Thailand's Ban on Plastic

You might have seen the news over the past few weeks about how Thailand has started the new decade with a big push to eliminate litter and reduce waste. Specifically, Thailand has now officially banned single-use plastic bags at all major retailers, including supermarkets and convenience stores!

It's a great thing, and I'm both impressed and a little surprised that this initiative has really taken off. If you've ever been to Thailand, you'll know that EVERYTHING is served with tons of plastic. For example, if I'm walking around the city and get thirsty, I can go into a 7-Eleven for a bottle of water. The bottle is sold to me in a plastic bag along with a plastic straw. If I want to buy yogurt at the store, it comes in a bag with a small plastic spoon also wrapped in plastic. There's a ton of waste, and it's causing a lot of litter in Bangkok, but more importantly throughout the beautiful Thai countryside.

a sign reminding people to bring their own bags to the Gourmet Market

I admit, sometimes I forget my reusable bags when I'm out doing my shopping. Luckily, you can always buy a cloth or canvas bag at any store. Hopefully as time goes on, I'll get better at remembering to bring my own bag with me.

my shopping!

And how are locals adapting to this big change? Most people in Bangkok seem pretty happy with the idea of banning plastic.

And everyone seems to be approaching the new situation with that typical sense of Thai humor.

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