khunpa Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Wife just came home from the market... again with around 10 plastic bags. Is there really nothing being done about this completely crazy plastic bag consumption in Thailand? I have read earlier articles stating that actions would be taken, but I see absolutely not change in the 6 years I have lived here. Was recently in Hong Kong and had to pay quite a lot, if I wanted a plastic bag in shops. Great they are doing something but feels a bit useless, when you then arrive back in Thailand and go out of 7-eleven with 5 bags - one for each product you buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anythingleft? Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Up to you to start the change, take your own bag(s) with you, don't rely on others to make the difference that can start with you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I worry more about mega tons of A4 paper in LOS......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunpa Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 Just now, Anythingleft? said: Up to you to start the change, take your own bag(s) with you, don't rely on others to make the difference that can start with you? I agree totally. However, since it is a recognised problem (and has been so for a long time), I do not understand, why we are not seeing any changes to reduce the massive consumption? After all, it is a relatively easy thing to act on and reduce. Like done in Hong Kong, by pricing bags pretty high and giving fines shop owners that gives bags away for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anythingleft? Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 1 minute ago, khunpa said: However, since it is a recognised problem (and has been so for a long time), I do not understand, why we are not seeing any changes to reduce the massive consumption? After all, it is a relatively easy thing to act on and reduce. Like done in Hong Kong, by pricing bags pretty high and giving fines shop owners that gives bags away for free. Maybe you do not recall the massive backlash from the public at having to pay 5pence for a bag at supermarkets in the UK, the whole dynamic is different here from an ever baser level just imagine trying to implement something like that. And yet Makro as I know does not provide bags nor Ikea so kinda lost my thread a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunpa Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Anythingleft? said: Maybe you do not recall the massive backlash from the public at having to pay 5pence for a bag at supermarkets in the UK, the whole dynamic is different here from an ever baser level just imagine trying to implement something like that. And yet Makro as I know does not provide bags nor Ikea so kinda lost my thread a bit True Makro and Ikea seem to do something about it, while 7-eleven seems to make a sport out of how many bags they can get rid off :-) Edited October 11, 2016 by khunpa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitman Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 It's not only the bag, buy some yoghurt or so and it comes in plastic cups who are wrapped in plastic with plastic spoons (who are also in plastic) and it will be given in another bag. It's time thailand (and especially BKK) gets more really big shops like Makro...you pay for the bag there but are allowed to bring the cart to your car which is much better. In Top they pack everything in double bags. And where are those recyled bags made of sugarcane? That was an invention from Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Nipping at the wrong end of the problem. I can go into a 7/11 ten times a day for a year and still get less than one kg of those ultra thin bags. That's about as much plastic as in a tiny footstool that's going to break the first time out. No big deal as long as there's a decent waste disposal scheme. It's the entire waste disposal system that needs to be fixed. Otherwise, you can take away all the plastic bags, and that will just make the paper problem look worse. Eliminate the paper, and the food waste problem will look worse. Eliminate food waste and we'll all starve anyway. Besides, I like the fact that I rarely have to buy plastic trash bags. BigC and TESCO bags are the perfect size for a days' worth of kitchen waste. Any more than a day in this heat, and the trash goes off and stinks up the entire apartment. My solution for 7/11 where the bags are too small to be useful? "No bag, please" Works every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyDelight Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Start educating your wife. I never get plastic bags because I not want them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuaBS Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 The more the better . I take big packs of them back to the folks in europe. They're happy with all the free Bigc, Lotus,....bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little mary sunshine Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 I just refuse when they want to put a candy bar in a bag for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recom273 Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 I just don't think the mentality is ready. I often have my backpack with me, usually with a laptop, and the security guard will try and demand that I leave it behind. How can I fill it with shopping if it's in customer services. The other day, In TOPS the girl put 12 eggs In a bag, then another bag with a soft bag of coffee .. When I told her not to worry, she replies that she was scared the eggs would break ?? When I explain to checkout girls that I don't need a 2 bags for a bottle of water wth a carry handle, they say "ahh good no? Farang can do this but for Thai people .." There's a long way to go, with basic awareness and alternatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlQaholic Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) Plastic bags here in Thailand is less of a problem than most think. Of course you get a fair amount of plastics washed down to the sea where it becomes a very real danger to sea turtles and other marine life. But the vast majority is recycled by old men and ladies scrimmaging around the neighborhoods' trashcans, and at the dump site where there are whole families living among the trash mountains who collect everything worthy of recycling, very little gets through the net. Even the trash thrown out of cars along the highways are collected by old men with big bags and old bicycles. All this is sold back to larger collectors who then sell it further to large recycling centers located all over the country. Our household always try to separate the waste in different bags and give it to the local old lady who comes around daily to collect. Edited October 12, 2016 by