Plastic Bag Ban Forcing Thai Shoppers to Get Creative

A widespread plastic bag ban across Thailand’s largest retailers is forcing shoppers to get creative when it comes to carrying their purchased goods.

Since the ban on January 1st, hundreds of posts have gone viral of Thai shoppers using everything imaginable as alternatives to plastic bags or purchasing re-usable bags, from suitcases and wheelbarrows to fishing nets, pottery, and clothes hampers.

Major retailers such as 7-Eleven, Big C, and Central Group all joined with the government to instituted the plastic bag ban, which started at the beginning of the new year.

In 2021, all shops in Thailand will be required to forego single-use plastic bags.

Thailand’s oceans have had a huge problem with plastics in recent years, with many endangered species such as dugongs and green turtles found dead with plastics in their stomachs.

Greenpeace applauded the move by Thailand’s businesses and government but said more must be done.

In particular, the green non-profit states that Thailand needs to end its “throw-away culture” as well as put in place a proper waste management infrastructure.

Thailand becomes just the second country in the region to implement a prohibition on plastic bags, following only Malaysia.

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