Up to Bt100,000 fine if you take plastic bags, foam boxes into national parks
The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has banned visitors from taking foam boxes, single-use plastic bags, plastic food boxes or utensils into national parks.
An order to this effect, published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, came into force on Wednesday.
Violators of the ban will be subject to a maximum fine of 100,000 baht.
The department stated in the order that tourists would not be allowed to carry food or water containers made of foam or single-use plastic into any marine or national park around the country for the sake of natural resources protection and conservation.
The order said the ban was necessary to prevent damage to coral and ecology and to control garbage in national parks.
It said packages made of foam and single-use plastic containers such as plastic bags – which are thinner than 36 microns – plastic food boxes, single-use plastic cups, plastic straws, and spoons and forks are not allowed into national parks.