BANGKOK — Starting Wednesday, malls under one of the biggest operators in Thailand will charge 1 baht per plastic bag.

The Mall Group will start charging for plastic bags beginning on this year’s International Plastic Bag Free Day, or July 3.

One baht proceeds will be donated to the World Wildlife Foundation Thailand.

The bag scheme will extend to department stores under The Mall Group such as The Mall, Emporium, EmQuartier, Siam Paragon and BluPort Hua Hin Resort Mall. All branches of Gourmet Market supermarkets are also included.

“I’m really happy they’re charging for plastic bags. It’s a great step forward. I’m so happy they’re focusing on saving the planet,” Ralyn “Lilly” Satidtanasarn, an 11-year-old climate activist said. In 2018, Lilly gave a presentation to The Mall execs urging them to stop using plastic bags.

The Mall Group previously already had no-bag days on the 1st, 4th, and 16th of every month. Starting Wednesday, although bags will be available everyday, they have to be purchased. Customers who do not use a plastic bag will immediately get 10 points towards their M-Card membership (worth a 1.25 discount). Collecting 800 points makes one eligible for a 100 baht discount.

The bag ban comes hot on the heels of HomePro’s similar one-baht plan implemented in June. Rival mall operator Central Group also recently announced it will stop automatically giving out bags, on top of a complete bag ban on Tuesdays and the fourth of every month.

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