AlQaholic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wump Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Now come on, you are just telling myths. When I used to leave my empty beer bottles inside plastic bags for the scavengers along beach road in Pattaya they would come, take the bottles and throw the bags on the ground. There is no money to be made from the bags since they are so light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henryford Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 I reuse my shopping bags as waste bags for the rubbish. If i didn't get them free i would have to buy plastic waste bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulic Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 I bring my reusable bags from Canada and use my backpack. Rarely do I need a plastic bag. I do what I can and shake my head at Thais that don't but that is all I can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamgeorgeallen Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 16 hours ago, transam said: I worry more about mega tons of A4 paper in LOS......... paper is a renewable resource made from sustainable forests. it degrades very quickly as well. would be great if they gave out paper bags rather than plastic ones. or at least charge for the plastic ones. dont know why thailand is so slow with doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autonuaq Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Up to you to try to start the change. The way we use them as well many people around the area I live, are the bags as free blue bags. So they replace the plastic blue bags used for the garbage. Saving extra transportation and production of the blue bag in which most people put the plastic bags. meaning the plastic is 'eco friendly' the shop gives you free garbage bag too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nurseynutcase Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 I always refuse the plastic bags at the local market and convenience stores take my own re-usuable bag with me - took a bit of time to get the stall holders used to the udea of putting everything in my bag - got there in the end. Big shop at BigC - use the bags for household and food waste. Also reuse bags to clean the beach of bags etc left behind/washed up on the shore. Paper bags would be far better as they are biodegradable but hopeless when the monsoons arrives. Strangely enough, now when I say 'no plastic bag' the response is good with comments like - good no pollution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgrahmm Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Big C's usually have plastic bag depositorys...... If they charged one baht per bag & then refunded one baht for each bag that is put into a depository regardless of origin it would be a start.... Putting some "superstar" ads/spots on TV making it look like the thing to do/trendy could jump start the idea.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55Jay Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 At the local markets, we started using the cloth shopping bags when the PM first did his pitch to the public about this. We do "our part" and think maybe we would make a positive example to others. I've yet to see any of the local folks using a cloth bag, it just didn't catch on. Perhaps no tangible incentive in their day to day lives and of course, they use some of the plastics in the bin - as do we. As for the vendors, I used to decline the plastic bag in a positive way, smile and say "PM say no bag, save the earth!". Vendor might smile, vigorous head nodding, "Ohhh, chai, chai, yes, ok, ok, save eart, hee hee hee". Lasts about 2 seconds, then right back to normal. What to do.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadee Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 I can see the issue from both angles as I like to think I'm environmentally aware but at the same time, hate being charged for bags. My first experience of this was actually when I lived in China, I was outraged at having to pay the equivalent of around 5 baht per bag. I felt annoyed, inconvenienced and ripped off even though it wasn't really that much money. As a Brit, I was heartened to read a post on imgur about the lengths that other Brits go to after the bag-tax was introduced in the UK - quite funny photos of people using bicycle helmets, plant pots and any other container they had handy just to avoid paying for bags - we really are quite a stingy nation, bag usage dropped 95% after the tax was introduced. In Thailand, I love how generous most places are with bags, especially 7-11 but my point about recycling would be that I always use the bags for trash. It reduces the need to buy garbage bags as I had to do in China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 On 10/11/2016 at 6:56 PM, impulse said: Nipping at the wrong end of the problem. I can go into a 7/11 ten times a day for a year and still get less than one kg of those ultra thin bags. That's about as much plastic as in a tiny footstool that's going to break the first time out. No big deal as long as there's a decent waste disposal scheme. It's the entire waste disposal system that needs to be fixed. Otherwise, you can take away all the plastic bags, and that will just make the paper problem look worse. Eliminate the paper, and the food waste problem will look worse. Eliminate food waste and we'll all starve anyway. Besides, I like the fact that I rarely have to buy plastic trash bags. BigC and TESCO bags are the perfect size for a days' worth of kitchen waste. Any more than a day in this heat, and the trash goes off and stinks up the entire apartment. My solution for 7/11 where the bags are too small to be useful? "No bag, please" Works every time. thais recycle all their bags at designated areas.............we'd call it the roadside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 14 hours ago, 55Jay said: At the local markets, we started using the cloth shopping bags when the PM first did his pitch to the public about this. We do "our part" and think maybe we would make a positive example to others. I've yet to see any of the local folks using a cloth bag, it just didn't catch on. Perhaps no tangible incentive in their day to day lives and of course, they use some of the plastics in the bin - as do we. As for the vendors, I used to decline the plastic bag in a positive way, smile and say "PM say no bag, save the earth!". Vendor might smile, vigorous head nodding, "Ohhh, chai, chai, yes, ok, ok, save eart, hee hee hee". Lasts about 2 seconds, then right back to normal. What to do.... place bag over vendors head? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 On 10/11/2016 at 9:30 PM, BuaBS said: The more the better . I take big packs of them back to the folks in europe. They're happy with all the free Bigc, Lotus,....bags. in an environmentally friendly jet flight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now