Bangkok: Tae Mongkolkitt, accompanied by the Bangkok gubernatorial candidate, visited the Sai Mai waste center, promoting a 'waste bank' that offers home pick-up and proposing to use waste to reclaim land from the sea to solve coastal problems and flooding in Bangkok.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Mongkolkitt Suksintharanon, also known as "Tae Phra Ram 7," chairman of the Bangkok Can Fly group, along with Mr. Pasapong Chaiwirinwanich, a candidate for Bangkok governor, visited the Sai Mai waste disposal center in Or Ngoen Subdistrict, Sai Mai District, to monitor Bangkok's waste management process. The information gathered will be used to develop environmental policies, waste management strategies, and solutions to address flooding in the capital city.
Mr. Phasapong stated that Bangkok has three main waste sorting and disposal centers: Sai Mai, Nong Khaem, and On Nut. These centers handle waste from residents throughout Bangkok, currently exceeding 10,000 tons, or more than 10 million kilograms, per day. This represents a significant burden on the city that requires serious attention. Field visits revealed that waste entering the Sai Mai center is sorted and compressed before being transported to final disposal sites, such as Nakhon Pathom province. There is no landfill or incineration system on-site, leaving the communities at the disposal site to bear the burden of Bangkok's waste.
Mr. Phasapong stated that one of the key policies of the Bangkok Flying Group is the "Waste Bank" initiative, which aims to encourage every household to start sorting their waste. He noted that most people are unaware of how their waste will be managed after it has been discarded. 'One plastic water bottle can be broken down into many parts, including the bottle body, the cap, and the label. Each type has value and can be recycled. If every household helps to separate waste at the source, it will greatly reduce the amount of waste entering the system,' said Mr. Phasapong.
He stated that, if elected Governor of Bangkok, he would abolish waste collection fees for citizens who properly separate their waste and develop a home-based waste collection system via an application, allowing citizens to earn income from their sorted waste. Bangkok's annual revenue from waste fees is approximately 500-600 million baht, which is a relatively small proportion compared to other areas of the BMA's budget. Therefore, he believes there is a way to change the approach to allow citizens to benefit more from waste separation.
Mr. Mongkolkitt proposed a new concept for waste management, suggesting that waste that cannot be recycled or used to produce energy should be compressed into blocks, securely sealed, and used in land reclamation projects to restore coastal areas affected by sea erosion and high tides. He cited the Bang Khun Thian district as an example, where large areas are currently encroached upon by seawater, preventing landowners from using their land as before. "I view waste as a resource, not a burden, if managed properly. The waste remaining after recycling and electricity generation can benefit the country. Land reclamation from the sea is not a new concept; many countries, such as Japan, have done it before," said Mr. Mongkolkitt.
The Bangkok Aviation Group has affirmed its commitment to prioritizing environmental policies, waste management, flood prevention, and climate change mitigation as key agenda items for Bangkok, aiming to improve the quality of life for citizens and ensure the future sustainability of the capital.