The “Take-Make-Waste” system normally endorsed by Thailand’s linear economy has been reprimanded recently due to its role in promoting climatic hazards. Under this production process, resources that are not utilized during the manufacturing period are discarded as waste and even after the product is manufactured, waste is produced from the packaging and eventually, the end of a product’s usable life signals its call to further become a waste.
The Take-Make-Waste model has shown to be unsustainable as it has been exacerbating environmental and climate issues in today’s expanding economy of over-consumption where high waste generation and depletion of natural resources have significantly been contributing to climate change, and accelerating the scarcity of resources.
The Circular Economy: A sustainable Solution
The concept of Circular Economy is termed the “take-use-return” model and it is uniquely designed to lower production costs, increase market competitiveness and thus profitability while substantially reducing emissions. This relatively new economic model is designed to maintain the regeneration of the natural environment while using resources and simultaneously reducing pollution.
The importance of a circular economy lies beyond its environmental benefits; it directs a future full of innovative opportunities that can boost profits for businesses. In Thailand, industries have taken an ambitious goal of integrating a circular economy as part of their reformative approach to a better viable economy. Reports by Thailand Investment Review have illustrated that the quantity of industrial waste being recycled was extremely low in Thailand. Their 2018 report highlighted that Thailand was able to recycle only a third of its total waste of 22 million tons that was produced.
While the economic growth in Thailand has been sought after by the population and the government, the unmanaged growth has somewhat victimized the environment to face the repercussions. A report by Thailand Investment Review illustrated that high economic growth has been directly related to both high waste production and waste management gaps. In fact, in 2018, Thailand produced 27 million tons of household waste out of which only 25% of the total plastic waste was recycled by the government, highlighting the urgent need for action by the government.
Thailand’s Circular Economy Initiatives 2024
Currently, the initiatives related to CE are mainly handled by private and public sectors through voluntary engagement. While the government of Thailand has shown growing interest and dedication to sustainability development more policies are needed to bring these dynamic changes. One of the longest commitments is to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) introduced by the late King Bhumi which acts as the baseline for Thailand’s goal towards sustainability. The SEP covers three areas of moderation, reasonableness, and prudence to boost Thailand’s goal of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 20-year National Strategy Framework and 5-year National Economic and Development Plan.
The Thai government’s current stance on adopting CE is accelerated through its Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model under which these initiatives are included:
1. Plastic Waste Management: Thailand is one of the biggest markets for plastic usage with an estimated amount of 2 million tons of plastic waste generated per year. The government is encouraging the use of biodegradable plastics and the promotion of recycling under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework.
2. Food Waste Reduction: The Thai government is promoting food waste management through better practices, and awareness campaigns.
3. Legislation and Policies: The Thai government is creating a legal framework to promote a circular economy like promoting green procurement and establishing certifications and proper standards for circular products.
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