Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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PeteC
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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I happened to see this in our kitchen and asked the wife about it. Seems she got it from Villa Pattaya when they opened which has been at least 8 years ago, so they have been at the "non plastic" game for quite a while. I didn't know about the "1974" date but come to find their first store opened on Sukhumvit soi 33 in Bangkok in 1974. Pete :cheers:


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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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I didn't know about the "1974" date but come to find their first store opened on Sukhumvit soi 33 in Bangkok in 1974. Pete
It is still family owned as well.
He got started when he worked for the Americans at the PX in 1970s. They later offered him a green card to come to the USA but he turned it down because he was afraid he would not get a job.....he smiled and said "I did ok here though".
I used to chat with him regularly back around 1988/89 when he only had the one shop. He was also the first one to open a separate wine shop. Have not seen him recently, but up until about a year ago he was still at work everyday!
His name is Surapong Poosanakhom.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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Breaking the nation's bad plastic habits

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opi ... tic-habits

As of this Sunday, visitors to any of the 154 national parks across the country may get frustrated with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation's (DNP) new rule, which prohibits them from bringing single-use plastics and styrofoam food boxes into the compounds. It is an effort to cut non-recyclable waste.

DNP deputy director-general Jongklai Worapongsathorn told the media that park officials are prepared for an earful of complaints from visitors. The DNP, nevertheless, will make cloth bags and non-plastic food containers available for visitors.

I give the DNP a big round of applause for coming up with such a measure. Understandably, the department has seen how plastic waste has harmed pristine nature reserves and wild animals.

The DNP estimates that 3 million plastic bags and styrofoam boxes are left in parks every year. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) estimates that Thailand generates 70 billion single-use plastic bags annually, less than a quarter of which goes to proper waste-management systems.

It takes 500 years for plastic waste to naturally decompose. The incineration method works at temperatures above 800 degrees Celsius, as otherwise it will generate carcinogenic dioxins.

The question is how can we stop the problem.

What we need is a universal ban on plastic bag use, or at least a policy that forces consumers to pay for the waste they produce. Governments across the world have come up with pro-active policies. Last year, Kenya imposed the world's toughest law ever, imposing a jail term of up to four years or a fine of US$40,000 (1.33 million baht) for producers, sellers and users of plastic bags. Bangladesh encourages the use of shopping bags made of plant fabric.

China forces buyers to pay for plastic bags and bans manufacturers from using polyethylene, the least biodegradable substance, to produce plastic bags.

Needless to say, many countries require shoppers to pay for plastic bags, 9 baht each in Iceland and up to 3 baht in Taiwan.

It is unfair to say that Thailand remains idle on this front. The PCD and the Ministry of Finance proposed a packaging tax bill about 20 years ago to levy manufactures who use glass, aluminium, styrofoam, paper and plastic packages for their products.
The bill was vehemently opposed by the Federation of Thai Industrialists, which came up with the same jaded rhetoric -- changes in consumer behaviour, not taxation, will reduce plastic waste. They also lamented that such a tax would lead businesses to pass the burden on to consumers. Needless to say, the bill was shelved with no progress.

So what have our government and state agencies done to address the issue? A lack of political will meant that no effective policy have been put in place. They have raised public awareness hoping to change consumers' behaviour.

But take a look at results of the Pollyanna campaign and you will see that Thailand is among the top five countries -- along with China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- that generate more than half of the world's plastic waste, according to a 2015 Ocean Conservancy report.

Yet, there is an anti-plastic bag campaign that works at Thammasat University's Rangsit Campus. Earlier, the campus had spent many years persuading students and staff to cut their plastic use, which saw little success. So, it decided to use the stick approach from June.

The new measure requires stores on campus to not offer or sell plastic bags to shoppers. Buyers are advised to bring their own bags, or otherwise the store will provide them with donated cloth bags. In canteen, straws, plastic spoons and forks are provided only upon request. During their first semester, freshmen are given a cloth bag and a bottle for drinking water.

