Plastic bags: No more from the start of 2021

[DrTuner]

22 minutes ago, Naamblar2014 said:

Eliminating animal agriculture is the only ethical way to stop catastrophic climate change.  Let's see CP jump on board that one.

Let's see human beings want to bring about change, without ignoring their own responsibility for the problem and refusing to change their eating behavior in any significant way. Those that devour animal flesh or animal products can no longer hide behind the 'it's my personal choice' excuse. Your personal choice is responsible for destroying our environment. There is no planet b.

I think eliminating people is the best approach. Since carnivores are at the top of the food chain, we should probably start with vegans.

[khunPer]

11 minutes ago, jmacken306 said:

I've been here 8 years and the first thing I noticed was MISSING TRASH CANS! What do I see, people sitting their partial drinks, partial meal down by the ATM.....and the person turned and saw me looking others tried hiding it behind a plant....tossing it in a grocery cart someone took from Big C.... Even in the Malls, Where's the Trash Can? They are starting to get better.... Screw the Paper Straws, I had my first one two weeks ago, collapsed minutes after sticking it in my cup. Like some other things education and alternatives. I will leave it at that, I could go on......

Yes, that is a major problem in Thailand – as expat you begin to remember the few trash bin locations, so you know where to deposit stuff – first plenty of trash bins, and then hard punishment for not using them; that model worked extremely well in Singapore...

 

[Jiggo]

Better start stocking up on plastic bags now folks.

[Artisi]

Any further comment is superfluous, let's just wait until 2nd Jan 2021 for meaningful input. 

[Humpy]

It's all down to educating the prats how to dispose of the plastic bags. Stores not providing them is not the answer. All I'll have to do is buy a roll of twenty pedal- bin bags. The store wins !

[Lacessit]

Solutions:

Mandate plastic bags must be biodegradable.

Charge 10 baht to every customer that wants a plastic bag for their shopping.

 

There are always options and opportunities in problems.

[Howiehotspur]

I’ve already got a rather large stash ????.   I can see a few deals coming up , ???????? ????

[HHTel]

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Unless I've misread it, it's not a 'ban', but an 'agreement'. I wonder how binding or effective will it be:

I notice it says 'major retailers like CP Group (7-Eleven), Central and The Mall Group'. Are there some other retailers too, that have not been named?

 

I really, really hope it works. We'll see in four months time.

The 'agreement' between major retailers is to stop issuing bags after Jan 2020.  The proposed ban from 2021 is from the Polution Control Dept. A proposal at the moment and not expected to become law UNLESS the 'agreement' between companies is fruitless. i.e. A law only if necessary.  Cooperation from the public would deem it unnecessary.

 

Quote

Among the big names were Central Group, The Mall Group, CP All Plc, Robinson Plc, Bangchak Retail Co, Big C Supercenter Plc, Siam Makro Plc, Index Living Mall Plc, PTT Plc as well as trade associations such as Plastic Industry Club under the Federation of Thai Industries and Thai Retailers Association.
These partners have vowed to stop giving out single-use plastic bags to customers starting January.

 

[HHTel]

5 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I agree with this ban on plastic, but how are they going to get the mom and pop stores and the yokels to stop offering them

Well if it does become a ban, then I guess that the sale of plastic bags would be covered by law therefore preventing 'mom and pop' stores from buying them.

[mserror]

This year our council took away our wheelie bins, and told us to put our garbage out in plastic bags.

 

I hope we get new wheelie bins.

[Miami007]

Was in Bali recently.  Went to a small convenience store to buy 3 cans of soda. Was NOT given a bag. When I asked I was told they didn't have any.

 

Went to a larger supermarket.  Same story.. no plastic bag, but I could purchase a reusable bag at the store. 

 

If Bali can do it, why not Thailand? Just requires a little adjustment and is definitely possible and a step in the right direction 

[Gimino]

Perhaps I am missing something on this subject and someone can put me straight. Plastic bags do not

gleefully march to the sea in lockstep unison. People are the polluters, not the bags. Deal with the cause, not the object. Further, most of us make multiple use of those bags before they are responsibly discarded. As well, there are ample biodegradable plastic bags to fill the need if polluters, i.e., people cannot/will not

fix the problem. Banning all plastic bags strikes me as an knee-jerk, over reaction deserving of further thought.   

 

  

[mserror]

At our supermarket the in-store baskets disappeared; the wife asked and was told they were removed because they were plastic...

[Monomial]

I see a franchising opportunity for someone to sell cheap, inexpensive single use plastic bags on the street in front of every 7-11. I'm sure the law will only prohibit their use by retail chains. Otherwise garbage bags will be illegal. Since a typical plastic bag costs 30 satang, I would imagine a budding entrepeneur can make quite a good living selling bags for a baht each. Kind of like the copy shops at every government office. Ring up your purchase and "please go outside and buy a bag".

