Several key authorities are working to solve the marine plastic litter issue in Thailand: these include the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment through the Pollution Control Department, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion;, the Ministry of Public Health through the Department of Health;, the Ministry of Industry through the Department of Industrial Work;, and the Ministry of Interior through the Department of Local Administration and the National and Provincial Waste Management Committee.
The Pollution Control Department and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources develop action plans, measures, and technical guidance. The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning develops general policies and plans, supports their effective implementation, and monitors the effort to mitigate environmental impact. The Department of Environmental Quality Promotion inculcates social awareness and readiness to support the sustainability of the environment and natural resources. The Department of Health collaborates with the Pollution Control Department in formulating plans and standards. The Department of Industrial Work deals with the waste generated from the industrial sector. The Department of Local Administration allocates duties to local government authorities and helps them formulate plans. The National and Provincial Waste Management Committee approves outsourcing and any kind of private business engaged in municipal solid waste management.
The latest coordination of municipal solid waste management was developed under the new policy of educating people about the new national rules on municipal solid waste treatment. The effort is being undertaken by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Education, and local administration organisations to raise awareness on waste segregation at source (Funatsu, 2019).
The coordination goes beyond governmental scope. The Thailand Public Private Partnership (PPP) for Plastic and Waste Management or PPP Plastic is a partnership between ministries and private organisations. It was established on 05 June 2018, led by Thailand Business Council for Sustainable Development and Plastic Industry Club of the Federation of Thai Industries, working to drive sustainable management of plastic waste with various sectors. So far in 2022, 39 organizations has joined, including government agencies, such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration; as well as private companies, international organizations, and educational institutes. PPP Plastic has a main goal in supporting and driving Thailand’s Roadmap on Plastic Waste Management 2018–2030 to achieve its target in reducing the amount of plastic waste in Thailand’s seas by 2027. It specifically aims to (1) reduce and eliminate the use of targeted plastics by using environmentally friendly products, and (2) reuse the targeted plastic waste at 100% by 2027.
Funatsu, T. (2019), ‘Municipal Solid Waste Management in Thai Local Governments: The State of the Problem and Prospects for Regional Waste Management’, in M. Kojima (ed.) Toward Regional Cooperation of Local Governments in ASEAN. Institute of Developing Economies and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, pp.1–22.
Several key authorities are working to solve the marine plastic litter issue in Thailand: these include the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment through the Pollution Control Department, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion;, the Ministry of Public Health through the Department of Health;, the Ministry of Industry through the Department of Industrial Work;, and the Ministry of Interior through the Department of Local Administration and the National and Provincial Waste Management Committee.
The Pollution Control Department and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources develop action plans, measures, and technical guidance. The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning develops general policies and plans, supports their effective implementation, and monitors the effort to mitigate environmental impact. The Department of Environmental Quality Promotion inculcates social awareness and readiness to support the sustainability of the environment and natural resources. The Department of Health collaborates with the Pollution Control Department in formulating plans and standards. The Department of Industrial Work deals with the waste generated from the industrial sector. The Department of Local Administration allocates duties to local government authorities and helps them formulate plans. The National and Provincial Waste Management Committee approves outsourcing and any kind of private business engaged in municipal solid waste management.
The latest coordination of municipal solid waste management was developed under the new policy of educating people about the new national rules on municipal solid waste treatment. The effort is being undertaken by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Education, and local administration organisations to raise awareness on waste segregation at source (Funatsu, 2019).
The coordination goes beyond governmental scope. The Thailand Public Private Partnership (PPP) for Plastic and Waste Management or PPP Plastic is a partnership between ministries and private organisations. It was established on 05 June 2018, led by Thailand Business Council for Sustainable Development and Plastic Industry Club of the Federation of Thai Industries, working to drive sustainable management of plastic waste with various sectors. So far in 2022, 39 organizations has joined, including government agencies, such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration; as well as private companies, international organizations, and educational institutes. PPP Plastic has a main goal in supporting and driving Thailand’s Roadmap on Plastic Waste Management 2018–2030 to achieve its target in reducing the amount of plastic waste in Thailand’s seas by 2027. It specifically aims to (1) reduce and eliminate the use of targeted plastics by using environmentally friendly products, and (2) reuse the targeted plastic waste at 100% by 2027.
Funatsu, T. (2019), ‘Municipal Solid Waste Management in Thai Local Governments: The State of the Problem and Prospects for Regional Waste Management’, in M. Kojima (ed.) Toward Regional Cooperation of Local Governments in ASEAN. Institute of Developing Economies and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, pp.1–22.
