Bangkok collects wreaths: less waste, more environmental awareness!

Bangkok collects wreaths: less waste, more environmental awareness!

A lot is happening in Bangkok in terms of environmental protection and waste management. On November 5, 2025, Dr. Lertlak Leelaruangsong, the city's deputy governor, along with other leaders, accompanied the staff involved in collecting the wreaths in the Chao Phraya River. This initiative is one of the city's efforts to reduce environmental impact during the traditional wreath festival. The hope is that the number of wreaths collected in the river will continue to decline this year. Last year, an impressive 514,590 wreaths were collected, of which over 98% were biodegradable and less than 2% were made of Styrofoam, according to thaitabloid.com.

This year, a similar split between environmentally friendly materials and Styrofoam is expected. One encouraging sign is that staff heard less noise from nails on the wreaths than last year - a sign that the materials being used are moving in the right direction. Citizens can now also leave wreaths online, with almost 20,000 digital wreaths already registered on the greener.bangkok.go.th platform. The call to use natural materials instead of bread and Styrofoam is well received by citizens in order not to put additional strain on the environment.

Efficient collection and disposal

The city uses 163 employees as well as 28 boats and 8 vehicles to collect and transport the wreaths. They are responsible for collecting wreaths over a distance of 15 kilometers, from Rama 8 to Rama 9 Bridge. The collected wreaths are then properly disposed of at various locations, whereby biodegradable wreaths can be further processed. These can even be reused as fertilizer, which not only protects the environment but also makes sensible use of resources. However, wreaths made of bread and Styrofoam continue to put a strain on water ecosystems, which makes the call to use natural materials all the more urgent.

In addition to collecting wreaths, Bangkok has made notable strides in waste management with the Mai Teh Ruam initiative. This campaign has promoted the separation of organic waste and could become a model for other Thai cities. Over 184 markets and more than 600 restaurants have actively participated in waste separation, resulting in the reduction of almost 74,000 tons of waste that would otherwise have ended up in landfills. According to thailandsun.com, Bangkok achieved savings of over 141 million baht, about $3.8 million, from this initiative last year alone.

Shared responsibility for the environment

The “Mai Teh Ruam” initiative aims to view waste as a valuable resource and actively involve citizens in the process. The combination of environmental awareness and financial responsibility shows how urban sustainability solutions can be successfully implemented. Supported by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), this initiative has been well received and shows how important community engagement is in the fight against waste.

Bangkok has thus embarked on a path that not only cleanses the cityscape, but also creates awareness of sustainable practices. This protects the environment and brings people together – a step in the right direction! Further information can be found on the respective platforms such as transportesriver.com, where the topic of efficient transport, which is highly relevant in other regions of the country, is also addressed. Politicians will continue to be required to raise awareness of the importance of the environment in order to improve the quality of life of all Bangkok residents.