Lite Beer Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thailand big contributor to plastic trash on ocean floorsAGENCIES BANGKOK: -- THAILAND is one of the top 10 countries that have been mismanaging their plastic waste, which has resulted in plastic debris sinking to the bottom of the sea along its coastlines, a study published in the Science journal said.The world's oceans are clogged with plastic debris, enough to place five grocery bags full of plastic trash on every foot (30 centimetres) of every nation's coastline around the globe, the article in Thursday's edition of the journal read.The list is topped by China, which is responsible for 8.82 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Thailand comes in at No 6 with 1.03 million tonnes.Based on 2010 data, the study estimated that a staggering 8 million tonnes of plastic debris entered the oceans every year from the 192 coastal countries across the world.Judging from the rising level of waste, more than 9 million tonnes of trash is expected to end up in the oceans this year.Experts have been sounding an alarm over the past few years about how plastic pollution is killing huge numbers of seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles and other creatures and also adversely affecting ocean ecosystems."In short, you name it and it is probably somewhere in the marine environment," said Kara Lavender Law, a research professor of oceanography with the Massachusetts-based Sea Education Association.The plastic debris found on ocean floors ranges from shopping bags, bottles, toys, food wrappers and fishing gear to cigarette filters, sunglasses, buckets and toilet seats. Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-big-contributor-to-plastic-trash-on-ocean-30254077.html -- The Nation 2015-02-14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy chef 1 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 They actually even decorate their beaches with plastic and the rest of the country- must be a cultural thing what we don't understand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beng Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Asia and Africa are the biggest litterers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcffee Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Don't forget the trainloads of plastic rubbish they buy for monks to receive blessings they need for 'good luck', and the huge pollution caused once a year by kratongs carrying plastic flowers and shit that end up in all the rivers. A true Buddhist does not pollute the earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveAustin Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 BAN plastic bags for starters. Trigger-happy 7-11 is a major contributor. Would you like that bag of chips and bottle of water double-bagged and a couple of straws to go, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awayego Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) A few years ago I sailed across the Atlantic from Cape Verde to the Caribbean - it took 22 days at sea without seeing another boat, ship or aeroplane. And yet, not just every day but all the time, we passed plastic bags and other floating plastic debris. It was truly shocking to see. Plastic and other waste does not just sit out of sight on the sea bed - much of it is highly visible. The damage it does to sealife is immeasurable. IMHO, they should ban plastic bags altogether and make all packaging bio-degradeable. Wishful thinking I know but if we don't do something soon we will drown in a sea of plastic, along with all the other species we are killing off. Edited February 14, 2015 by awayego Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johng Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Now we know the real reason for rising sea level 9 million tonnes of rubbish every year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobo4819 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Another hub? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willyumiii Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 While some of the environmentally progressive places on the planet ( like California ) have actually banned plastic bags, when you look around Thailand, it appears that they grow plastic bags as a crop or use them as a decoration! I have been told that Thai's have some sort of mental filter that allows them to not see garbage. They can look at a scene like this and only see a beautiful beach and not the garbage. I think Thailand is missing a great opportunity here. Thailand should also outlaw plastic bags. Thailand has the land and workforce to grow fast growing trees for pulp and produce biodegradable paper to use for paper bags. It would employ thousands of Thai people and be a great thing for the environment and for tourism in Thailand. The farmers, pulp mills, bag producers and distributors would all be new jobs created by this initiative . I believe that the root of the problem is that Thailand along with the other countries listed in this article.. " Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria and Bangladesh. " are countries where the people only live for today. There is no thought of tomorrow or planning for the future. "What can I have for me, right now?" is the daily mantra. It is way past time to wake up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkungbank Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Each time I swim in Jomtiem beach if happen to come across some plastic bag floating on the water , I'll pick it up as some sea turtle might thinking fat jelly fish and die in torture way after eating it. We don't complaining but start acting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlwilliamsjr18 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 In the country side, people burn their plastic, releasing toxic fumes for all to ingest. Worse is, the public trash collectors haul off the the non-recyclable plastics and burn them in huge piles. Look for black smoke on the horizon, take a whiff. It's not always morning fog or dew in the air. Best part, local authorities do nothing. Oh...and yes, it's cancer causing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willyumiii Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 On second thought... Having plastic bags everywhere in Thailand is a valuable resource to Thai people. As we all know, Thai people will get very ill if their hair gets wet from rain water. It is very convenient to be able to bend over and pick up a good rain hat whenever you need one in Thailand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydebolle Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Let's be fair; it only works through the money chain. In Europe people started reusing bags or purchased proper shopping bags made of god-knows-what in order to reuse them for years. Today you are charged upto THB 10/bag in certain countries in Europe for each and every plastic bag and only ever since it sank into the consumers mind to reuse bags. Not done for environmental but financial reasons.Here everything is packed in bags. The other day saw a customer in front of me getting a packet of cigarettes at the local 7/11. Packed in a plastic bag, taken out of the plastic bag outside the store and the bag ...... dropped on the floor so the mandatory dog lying in front of the 7/11 main door could have a sniff. Seconds later the bag was blown into the road. Charge the customer = will do wonders and get Thailand off this regretfully existing list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 On second thought... Having plastic bags everywhere in Thailand is a valuable resource to Thai people. As we all know, Thai people will get very ill if their hair gets wet from rain water. It is very convenient to be able to bend over and pick up a good rain hat whenever you need one in Thailand! DSCF8208.JPG And a DIY condom when used with a rubber