Environment ministry eyes cutback of 3,600 million plastic bags in one year

13 Sept 12:45 Key points summarised by AI

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment targets cutting 3,600 million single-use plastic bags in 2019 and plans tax measures against Styrofoam food containers.
A national campaign was launched on Thai Environment Day, collaborating with shopping malls and modern trade stores to reduce plastic bag usage.
Future initiatives include engaging fresh market vendors and shoppers to minimize plastic bag use, aiming to foster a culture of rejection or reduction.
The ministry may impose tax measures if voluntary reduction efforts for plastic bags and other single-use plastic items prove ineffective.

Uthenthawai students and alumni declare truce with Pathumwan rivals

Yesterday 20:34 Key points summarised by AI

Uthenthawai students and alumni have pledged to cease violent clashes with Pathumwan Institute rivals, coinciding with their campus's reopening after a 90-day closure.
The Minister of Higher Education is mediating the long-running conflict, while the campus closure has significantly disrupted in-person classes and laboratory work for over 1,000 students.
Uthenthawai resists relocation from its current site, citing a historical land grant from King Rama VI, despite Chulalongkorn University's plans to reclaim the land for an educational hub.
Concerns are mounting over the legality of the campus closure, its detrimental impact on uninvolved students, and the potential commercial development of the land, which critics argue contradicts the late King Rama VI's intentions.