroleum-based bags.  But a better option would be strict recycling of the petroleum-based bags.

The permanent cloth or woven pp bags which a person takes to the store is the best current option, but the hue and cry about plastic vs paper does not reflect science.

(For the record, I a an ardent environmentalist who earned my doctorate in the field of environmental impacts on business).

[JetsetBkk]

^ Thanks bonobo.

Didn't work in Phuket, and probably never will:

[wileycoyote]

I think as supermarkets start charging for the bags ,consumers will cutback & look at alternative methods of taking home their purchases.

[djayz]

TVF has a new topic to talk bad about Thai people.

Blame the Farang. Where plastic bags and soft drinks came from? Not so long time ago there where no plastic bags and no polystyreen food-containers. Food was packed in banana leaves.

There is a lot of recycling going on for all kinds of material. And believe it or not many plastic products in Thailand are made of biodegradable plastic.

your post is typical xenophobia.

you sound like the taliban leader with 5 mobile phones.

& a laptop.....

-------------------

My local fried rice vendor serves the take-aways on a banana leaf in Polystyrene box!

Explain the Thai "logic" in that K.'kissdani'!

maybe he use this kind of food boxes: Born-Bio-Packaging

I often say in the 7/11 that i don't need a bag. without getting strange looks. Maybe that is only because you are Farang and speak with a funny accent.

Or if you buy your food for the evening down the soi where all the food vendors are and you give them your own reusable food box to carry the stuff away you will not get strange looks. Try that with your fried rice dealer.

If Farangs think everything is so bad and backward in Thailand and Thai people are so stupid and not intelligent same as Farang, why you Farang coming here at all. Where is there the Farang "logic"?

I think you might have gotten the wrong end of the stick kissdani - this is not a "bash the Thais" post.

Years ago, most, if not all, western countries had the exact same problems Thailand is facing now and most westerners know - from first-hand experience - what the long-term consequences are of poluting our rivers, seas, environment, etc. I assume that only a few farang think "everything is so bad and backward in Thailand and Thai people are so stupid and not intelligent" - but not all of us think like this. The simple fact of the matter is: the west has been through this years ago and we have seen the damage we did to our environment - Thais have not yet experienced the consequences. Believe it or not, but most of us farang probably just want to see the Thais do the right thing for THEIR (Thai) country, THEIR (Thai) environment and THEIR (Thai) future. You have no idea how bad it feels to watch people destroy something so beautiful because they don't know / think / care about it.

It is the governments' responsibility to educate / inform the people - it's time for a campaign on environmental issues (and a couple of other topics as well) in this country before the problem gets out of control.

In my honest opinion I think it should be law that every customer pays a minimum of ฿ 5 for every single plastic bag they want at the store. Then you'd soon see many, many more people taking cloth bags, backpacks, baskets, etc. with them to the stores.

[wokkawombat]

The check out chick at Big C at Udon today spent a lot of time looking for the bar codes on my cloth shopping bags that were branded Gary Crick Autogroup.

[BangrakBob]

<BR>trucked out to the desert and buried in pits.<BR>

<BR><BR><BR>Yeah and that's only the stuff that actually makes it into a bin, usually an open car window or anywhere in the street will do!

[Deeral]

THai lack of concern for their own environment - and consequently the rest of the world - is a matter for great concern in itself - the issues are wide ranging, from plastic bags thru factory health and safety, to wildlife conservation - it is difficult to see where to start...but it is hindered by the naive interpretation on "harmony with nature" - that leads to some ghastly abuses of the environment........who wants to swim in a mixture of polythene bags and industrial effluent - well if you don't swim like many Thai people -- who cares??

One has to laugh when the beaches around Rayong are covered in plastic dumped from the boats coming into Rayong port.

Despite the boats being owned by Thais, of course it is the Cambodian employees disposing of rubbish over the side of the boat. I really don't understand how complicated it can be to at the least get people to put rubbish IN THE BIN.

Of course, there is the classic story about the Thai tourism authority visiting the UK in the 80's to see how the Brits performed the "Keep Britain Tidy" campaign. After a visit to a Welsh beach they took pictures of all the signs, and proceeded to copy them in what they thought was English (but actually Welsh) and place them on the beaches in Phuket.

I've never heard that story before –hilarious – I presume you know that the English did a similar thingwith a Welsh road sign – they sent it off for translation intoWelsh and then put up the reply – unfortunately it was an automatic“out of office” email in Welsh.

However I think that when it comes to“blame” for rubbish and detritus in the sea it is often not rightto blame the obvious – Tides, currents and winds play a huge partin sea quality – the entire Gulf of Siam is just a great cesspitthat is drained into by the various nations and cities surrounding itso it is not necessarily right to blame either Rayong or theCambodians.

))& you're getting your wires crossed a bit - the point behind paper is they can be made from "sustainable" sources and are recyclable and biodegradable - plastics even biodegradable do not re-enter the bio-system. Carbon foot print is not just CO2 produced either.