No plastic bags campaign launched in Samut Songkhram

SAMUT SONGKHRAM, Aug 3 (TNA) -- Vendors at a market in Thailand’s central Samut Songkhram province join the campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags, as the country is trying to curb its use of plastic bags that affects health and environment. Following the lead by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s initiative, the central province launched a plastic bag reduction campaign at Mae Klong Market on Thursday. Governor Khanchat Tansatien handed free cloth bags to people at the province’s largest market. It is a part of the government’s national-level campaign to support the public sector in organizing numerous activities. According to the Ministry, Thailand annually consumes 45 billion plastic bags, 6.8 billion foam food containers and 9.8 billion plastic cups. Forty per cent of plastic bags or around 18 billion bags are used at fresh food markets like Mae Klong Market. Officials and activists sent messages encouraging people to be aware of toxic chemicals in plastics that have a long-term negative health effect on human beings and the environment. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thai authorities and private sectors take parts in the public awareness campaign urging people to reduce plastic bag usage beginning at 7,000 fresh food markets nationwide. (TNA)