Encouraging Thais to stop using single-use plastic bags

[zydeco]

5 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Actually your local food vendor has restarted using banana leaf. This was how it was done before the age of the plastic bag. I recall being served food in this manner in Singapore back in the '60s.

 

The message will slowly spread and we falangs can help. By declining plastic bags, as I do all the time, a new mindset will emerge.

 

Never say or think 'it can't be done'.

Sure. They're going to hang their banana leaf wrapped food from the handle bars of their scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles???? Or will they need something like, you know, a plastic bag!  Hah, hah, hah.

[natway09]

A massive education programme on correct disposal would solve most of the problems.

We used to get plastic bags in Oz that 3 hours in the sun.....gone

[zydeco]

13 minutes ago, fantom said:

This begs the obvious question.  Why didn't you, as a conscientious and thoughtful citizen, put it in the re usable cloth bag you always take with you when you go shopping?

 

We always bring our own bags shopping and never had the death stare yet, and best of all no plastic bags.

 

Some of you guys have no idea of how people really live, do you?  I'll bet that you and your reusable cloth bag always take a trip to your local store in your gas guzzling car or truck. Okay, you might not. But most of the old guys talking about the virtue of cloth bags and such do, because they can't walk 3 or 4 km in this heat and carry all their groceries with them. Meanwhile, want to know how Thais get along? Look around some morning. I know outside my house just about every day, three young girls go past, all on one scooter. One drives, one is squeezed in the middle, and the third sits on the back with their breakfast--carried in a knotted plastic bag. She's not trying juggle banana leaf covered items. And a cloth bag doesn't provide the strength, elasticity, and flexibility of plastic. Yes, the plastic is actually safer in these circumstances as well as being more efficient. Can't imagine someone trying to balance their items in an easily ripped paper bag or cumbersome cloth, which needs to be rigid and stiff enough to make repeat trips.

[Moonlover]

1 minute ago, zydeco said:

Sure. They're going to hang their banana leaf wrapped food from the handle bars of their scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles???? Or will they need something like, you know, a plastic bag!  Hah, hah, hah.

Sorry fella, you don't catch me out that easily. I've been round the block too many times!

 

Once the food is wrapped the parcel is then tied with some raffia string which incorporates a loop with which to hang it. Whether it be on your fingers, your handlebars or wherever.

 

So ha ha ha to you too.

 

 

[zydeco]

6 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Sorry fella, you don't catch me out that easily. I've been round the block too many times!

 

Once the food is wrapped the parcel is then tied with some raffia string which incorporates a loop with which to hang it. Whether it be on your fingers, your handlebars or wherever.

 

So ha ha ha to you too.

 

 

Oh, yes, those strings, which easily break or end up being pulled and mashing your food. BTW, how are you going to wrap your soup in a banana leaf and a string?

[Sonhia]

Yet another well-meaningful attempt at something that will probably be ignored by the arrogant masses, as was:  only 6 persons allowed on the flat-bed of a pick.up.

Or: helmets must be worn by both riders, meaning only 2 riders on one (1) motorbike.

Or: VIP mini van buses must not exceed 80 or was it 90 kph and over packed with passengers, resembling sardines in a tin!

 

Thai seem to bury their heads in the sand, reluctant to change. They seem to do what they want regardless of the impacts to themselves, others, but more importantly, nature.   Those horrible words "UP TO ME" comes to mind...

 

Many other countries are attempting to impliment change by pro-active media plus law inforcement to make awareness and change to social behaviour and responsibility. This world is my and our only home, it does not belong to a single person (dictator) or nation, we all have our duty to help preseve and make life better for all, including nature.

 

Consider the continued and growing racism plus victimization by Thai, or the lack of both human plus animal rights as well as the high rates of pollution and filth with low hygine awareness. The continued slavary plus human trafficking, poverty with people in growing debt and poor social care plus support or the very substandard health and safty, plus the increase in lawlessness and dangers

 

For a nation to portray to the rest of the world a smiling, safe, caring, harmonious people and place plus exsistance with open arms, is far from the truth. Thai only care about money. Most long term expats / visitors plus quick thinkers will and can clearly see the knife at thier backs whilst looking at smurk, false smiles, knowing what the true Thai style culture is,  false!

 

Visit beaches, go inland on some of the islands just of the coatline and witness the pollution, filth, plastic, which can be found within hidden dump sites such as the one not far from Bangsaray or Rayong plus many other dump sites around Thailand. My X Thai partner's father used to dump the village waste in the jungle as did many other people, they did not give a cxxp about their actions or impact on health or the enviroment. 

 

The Thai saying goes 'UP TO ME' how true that statement is... 

T.I.T

 

 

 

 

[Moonlover]

11 minutes ago, zydeco said:

Oh, yes, those strings, which easily break or end up being pulled and mashing your food. BTW, how are you going to wrap your soup in a banana leaf and a string?

The string that is used to tie these food parcels would cut through your fingers before it breaks. It's incredibly tough. I never had one break on me.

