Thailand government mails littering tourists the rubbish they left behind

Littering tourists who drop rubbish in Thailand are having it mailed back to them.

The country's natural resources and environment minister Varawut Silpa-archa recently posted photos of some rubbish bags in a postage box to Facebook.

The parcel contained a note that read: "You forgot something at Khao Yai National Park".

"The garbage that tourists left in the park is now packed into the box. It's ready to be returned to the owner," Minister Silpa-archa wrote in the post, which has attracted more than 2,100 reactions.

It comes after a local woman posted an outraged screed to Facebook complaining about tourists who abandoned their rubbish-filled tents in the National Park when bad weather hit.

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"If you come, you have no conscience because in the park, there are many wild animals that come out to eat … like monkey," she said.

Minister Silpa-archa said there had been recent instances of antisocial behaviour in Thailand's National Parks, including at Khao Yai.

He claims there was also an incident involving "intoxicated" visitors at Sam Lan Waterfalls.

"There is warning by authorities, but it doesn't follow," he said.

The minister has announced a strict new policy where the Thai government will "blacklist" park visitors who leave behind garbage, are drunk or are otherwise behaving poorly.

"Dumping garbage in the park is a crime," he said.

He also announced new penalties, including a maximum five-year prison term, or 500,000 baht (£12,422) fine for anyone who "deteriorates natural resources or any other actions that affect ecosystem, biodiversity, natural resources and environment".

People visiting Thai parks also "must follow the orders of staff" and anyone seen "doing something that may harm others or themselves or bother or annoys people or animals or causes damage to nature or other things" is liable for a 100,000 baht (£2,484) fine.

Locals have praised the minister for the new measures, calling him "decisive and clear".

"He comes in for a real job for Thailand. He is a minister who works before talking … It's really done, not playing politics for fun," one Facebook user wrote.

"I'm glad and grateful that there is a clear implementation of concrete measures and punishment," another said.

"Nature, animals, plants will be rehabilitated and rehabilitated faster."

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