 

Problem solved.

 

[Naamblar2014]

21 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

That made me want to go have a big juicy burger, and tell all my friends to have a big juicy burger too. Im doing my part to destroy the planet..... you can fry with a mouth ful of arugula, not me......

You can get plant based burgers these days that are juicy and tasty.  You no longer need to be selfish.

[Naamblar2014]

27 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

I think eliminating people is the best approach. Since carnivores are at the top of the food chain, we should probably start with vegans.

Are you a carnivore ????

[Nyezhov]

17 minutes ago, Naamblar2014 said:

You can get plant based burgers these days that are juicy and tasty.  You no longer need to be selfish.

I like being selfish, That's The human condition. It's All about me.

[southcoast]

6 hours ago, Con Peoples Fund said:

Great great great, small step in the right direction. Kudos to those top dogs who implement this initiative.

Correct and credit to those people... but should of done it yesterday!

[allenberg]

3 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

The real problem is that Thailand has a major litter problem. What a huge difference would be made if they simply didn't leave garbage all over the place. All of those bags properly disposed of would make a 100% difference in the amount of bags getting to  the ocean. Wouldn't that be an easy place to start. A well thought out anti-littering campaign like the western world had in the 70's.

+1

[brokenbone]

i think a better solution is to do like in the west,

you can have your plastic bag, but its going to cost you

X for every bag

[emptypockets]

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Unless I've misread it, it's not a 'ban', but an 'agreement'. I wonder how binding or effective will it be:

I notice it says 'major retailers like CP Group (7-Eleven), Central and The Mall Group'. Are there some other retailers too, that have not been named?

 

I really, really hope it works. We'll see in four months time.

2021 according to the OP headline, bit more than four months.

[metempsychotic]

I was gobsmacked the other day when I made a number of small purchases at my local homepro and the cashier rang them up, took my money, and walked away. 

 

When I finally managed to get her attention I asked her for a bag and i was told there were no bags on offer, even for purchase. My items, though smaller were quite difficult to manhandle home. 

 

I admire the sentiment, and support the cause, but alternatives must be offered, as they were before the advent of plastic, or the ban won't work. 

 

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

There were "viable alternatives" before plastic bags became common place -- paper bags. There are paper and bio-degradable alternatives readily available to everything made of plastic today, perhaps with the exception of straws. My kids use, wash and reuse metal straws, and they work fine. I have never used a straw in my life (at least that I can remember), and so long as cups, glasses and bottles can be tipped, I do without them just fine. There may be a minor cost/price issue, but the alternatives are there, NOW. 

Well said...the alternative are available but only as a personal choice, not enforced.

[brucec64]

Please no Thai bashing.
This may be a small and late step, but it's a step in the right direction and a good thing.

It's not thai bashing but more the reality of life in thailand. Initiatives are announced on an almost daily basis and then quickly fade into obscurity. As much as I would hope that this one occurs, the odds are really against it.

As for it being a step in the right direction, not a single bag has been saved yet. I'll hold my applause until 2021 if in fact this ever occurs.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[owl sees all]

The whole thing is utter nonsense. Plastic doesn't chuck itself into the ditches, rivers or fields.

 

The Thais will just throw out the packaging and cartons without the bag.

 

Education, education and even more education; starting at toddler stage. A bit of rubbish disposal planning would help too.

 

[Torrens54]

It’s “In The Bag” then. 

Good move, now let’s see what can be done about

Plastic Straws, Cutlery etc.,

[metempsychotic]

26 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

The whole thing is utter nonsense. Plastic doesn't chuck itself into the ditches, rivers or fields.

 

The Thais will just throw out the packaging and cartons without the bag.

 

Education, education and even more education; starting at toddler stage. A bit of rubbish disposal planning would help too.

 

No. Simply not littering will not keep plastic out of the water table, it will merely concentrate where it is deposited. 

 

Rubbish limittion, banning of Single use plastics for things that actually can be recycled or repurposed combined with a proper plan for disposal is necessary the world over. 

 

Alas, it is very difficult to see the big picture or be educated when you are more concerned about achieving shelter or your next meal. 

[JAG]

7 hours ago, fforest1 said:

So every one will need to carry a bag with them at all times now....Never know when you want to go shopping......

Should make anyone from Russia, or Eastern Europe, over the age of 35 feel quite like old times!

[owl sees all]

1 minute ago, metempsychotic said:

Alas, it is very difficult to see the big picture or be educated when you are more concerned about achieving shelter or your next meal. 

Thank for that concern metempsychotic. I live off the land and can build a decent shelter in the wood. I carry my rubbish with me until I can dispose of it properly, not simply throw it in the air and hope that it lands in a bin.

[Cadbury]

Why don't we diarize this for the beginning of 2022 and providing we are still alive let's all meet here again to discus why this masterstroke of an idea has been a total failure.