Abstract:
According to recent research, Thailand is one of the biggest contributors of the world to plastic waste. This study analyzed different categories of Thai people, segmented by age, gender, education, occupation and residential area, to see if their different personal background influences their perception of plastic pollution and their behavior. It also focused on the discrepancy between what consumers claim that they want to do, to protect the environment and what they are actually doing. A quantitative analysis showed that there is a high concern for the current plastic pollution in the country but the awareness of the consequences is still low. In general, it emerged that different personal backgrounds do not seem to influence significantly people's perception of the problem, except in some cases. In particular, different occupation and education never led to any significant difference in consumers' perception. A qualitative analysis of 12 consumers clarified why consumers don't change their habits. The lack of sufficient public services and infrastructure in plastic waste management relates to Thai consumers not taking action to reduce plastic waste. Nevertheless, awareness campaigns are still necessary for Thai people and they represent a feasible and practical solution to influence their habits. Therefore, consumer organizations, private companies and government should provide Thai people with information and best practices to follow, to dispose properly of plastic waste
Thammasat University. Thammasat University Library