Tradition vs Trash: Officials urge fewer plastic krathong

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Tradition vs Trash: Officials urge fewer plastic krathong
By Coconuts Bangkok


Almost 1 million krathong were collected from waterways in Bangkok last year. Photo: @Pacharapapon

BANGKOK: -- Celebrants of this week's Loy Krathong festival have been urged to opt for krathong made of natural materials instead of plastic foam.

The Pollution Control Department expects a smaller number of the non-biodegradable foam-made items to be deployed during the historic festival this year, based on their gradual reduction over the past seven years.

In 2011, the department recorded around 58,000 foam-made krathong which accounted for 18 percent of the total floating items in Bangkok, said director-general Wichan Simchaya.

This declined to 14 percent in 2012, 12 percent in 2013, and 10 percent in 2014, he added.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/11/23/tradition-vs-trash-officials-urge-fewer-plastic-krathong


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-11-23

[DrTuner]

What an interesting job, counting used krathongs so they will be able to produce such accurate statistics.

[h90]

make (if there is not already) a strong law against putting dirt into the klong

[lee b]

we use the ones that are plant like that the fish can eat. makes a lot of sence TBH.

[Bluespunk]

Ban the plastic/foam ones.

[Benmart]

Goodluck Bangkok. Plastic bags, styrofoam cups, platic bottles, etc., are aquatic animals here in Pattaya and Jomtien. What a mess.

[bangon04]

These officials don't seem to understand thainess - they are always attacking thai culture. No releasing burning balloons over residential areas, no dropping plastic flowers into waterways... what next? No nose-picking on public transport???