Thailand began the year with a ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores, continuing a campaign launched by the government and retailers towards a complete ban in 2021 to reduce waste and debris in the sea.
"Thailand was ranked sixth among the world's top countries that dumps waste into the sea," Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-Archa told reporters on Wednesday after handing out reusable bags to the public.
The ministry says the country reduced the use of plastic bags by 2 billion, or about 5,765 tonnes last year, in the first phase of campaign to encourage consumers’ voluntarily refusal of plastic bags from stores.