 

And as for soup, take your own container. There are plenty of choices. In Singapore they used to use recycled food cans for that purpose, but that might not be so acceptable nowadays.

 

But 'where there's a will there's a way' as the saying goes. And Thais are very inventive when needs must.

 

[MikeN]

1 hour ago, zydeco said:

And many/most of them will also be there to sell you heavy duty plastic bags for garbage that will take far longer to degrade than those "single use" plastic bags that were being recycled for garbage liners before.

But at least they will actually be used, unlike the single use bags that are not utilised for garbage liners and are strewn willy-nilly over the road as soon as Somchai has eaten his 7/11 takeaway. If every one of the current bags was reused then there would be no problem, but nobody generates enough rubbish to need all the bags they would normally get during a week.

[zydeco]

50 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

The string that is used to tie these food parcels would cut through your fingers before it breaks. It's incredibly tough. I never had one break on me.

 

And as for soup, take your own container. There are plenty of choices. In Singapore they used to use recycled food cans for that purpose, but that might not be so acceptable nowadays.

 

But 'where there's a will there's a way' as the saying goes. And Thais are very inventive when needs must.

 

So, you're carrying around bags, bowls, recycled cans, different water containers for the different liquids that go in them. And maybe canteens? What is this, the Chisholm Trail? If everybody follows your advice, we'll need to travel around with chuckwagons. 

[digger70]

7 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Sorry single use plastic bags are here to stay......

No, they are going to make them thicker and stronger and not biodegradable so they will last Forever. That would be good if people would keep them clean and Reuse.   ????

[kingstonkid]

I think TOPS has missed the mark.  They are going to lose on this deal at this point.  

I shop at TOPS and have my bags but a lot of people do not and therefore ae not going to have anyway to carry their groceries.

LOTUS on the other hand is great they have gone back to paper bags and have learned how to pack them.

 

The only way to get rid of plastic is to provide a equal cost item or Thais are not going to be interested.

 

Look in Tops and most stores at the garbage bags.  either all plastic or very expensive.  

There needs to be something that replaces the plastic and I think the best is recycled paper or products like that.

 Also when are they going to get rid of the shrink wrap on the soft drinks and such.

[xtrnuno41]

Single use? How many Thai and or others use the bag again for garbage disposal?

IF the "Single use"bags disappear, then people have to buy plastic bags again for garbage disposal ! Very wise.

Good structure of waste disposal is more required, but of course cost money, can be paid by every house hold, by tax. 

 

[Eligius]

1 hour ago, zydeco said:

So, you're carrying around bags, bowls, recycled cans, different water containers for the different liquids that go in them. And maybe canteens? What is this, the Chisholm Trail? If everybody follows your advice, we'll need to travel around with chuckwagons. 

I completely sympathise with you, Zydeco. This sudden stopping of all convenient bags (it's happening in loads of shops in the BKK area already) is ludicrous - when they do not provide biodegradable alternatives. Biodegradable is the sensible way forward.

 

I support the reduction in plastic use - BUT any halfways decent shop service should provide paper bags or biodegradable bags for their customers (even if a small charge is made on them). 

 

As Zydeco has indicated, soon we will have to be carrying around a whole array of 'politically correct' implements and containers on the off-chance that we might want to buy something when we go out. It is simply not practical for many people (I myself do not have a car or motorbike). Carrying around a couple of cloth bags the whole time is an unnecessary encumbrance - and constitutes yet one more erosion of our liberty.

 

 

 

[Pilotman]

9 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Sorry single use plastic bags are here to stay......

why?

[Pilotman]

30 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I completely sympathise with you, Zydeco. This sudden stopping of all convenient bags (it's happening in loads of shops in the BKK area already) is ludicrous - when they do not provide biodegradable alternatives. Biodegradable is the sensible way forward.

 

I support the reduction in plastic use - BUT any halfways decent shop service should provide paper bags or biodegradable bags for their customers (even if a small charge is made on them). 

 

As Zydeco has indicated, soon we will have to be carrying around a whole array of 'politically correct' implements and containers on the off-chance that we might want to buy something when we go out. It is simply not practical for many people (I myself do not have a car or motorbike). Carrying around a couple of cloth bags the whole time is an unnecessary encumbrance - and constitutes yet one more erosion of our liberty.

 

 

 

Its hardly difficult to ensure that you provide your own.  Not exactly rocket science. 

[Tayaout]

Reading some posters here I wonder how humans managed to barely make it before the invention of plastic bag in the 1960s.

[Emdog]

Big C I go to has a clever innovation, a "green lane" at checkout for those who bring their own bags.

I just renewed my 3BB contract, they gave me a "bag within a bag": nice sized bag that folds up and stores within a small maybe 6x5 inch thin bag you can hang on belt. Similar items available from street stalls, etc.

What saddens me is there seem to be many here who take a perverse pride in their love of plastic and damn the consequences for the planet. Mankind somehow got by for tens of thousands of years without plastic. How can this be possible?

[Cadbury]

12 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

my wife carries a small rolled up bag in her handbag, for small purchases.  In the car we have some 10 'bags for life' brought over from the UK, that we take to do the weekly shop.  It just takes a bit of forward thinking.  Its not hard. 

