Waste collection fee to increase next year

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to increase the monthly rubbish collection fee for households from 20 to 60 baht in October next year.

Pornphrom Vikitsreth, adviser to the Bangkok governor, said those who want to pay the current rate can register with the BMA and sort their own rubbish before collection.

He said the new fee is designed to encourage people to properly sort rubbish and reduce single-use items, such as plastic bags, and help the BMA cover costs of collection and disposal.

The expenses are estimated at about 700 million baht per year, while the BMA can only collect about 500 million baht, he said.

Torsak Chotemongkol, the governor’s chief adviser, said household cooperation is crucial in the BMA’s “zero waste” policy as the volume of rubbish the capital produces is estimated to be between 14,000 and 16,000 tonnes per month from next year to 2027.

The increase in the collection fee was first floated several years ago at a rate of 80 baht per month, but it was never implemented due to Covid-19.

Under the new rate, households that produce less than 20 litres of rubbish per day will be required to pay 60 baht per month — 30 baht for collection and 30 baht for disposal — unless they sort their own waste.

The BMA believes if the volume of rubbish is reduced, the budget required for collection and disposal will decrease, so the savings can be spent on other social projects.

In a recent hearing, the BMA’s deputy permanent secretary Chatree Wattanakhajorn said Bangkok’s environment-friendly incinerator in Nong Khaem is expected to be operational in 2026.