PM asks Thais to stop using plastic bags every 15th day of the month

[727Sky]

I was asked in another country if I wanted paper or plastic... "I am bi-sackual so it doesn't matter to me"... I got plastic..

Plastic is a serious problem not only on the land mass but in the oceans of the world. They do make biodegradable plastic but I have not seen any plastic around here saying it is biodegradable.. The street venders and the people who buy on the run are another problem for all the meals are in a plastic bag... Ban plastic and they will probably move to Styrofoam which is just as bad IMO. However the longest journey begins with the first step so maybe given a few 10s of years and education plastic litter will be a thing of the past.

[trainman34014]

Is this another ''Crackdown'' ? If so it will be over in three days !

[gigman]

Wiser to start charge people for plastic bags ans spend it on protection or recycling.

[Mickmick]

PM urges public participation in waste management campaign

BANGKOK, 15 August 2015 (NNT) – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged the public to reduce use of plastic bags and Styrofoam as the government declared waste management a national agenda.

According to Gen Prayut, the campaign is aimed at promoting sustainable waste management. Fifteen shopping centers and convenience stores are participating in the program which starts today.

Shoppers will be asked to prepare cloth bags instead of using plastic bags on the 15th day of each month. The premier added that it would be even better if the public can refrain from using plastic bags or Styrofoam containers everyday.

Retailers joining the campaign include Seven Eleven, Central, The Mall, Food Land, Makro, B2S, Robinson, Big C, Tesco Lotus and Rangsit Plaza.

Somebody forgot to tell the staff at my local 7/11 and Tesco at On Nut then. Bought one can of coke at 7/11 opposite my condo, girl thinks I must NEED a bag for that. "Mai ow thung krap" .....uhh? confused look on her face. Over at Tesco everybody still walking out with plastic bags, and none of them looked to be old reused ones, one farang girl with cloth bag and an older lady with a wheeled shopping trolley/bag thing were the only people who might have been listening.

Next month more staff training and tell the customers earlier and more often, with signs up in the shops beforehand please, maybe the message might get through then

[Srikcir]

Good start. It's a complex problem and there won't be simple or quick solutions.

Here's a measured, incremental step to try something, hedging the possibility that there may be unintended consequences.

But since it's a Thai step, it's greeted here on TVF with disdain and ridicule.

What they're going to eventually find out is that it's not about the bags. It's about the entire consumer product life cycle, packaging, attitudes about litter, and waste disposal. But they've got to eat the elephant one bite at a time.

If you're going to eat the elephant one bite at a time, why start with the anus?

[Srikcir]

Just say "mai sai tung krap" - yes, it's that easy, it's that easy!

When I go to Tesco Lotus big things like rice, toilet paper, muesli etc I don't need a bag.

Maybe just open counters with and WITHOUT bags....

The PM should incorporate "Mai Sai Tung Khrap" into the national anthem.

If I buy my daughter a tiny pack of chewing gum it comes in a plastic bag. Buy her an ice cream...plastic bag.

I believe in paper bags, if indeed a bag is needed at all. At least they degrade.

I was at my in-laws' place in Surin once in January, when everything was dry & dead, and there were plastic bags & garbage EVERYWHERE!

I told my wife I'd be happy to give her Dad 5,000 baht to hire a crew to clean up the neighborhood.

She told me that might hurt his feelings....cause him to 'lose face', so nothing was done.

They may or may not exist in Thailand but there have been for some years now biodegradable plastic bags. Still a good idea to cut the use of them though just not sure if this one day a month thing is the best way to do it.

I think there is a downside to the use of paper bags, at least larger ones. They tend to weigh more so there is an environmental impact in transporting them.

"Biogradable" plastic bags are made from oil, natural gas, or coal resources - not very "green" in the long run.

"Compostable" bags are made from purely organic materials such as paper, humus and cornstarch - very "green."

[callaway]

http://countrymeters.info/en/Thailand

68 million thais where does the 70 million come from////??

All farangs and itinerant workers will boost that 68 million substantially. Well beyond the 68. I think the 68 million is a guestimate only of the population anyway. So the 70 million is probably an under estimate.

[diehard60]

Ok sounds good, but what are Big C, Lotus, 7-11, and otherbig chain stores supposed to do????????

