Phatthalung's 'zero-waste' market sets example

Blazing a trail: Kwanjai Klapsuksai, a local entrepreneur, has implemented a ‘zero-waste’ policy at her fresh market in her hometown in Phatthalung province’s Khuan Khanun district. (Photos by Asawin Pakkawan)

Phatthalung province, one of the southernmost in the country, is famous for its natural beauty and cultural sites.

Therefore, it might be surprising to learn that a fresh market -- known as "Talat Pa Phai Sang Suk market" (Bamboo Forest for Happiness Market) -- has gained notoriety among local villagers and tourists.

The market -- located in Khuan Khanun district -- is owned by Kwanjai Klapsuksai, a local entrepreneur.

Besides this market, Ms Kwanjai has also developed the Suan Phai Kwanjai Bamboo plantation, which supplies bamboo sticks to locals who then use them for the building block of constructing huts, assembling furniture, or as materials for other purposes such as kitchen utensils and packaging.

Even though the Talat Pa Phai Sang Suk market opened two years ago, Ms Kwanjai -- who is also an environmentalist -- introduced a "zero-waste" policy, which draws a large number of visitors and shoppers alike.

The market, which previously won several awards for its initiative to protect the environment, bagged yet another a prize from the Phatthalung provincial office this year for its dedication to stop using styrofoam containers.

Creative containers: This year the market received an award from Phatthalung provincial office for promoting less dependence on plastic and Styrofoam; Setting an example: The market has won several awards for its achievements in recycling and reducing waste. It has become a showcase where people and market owners come to learn about how to manage waste.

"Here, we do not use plastic containers. Sweets, food and beverages arrive in natural containers such as banana leaves, lotus leaves, Nypa palm leaves, coconut shells and bamboo wood," she said.

Along with its "zero-waste" approach, the market also practices rubbish sorting.

If there is any plastic waste, shoppers will be asked to place it in separate bins. In fact, the market provides separate rubbish bins for several different types of waste such as food, paper, plastic and aluminium.

All the plastic waste that piles up at the market is sold to rubbish scavengers and recycling plants. For example, discarded food containers made from natural materials are transformed into other materials such as milk boxes. Meanwhile, bamboo cups are burned into charcoal while those made from plant leaves are converted into organic fertilisers.

For shoppers who want to avoid carrying groceries in a plastic bag there are pinto or tiffin carriers and coated zinc pots widely known as mor kiaw (green pots).

The market spans about 10 rai. It is divided into several different zones ranging from areas meant to receive visitors, eating and selling products. There are also 10 parking lots available to accommodate a minimum of about 10,000 visitors per day.

Almost 200 vendors operate out of the market, with each doing business of anywhere between 1,000 baht to 15,000 baht per day, Ms Kwanjai said, adding that in total, about 1 million baht per day changes hands during trade activity at the market.

Every weekend, between 7am and 5pm, the market also hosts various exhibitions of local culture, local food and desserts in the same area, she said.

Besides the market, local visitors can also be seen at the Suan Phai Kwanjai bamboo plantation.

Ms Kwanjai, now 62, developed the plantation 13 years ago on her own 15 rai plot. The bamboo has become an alternative option and serves as a replacement for plastic containers.

Ms Kwanjai has planted 41 types of bamboo, including a few species from China and Taiwan. She enjoys growing bamboo since it does not require much care and can be used to make products.

Ms Kwanjai's green bamboo cups can be found on sale in hotels in Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket. Moreover, she also sells fresh and preserved bamboo shoots along with a lunch set accompanied by shoot soup at the market.

Thanks to her success, Phatthalung now serves as a model province for growing bamboo.

"The bamboo is a plant of various benefits. It can be turned into many, many products ranging from food, medicines, clothing, buildings and so on," Ms Kwanjai said.

Bamboo trees from the plantation are also sold at the market between 150 and 180 baht per three, five, or 20 trees. Bamboo sticks will be sold in bundle fastened together. The number of trees fastened into a sale unit depends on their size and what they will be used for.

A bamboo cup, for instance, can be sold at 10 baht per piece, while charcoal made of bamboo costs about 300 baht per kilogramme, she said.

"This bamboo can lead to earnings between 10,000 and 100,000 baht a year, depending on what it is used for. And its price continues to rise by about 20% per year," she said.

Bamboo trees can be sold three to five years after being planted, while their leaves and shoots can be harvested for sale all year irrespective of when they were planted, she said.

To achieve the highest quality of bamboo trees, the maximum number of bamboo trees grown on each rai of land should be between 96 and 120, she said.

"Bamboo trees are now in high demand and suppliers still cannot keep up with the demand in either the domestic market or the international one," she said.