Understanding Plastic Bag Consumption and Management in Thailand: Integrating a KAP Model

Aweewan Panyagometh, Ittisak Jirapornvaree and Angkana Keeratiratanalak
Additional contact information
Aweewan Panyagometh: International College of National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand
Ittisak Jirapornvaree: ��Department of Environmental Social Sciences, School of Liberal Arts, King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thonburi, Thailand
Angkana Keeratiratanalak: International College of National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand

Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management (JEAPM), 2023, vol. 25, issue 02, 1-28

Abstract: Since January 1, 2020, Thailand has implemented a campaign to stop giving free single-use plastic bags in 75 major retail stores. This study aims to (1) understand the status quo and effectiveness of the plastic bag ban campaign by estimating the number of plastic bags used in Bangkok and Phuket (2) understand the consumers’ behavioural on plastic bag consumption and management by integrating a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) model (3) provide policy recommendation to strengthen the country plastic waste management roadmap. The results showed that the ban on plastic bag campaign is effective, especially in the supermarkets and convenience stores in Bangkok. The numbers of plastic bags used per visit at supermarkets and convenience stores are approximately 1.9 bags and 1.7 bags, respectively, whereas the plastic bags used at fresh markets, restaurants, and food delivery services are, on average, up to 3.7, 3.1, and 2.8 bags per visit, respectively. On average, people in Bangkok use approximately 1.2 bags/person/day, while only 0.7 bags/person/day are used in Phuket. According to the KAP model, attitude is more crucial than knowledge towards pro-environmental behaviour. Bangkok residents’ trend to show more pro-environmental behaviour than Phuket residents. For policy implication, it is important to continuously communicate the environmental impact of plastics and emphasise the proper knowledge and attitudes toward plastic bags among people to encourage their cooperative behaviours in reducing the use of plastic bags and sorting waste for recycling.

Keywords: Consumer behaviour; environmental management; KAP model; plastic bag; plastic waste management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S1464333223500072
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wsi:jeapmx:v:25:y:2023:i:02:n:s1464333223500072

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from

DOI: 10.1142/S1464333223500072

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management (JEAPM) is currently edited by Thomas Fischer

More articles in Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management (JEAPM) from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Tai Tone Lim ().