[Remi080]

Well i guess most of us here, as i overlooked all comments, think its bull ships, and a lot reactions witch shows disagree, negative reactions, and just a few , very few positive people.

Just ask your friends, because you negative guys just dont get it, what did the last government do for the environment?

To change and upgrade a country so it will not be listed as third world country takes some serious balls to do it. Specially Thailand with its un educated stubborn citizens. PM Prayut might not be able to solve every problem, but sure he is a good influence in thailand towards people and positive infra structure. There are always people who think they can do better, and even might think he is stupid, but ... He got bigger balls than you all got together on this forum. And yes, i defend him a little, because i live in thai long enough to understand and see what is going on here. If thai people where not so difficult to educate, thailand would have a infra structure like singapore. So all the rubbish you see around you, in your little surroundings, comes from a lac of education. And as a small example i once experienced, i did live on the beach before in rayong, ban phe. My little space of beach i cleaned up every morning after coffee, and that triggered a reaction. As i had a resort to run, it had to be clean for my guests. My little space of beach attracted lot more customers than resorts and restaurants near me, as reaction, now they all clean it.

This was several years ago, but they still clean it even its pissing against the wind. So this, no bags one day a month, can trigger something good, just show thai people they wont die if they get no plastic bag.

A better environment starts with yourself !

[poohy]

Hmm 15 yesterday..... plastic bags were flying out of my local shop as per normal! i guess they don't watch "PM TV"

[halloween]

I thought "every 15th day of the month" might mean the 30th as well. Soon realised very few Thais would understand if you suggested that

[kkup]

How about asking 7/11 to stop bagging small purchases and including 2 or 3 straws for every drink unless people ask for it.

[impulse]

Good start. It's a complex problem and there won't be simple or quick solutions.

But they've got to eat the elephant one bite at a time.

If you're going to eat the elephant one bite at a time, why start with the anus?

For the same reason I always ate my lima beans first, while I was still hungry...

After that first nasty bite, it just got better.

[manhood]

WEll as simple as it is to change things in this world, futhermore in Thailand: dont give any plastic bag for free in any shop, specially in the grocery shops . Just charge 10 bath per plastic bag and you will see how many wont take it anymore. You only can change things now while you touch the money of the people!

[Harveyg]

Just say "mai sai tung krap" - yes, it's that easy, it's that easy!

When I go to Tesco Lotus big things like rice, toilet paper, muesli etc I don't need a bag.

Maybe just open counters with and WITHOUT bags....

Mai sai tung - probably say it 2-3x/day. I've been reusing plastic and paper bags for 25 years. "Mee tung laew" - Have bag already. One does what one can. Cloth may be better. But now another problem I've finally understood. Plastic bags used for packaging bare food releases chemical stuff onto the food. I used to buy the hot food in plastic on the street. Not for awhile. Recently bought a small 'pinto' to take with me and vendor can fill it. The next coconut oil bottle I want to be glass not plastic. I wonder one thing - do those critical of this here do anything personally about it?

[Harveyg]

I buy a can of San Miguel at the local minimart and they give me a little plastic bag and a plastic straw. Brainless.

And what did u do when they gave it to you? Brainfull I hope....

[Harveyg]

Dear pm - please stop with this foolishness. How's fighting corruption going? From my knowledge the police force and land departments are as corrupt as ever. What are you going about this ? Plastic bags. Grow up.

So you don't figure that quality of life would improve, along with tourist spending if the place presented a little cleaner?

The fact that governments around the entire world have dealt with the issue of paper vs plastic vs cloth bags indicates that it is a serious topic, and hardly "foolishness".

I think CiaranO's gripe is less about plastic bags than Prayudh's feeling the need to bestow his wisdom on every topic under the sun. Less can be more and all that..

Less already IS more here.... 55555. Sorry couldn't resist

[spidermike007]

This almighty PM is going to have to do a helluva lot more than ask his people to not use plastic bags ONE DAY PER MONTH, to resolve the impending environmental crisis that is on Thailand's horizon. Come on. Lets get creative. Lets come up with something that is ministerial and worthy of your office. Lets do something real. Lets improve the nation. You can do better than this. We are all hoping and waiting for more.

[Lite Beer]

Private sector joins the government's plastic-bag-free campaign

BANGKOK, 16 August 2015 (NNT) – The private sector has responded to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's policy to reduce the use of plastic bags, by launching a plastic-bag-free campaign yesterday.

