VIDEO: Say No to Plastic!

Thailand is among five Asian countries that are responsible for more than half of the 8 million tons of plastic waste dumped into the world’s oceans every year.

The main problem is the fact that practically anything you buy in Thailand comes in a plastic bag. Plastic bags for groceries. Plastic bags for single items in a supermarket. Plastic straws and cup holders from 7-Eleven stores. You cannot escape plastic in Thailand!

Beautiful beaches are littered with plastic waste from locals and tourists. Wildlife are swallowing plastic as the Thai rivers and oceans become clogged. The problem is getting out of control.

So let’s start helping our environment today. Let’s learn these phrases so you can say “NO PLASTIC”.

FIRST, let’s learn to say the word “plastic” in Thai, it is พลาสติก /pláat-dtìk/.

When you want to say you don’t want something, just basically say “ไม่เอา /mâi ao/” and follow by the item you don’t want to take.

Ok, let’s picture this – you go to buy drinks in a convenient store such as 7Eleven, they automatically give you a straw and put your bottle or can in a plastic bag. WE DON’T NEED THAT, RIGHT?

Please say to the cashier:

ไม่เอาถุงพลาสติก /mâi ao tŭng pláat-dtìk/ I don’t want the plastic bag.

ไม่เอาหลอด /mâi ao làwd/ I don’t want the straw.

The next scenario, you are buying take-away food to eat at home, the seller automatically gives you a plastic spoon, please say to them ไม่เอาช้อนพลาสติก /mâi ao cháwn pláat-dtìk/

Or some eateries give you a plastic cup when you order water. When I see that I will say ไม่เอาแก้วพลาสติกค่ะ /mâi ao gâew pláat-dtìk/ , and I will drink from the bottles.

And when you go shopping in a Thai supermarket such as Big C, Tesco or Gourmet market. I don’t know why the cashier often put my grocery into many separate bags, I have to tell them to fill things in one bag in the case that I forgot my own shopping bag. If you are in the same situation please say to them ใส่ของรวมกันในถุงเดียว /sâi kăwng ruam gan nai tŭng diao/ please put everything in one bag.

Finally, let’s use ถุงผ้า /tŭng pâa/ cloth bag, หลอดซิลิโคน /làwd sì-lí-koon/ silicone straw, and กระติกน้ำ /grà-dtìk náam/ reusable water bottle, so we can help reduce the use plastic in everyday life.

Please let me know if you want to learn any phrases related to plastic ban. I am happy to make more videos on this subject.