The measure has proved to be a success. During the first two days of its implementation, the number of plastic bags distributed fell by almost 90%. I shopped at 7-Eleven stores at the campus several times and found that staff there did not offer me plastic bags, but a cloth bag. Meanwhile, staff at other 7-Eleven stores still put all kinds of items, including things like a pack of candy, into plastic bags before handing them over to customers.

So, I am convinced that the DNP's new rule will work like the measure applied at the Rangsit campus because of the strong will of the leaders there.
Reducing plastic bag usage is an achievable mission. All we need to do is to keep a handy cloth bag on the go, and remember to use it.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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changes in consumer behaviour, not taxation, will reduce plastic waste.
Unfortunately, that's not going to work in Thailand. It must be remembered that the teaching methods in Thailand do not help students to develop analytical thinking or in other words they don't have a mind of their own. They have to be told/forced to comply and that means laws and enforcement. Charging works in other countries so that would be a good start.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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Nereus wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 1:33 pmI used to chat with him regularly back around 1988/89 when he only had the one shop. He was also the first one to open a separate wine shop. Have not seen him recently, but up until about a year ago he was still at work everyday!
His name is Surapong Poosanakhom.
If it's the rather eccentric looking genteman who wears what appears a tweed jacket, tie, shorts and long socks and has an entourage in tow recording his every word, then I have seen him twice. Once in Thonglor and once in Hua Hin index. I just assumed it was he as he was making a full hands-on inspection, looking at presentation and so. I thought of that when a while later, I went into the VM at Index and it had been completely revamped.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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Dead Green Turtle found on Trat beach with plastic-stuffed stomach
Breaking News August 11, 2018 15:06
By The Nation http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... s/30351966

:cry: :cuss: :cry: :cuss: :cry:

A Green Turtle was found dead on a beach in Trat province on Friday.

Local residents found the dead turtle on Ban Ta Nuek Beach in Tambon Klong Yai of Klong Yai district.

It was 5.15 centimetres in length and appeared to be around five or six years old, officials said.

They cut open the sea creature’s stomach and found plastic bags and pieces of ropes and nets, along with some oyster shells.

The officials took tissue samples from its front leg and kept the stomach contents to send to the Rayong Marine and Coastal Resources research and development centre for further study.

The carcass was buried at the beach.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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These turtles feed on jellyfish. Nothing looks more similar to a floating jellyfish than a white plastic bag undulating and swaying with the current.

The Thai Navy turtle breeding and rescue sanctuary in Sattahip restocks the sea with thousands of baby sea turtles each year. I dread to think how many are surviving. I think saying 10% is generous under the present plastic pollution levels.

The saying "The plastic you pick up on the beach or out of the sea could save a life", should be changed to "will save a life". Pete
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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How big was this turtle really? 51.5 cm might be more believable.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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hhinner wrote: Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:50 pm How big was this turtle really? 51.5 cm might be more believable.
Yes sounds about right based on an adult average between 90-120 cms.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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Image
Notice how the sign denouncing plastic straws is right above all those plastic utensils.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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The below location may top Thailand, but only by a very slight margin. It's Manila bay.

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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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More examples of what is going into the Pacific Ocean from that place. I think it's fair to say the greater the poverty, the greater the pollution. Those struggling everyday to get enough to eat aren't going to give a toss about waste.






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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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PeteC wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:33 am More examples of what is going into the Pacific Ocean from that place. I think it's fair to say the greater the poverty, the greater the pollution. Those struggling everyday to get enough to eat aren't going to give a toss about waste.
Poverty and lack of education, that's driving factor in all the world's problems.
Last edited by PeteC on Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. If the theory is correct we should start to see pollution of all types decreasing in China, Vietnam, India, and also here in Thailand. I hope!

Indonesia, Cambodia, Burma, Philippines and Laos have much further to go IMO. Pete :cheers:
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Re: Tips for recycling and reducing plastic use in Thailand

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All very well to post about Manila, but the following is in Bangkok:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... hrao-canal
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Authorities are building a 24km anti-flood levee along Klong Lat Phrao but these and other residents refuse to hand over their home. (File photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)
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