Good that you have a wife to do your fetch and carry for you and a car to carry your everlasting bags.

When I specifically go shopping I travel on the bus and take my big reusable bag with me. When I go out on various non shopping trips I don't mind being offered a little bag to carry a few small spur of the moment purchases. Beats carrying them on top of my head under my cap.  

Perhaps I should consider getting a car and a wife to keep stock control of my supply of reusable bags.

BTW, when I was travelling along Phet Kasem Road BKK in a bus yesterday on my way to catch the MRT I witnessed tens of thousands of new unused medium size plastic bags all over the road and blowing in the wind to all quarters. They were like large white snowflakes floating in the air and they went for a few kilometres. Obviously a case of negligence in transportation. So I doubt my little once off bag at the supermarket will make a big difference to the day's usage of plastic bags in Bangkok after all.

[metisdead]

Some inflammatory and offensive posts have been removed as well as the replies. 

[Nice Boyd]

7 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Not sure if there is one but if there is you can bet Villa Market is not on it. 

Went there yesterday to buy a few items at the Ploenchit Centre. The checkout chick put three items in one medium size bag and then put a single item into a small bag. I removed the single item from the one bag and put it in with the others.

As an expression of Villa Market's gratitude for my thoughtful action this little charmer gave me the evil eye scowl of death. Such is the manner of Thai customer service.

 

Most likely threw that small bag in garbage and didn’t reuse it

[zydeco]

44 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

Reading some posters here I wonder how humans managed to barely make it before the invention of plastic bag in the 1960s.

Easy. Grocery stores and food shops were on every street or street corner, if you lived in a city. On your way home, you stopped and bought what you needed for dinner. Not an option, for the most part, today, because you need to travel long distances to malls, food stores, and discount stores. Why do you think there are so many 7-11s in Thailand? Those stores mimic the old fashioned grocery shop by being within most people's walking distance.

[zydeco]

29 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Mankind somehow got by for tens of thousands of years without plastic. How can this be possible?

Mankind got by for tens of thousands of years with a life expectancy of 30 years old.

[fforest1]

15 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Big C I go to has a clever innovation, a "green lane" at checkout for those who bring their own bags.

I just renewed my 3BB contract, they gave me a "bag within a bag": nice sized bag that folds up and stores within a small maybe 6x5 inch thin bag you can hang on belt. Similar items available from street stalls, etc.

What saddens me is there seem to be many here who take a perverse pride in their love of plastic and damn the consequences for the planet. Mankind somehow got by for tens of thousands of years without plastic. How can this be possible?

I think your misunderstanding the situation....Its not that selfish people love plastic bags so much ....The problem is that the power behind the multi country no plastic bag road show puts almost ZERO ZILCH NADA promotion behind supporting a biodegradable eco friendly alternative to single use plastic bags....

 

And Sir i you think I am making this up a google/news search will soon back up what I say in short order....

 

For crying out loud we have the technology 10 times over to replace the plastic bags NOW...

But this does not fit in with the plan to eliminate All single use bags... 

[Tayaout]

1 minute ago, zydeco said:

Easy. Grocery stores and food shops were on every street or street corner, if you lived in a city. On your way home, you stopped and bought what you needed for dinner. Not an option, for the most part, today, because you need to travel long distances to malls, food stores, and discount stores. Why do you think there are so many 7-11s in Thailand? Those stores mimic the old fashioned grocery shop by being within most people's walking distance.

Doesn't make much sense especially since I don't live in a city. I bring my own bags when needed for more than 20 years. Doesn't really feel that hard. 

[Tayaout]

11 minutes ago, zydeco said:

Mankind got by for tens of thousands of years with a life expectancy of 30 years old.

37 and mainly because of infant mortality. Not sure what it has to do with plastic bags. 

[Number 6]

8 hours ago, teacherofwoe said:

Turning to hemp for plastic alternatives would transform waste crisis very quickly. 

Why is hemp always the solution to everything despite none of such products in use. The hemp product scam is at least 20 years old.

 

All sorts of products have been made out of bamboo since forever for instance.

[Tayaout]

7 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

Why is hemp always the solution to everything despite none of such products in use. The hemp product scam is at least 20 years old.

 

All sorts of products have been made out of bamboo since forever for instance.

It's a solution because it grows quickly and has too many use to list in a post. The products exist already and are in use. The issue is mainly regulation because of the bad reputation of Cannabis that is use for drug and is the same plant. 

 

[zydeco]

8 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

Doesn't make much sense especially since I don't live in a city. I bring my own bags when needed for more than 20 years. Doesn't really feel that hard. 

Well, it makes sense if you read what I wrote, which specifically says "if you lived in a city." Yes, this is what happens you confront some people's religious beliefs. And the hysteria over plastic bags is religious in nature.

[zydeco]

7 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

Mainly because of infant mortality. Not sure what it has to do with plastic bags. 

Then why did you bring it up?

[Tayaout]

1 minute ago, zydeco said:

Then why did you bring it up?

For fun.