Supachai discussed with Warawut the establishment of a special task force to tackle the plastic pellet crisis following their designation as controlled goods. They expressed concerns that the Middle East situation could push costs higher and committed to advancing recycling plans to reduce the public's living expenses.
8 Apr 2026 GMT+7 Ms. Supachai Suthammanphun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, chaired a meeting to discuss strategies for managing plastic pellets, together with Mr. Warawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, at Government House, Building 1. Senior executives from both ministries and experts in the circular economy joined the session after the Ministry of Commerce declared "plastic pellets" a controlled good on 25 March amid global volatility, especially the crisis in the Middle East affecting the supply chain of raw materials.
Ms. Supachai stated that plastic pellets are a critical upstream product for many industries including food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods. There is a need for regulatory measures to prevent impacts on the cost of living. These measures will be appropriately considered based on circumstances and reviewed continuously.
The management approach will focus on three main areas: They are:
1. Defining focus items such as food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and plastic bags to directly oversee products related to the public's cost of living.
2. Using alternative materials and discussing with businesses to simplify stock keeping units (SKU) to reduce complexity and redesign packaging long-term to reduce reliance on plastic and improve production efficiency.
3. Sustainability, seen as an important opportunity to upgrade the industry. Currently, Thailand generates about 2.7 million tons of plastic waste annually but recycles only 20–25 percent. It is necessary to accelerate waste segregation and systematic reuse.
Additionally, consumer behavior should be adjusted to reduce plastic use. A joint working group will be established among the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Ministry of Public Health. The goal is to manage shortages, maintain reasonable costs and prices throughout the supply chain, and seize the opportunity to reduce plastic use and waste concretely through short-, medium-, and long-term measures, closely monitoring the situation and preventing hoarding.
Ms. Supachai also commented on the U.S. announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran, describing it as a positive factor that could stabilize transportation and raw material costs, which would support Thailand's management of controlled goods. Ongoing monitoring of stock and costs is necessary to ensure sufficient supply and fair prices for essential goods.
The Ministry of Commerce will expedite discussions with the private sector, especially major petrochemical industry players, to establish a special task force to systematically respond to the plastic pellet crisis.
Read " Thairath Newspaper Column " all here