The campaign was aimed at encouraging the public to kick the plastic habit. The ministry set to make 2015 a year of reducing foam and plastic bags and assigned the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion to follow up the policy to ensure tangible outcomes.

Fifteen leading department stores throughout the country have reportedly joined the campaign, which is also well-received by the public.

Senior Vice President of CP All Public Company Limited Suwit Kingkaew implored customers of its 7-Eleven convenient stores to join the cause by bringing their own fabric bags, containers or any kind of pouch.

Surveys show there are about 2.7 million tons of plastic and foam waste a year, or 7,000 tons daily. Out of the amount, more than 80 percent are plastic bags which require as long as 450 years to decompose.

-- NNT 2015-08-16

[jaywalker]

No plasstic bags!!! what will we shit in

The PM initive is a start- but It's not the plastic bags thats the problem--its knowing how to dispose of waste in a sustainable way

Thailand is in the "goldilocks phase' with a bit of plastic (cash) to throw around and thats exactly what they are doing with --it throwing it around!!!

When Thais change there thinking-and its no longer cool to litter --- this part of the planet may eventually look beautiful again-- as it once was

How's this acomplished:

1) a Show documentarys to school kids, during school hours, about environmental damage caused by humans. And show (on free to air tv) to adults too

b Allocate an advertising budget to 'mind your environment'

2) a Use gass instead of petrol for transport

b Establish more electric mass transport services

3) Invest in renuable energy

4) Recycle waste

5) Impose strict fines for littering

6) Impose large fines for commercial and industral environmental damage

7) Incourage birth controal as there will soon be MUCH less unskilled work -due to cheaper automation

8) incourage organic, and hi tech water/emergy efficient farming

9) Participate in English Language Spelling Bees.

[little mary sunshine]

Wonderful suggestion, however they need to BAN plastic bags at all

Supermarkets and department stores, especially convenience stores

7/11 and Family Mart. Hawaii did this in June, people bring their

Own cloth bags, I believe the city if San Francisco also banned

All plastic bags, so much better for the environment and so much

Cleaner too. If customers insist on a plastic bag, change is B20

Each, they will bring their own next time

[brommers]

It is quite easy to simply ban free plastic bags. South Africa did it a decade ago. So you bring your own bag or buy one from the store for the equivalent of a few baht each. The litter problem virtually disappeared overnight. So if a 3rd world African country can do it then all that dear leader has to do is grow balls and ban the free bag.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed.

[Incobart]

I use the plastic bags from the supermarket as garbage bags. If these are not abailable anymore, I will need to buy garbage bags. What's the difference?

.. that you buy them, and use when you need them

[Incobart]

I buy a can of San Miguel at the local minimart and they give me a little plastic bag and a plastic straw. Brainless.

yes and many time , i see them walking out of the store, and trow the bag in the dustbin (or worser on the street)

[Incobart]

I do the same, but the ones from the stores normally have holes, so not good for under the sink. Plus, they aren't that large. My garbage can can hold a larger plastic bag and thus don't have to change it out every day. But you're right, kinda swapping one for another. Unfortunately, many don't do this and the bags end up on the streets.

I used to purchase the big garbage bags, but here in Thaiand, trash starts stinking so quickly that I have gone to re-using my grocery bags to "remind" me to take them down to the trash bin more often.

I still use the big bags for big trash like the boxes that appliances come in, but the smaller re-used bags are much handier. And no trash basket needed- they hang on the pantry door knob.

you have to sort food in separate bag to put away quickly, or compost in your garden, and bag for dry trach, can stay weeks, no smell .. and separate the plastic bottles and cans for the people that come to collect them, instead of let them dig in your stinky trash

[Krataiboy]

The only time I need a plastic bag is if I happen to tune into a certain TV program on a Friday evening.

[Incobart]

The solution is simple. Thai government put a tax on the production of plastic bags, so that at the end each bag cost 3-5 bath. That way they get money to pay for the big amount of garbage, and keep streets and nature clean.

when People go shopping and its 5 bath for a bag they will only take it when its nescesarry.

I am sure it will reduce the use of plastic bags more then 50 % !

[bamrunga]

Start something better do nothing

[sammygood]

that will be nice at for example mega bagna shopping center

no bags and your trolley cannot go till your car

that will work out just great