band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Somtam Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 While some of the environmentally progressive places on the planet ( like California ) have actually banned plastic bags, when you look around Thailand, it appears that they grow plastic bags as a crop or use them as a decoration! I have been told that Thai's have some sort of mental filter that allows them to not see garbage. They can look at a scene like this and only see a beautiful beach and not the garbage. Thailand_Rayong_beach_rubbish_6594_1.JPG I think Thailand is missing a great opportunity here. Thailand should also outlaw plastic bags. Thailand has the land and workforce to grow fast growing trees for pulp and produce biodegradable paper to use for paper bags. It would employ thousands of Thai people and be a great thing for the environment and for tourism in Thailand. The farmers, pulp mills, bag producers and distributors would all be new jobs created by this initiative . I believe that the root of the problem is that Thailand along with the other countries listed in this article.. " Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria and Bangladesh. " are countries where the people only live for today. There is no thought of tomorrow or planning for the future. "What can I have for me, right now?" is the daily mantra. It is way past time to wake up! Education to learn critical thinking, common sense, problem solving ability. And financial stimuli: you want a plastic bag? Ok, 20 baht please. Ever seen a Thai family do shopping in big c/tesco? 500 baht of stuff packed in those small plastic bags. Ask 20 baht a bag and see how quickly they start bringing their own (reusable) bags! They will complain for a week or two and then just accept it, problem solved... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandtee Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Just three weeks ago my grandson lost a sailing race due to plastic wrapped around his rudder. The seas are like rubbish dumps now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Just three weeks ago my grandson lost a sailing race due to plastic wrapped around his rudder. The seas are like rubbish dumps now. Wait till you can leave Mother Earth and you would see space debris floating around our world in a similar fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneday Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 What a surprise. Third world countries (in this instance) behind the ball with respect to environmental respect, awareness and responsibility. I shutter to think of all the problems this world will have, environmentally, in another 50 years or less. I do not envy people being born today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razer Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script> They actually even decorate their beaches with plastic and the rest of the country- must be a cultural thing what we don't understand.... That's why foreigners need to go to Thainess school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surasak Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Living in the dirtiest city in the Kingdom, it is clear to see the reason for so much plastic finding its way into the sea. They have run out of clear land space to dump it. Also the typical Thai attitude of, 'Not on my land', so it is thrown over the wall. Walk around most cities and try to find a bin in which to deposit ones rubbish, almost imposible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mok199 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 explore thailand,discover thainess...sad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Fixit Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 They actually even decorate their beaches with plastic and the rest of the country- must be a cultural thing what we don't understand.... Yeah, it's called 'Thainess' ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1Str8 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Plastic should be banned for real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 in 7-11 or family mart everything goes in a bag, if I bought a bag it would go in a bag. Everytime I have to say no thanks in thai of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy chef 1 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Now we know the real reason for rising sea level 9 million tonnes of rubbish every year Bangkok is sinking:what comes around goes around.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moobahn Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Don't forget the trainloads of plastic rubbish they buy for monks to receive blessings they need for 'good luck', and the huge pollution caused once a year by kratongs carrying plastic flowers and shit that end up in all the rivers. A true Buddhist does not pollute the earth. Our condo on the chaopraya river provides krathongs for all residents but it's made of coconut shells, leaves and flowers. I did notice a few staples being used to hold it together, no plastic though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 It is all well and good to blame the end user for all of this pollution but we must remember that big business is making even bigger money from packaging. Take a look at the top profit makers each year and see how many of them are packagers. When you want to buy one item in a store these days you cannot because they come in a box/packet of 10. This is not the manufacturer because he sells them in bulk from the factory. It is the middle man who is lead along by the packager who also influences the retailer and government. I dare you to stop what you are doing for just 30 seconds and look around and see just how much packaging you can count. I wanted to buy just a couple of peaches the other day but I couldn't because they only sold them in a plastic bag with about 8 in there. You don't have to stop people throwing plastic bags into the ocean if there are no manufacturers of plastic bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tif Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 BAN plastic bags for starters. Trigger-happy 7-11 is a major contributor. Would you like that bag of chips and bottle of water double-bagged and a couple of straws to go, sir. A few years ago 7/11 announced with pomp and ceremony it would no longer issue plastic bags. I believe that lasted just one day. The only other outlet which has stuck rigidly to not packing plastic bags is just one Tesco outlet in my main soi. However, every other Tesco outlet packs double. No consistency, much like their stupid banking system. I had noticed a huge increase in plastic bags floating in the otherwise pristine (no tourists) sea in Rawai Phuket. I do find it odd that Thailand, an innovator in eco friendly packaging in the form of sugar cane bi products, are still unable to replace the mountain of plastic here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny S Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Don't forget the trainloads of plastic rubbish they buy for monks to receive blessings they need for 'good luck', and the huge pollution caused once a year by kratongs carrying plastic flowers and shit that end up in all the rivers. A true Buddhist does not pollute the earth. Too bad so many thais are not true Buddhists but only think they are ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLock Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 We have learned that the only way to change Thailand is to shame them online so it goes viral and International. That image posted earlier in this thread is just a disgrace. Everyone should take pictures of polluted beaches and post them online....videos work even better. Eventually the Thais in Government will get the message...I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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