Thailand generates 26.95 million tonnes of municipal waste annually. Over 100,000 tonnes of packaging reach the ocean each year. The Draft Sustainable Packaging Management Act published for public comment by PCD in February 2025 and targeted for enactment in 2027 is the country's most significant attempt to break this cycle. This article explains what it does, what it still needs, and why the clock is ticking.

 

Why Thailand Needs This Law Now

Thailand ranks among the top ten countries for marine plastic pollution globally. Every year, more than 100,000 tonnes of used packaging leak into the ocean: a figure that places it alongside countries with significantly larger populations and far weaker waste management systems. Domestically, over 2,000 local administrative organizations lack the technical and financial capacity to properly collect, transport, and dispose of municipal solid waste. The result is familiar to anyone who has seen packaging accumulate along canal banks, roadside ditches, or the margins of agricultural land: single-use plastics, multi-layer sachets, and laminated cartons that cannot be meaningfully recycled, ending their lives in open dumps or burning piles.