Thailand's Plastic Challenge and Circular Economy

Is plastic a topic that is also discussed among youth in Thailand? What to expect from politicians and why should consumer culture change? Chompupischaya Saiboonyadis shares how she got into environmental activism and what needs to be done about plastic pollution, waste management and the circular economy.

Bangkokians rarely sort trash, often leaving soup-splashed, rotting, toxic messes on the street for garbage collectors and scavengers, who are only able to resell a fraction to be recycled. The environmentally-conscious who do sort their waste must send specific types of material to volunteer initiatives out of their own pocket. Some of these initiatives have diverted plastic into recyclable items, including PPE suits for frontline health workers, even as the capital drowns in COVID-19 and plastic.