A national park in Thailand has come up with an ingenious way of curbing their littering problem – by sending trash back to the people responsible.
Authorities in the popular Khao Yai National Park near Bangkok will start sending rubbish back to litterers, the country’s environment minister said.
Offenders will also be registered with the police.
Visitors to the park have to register with their addresses, making it easy for rangers to track them down if they leave rubbish behind.
Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa posted pictures of trash collected in cardboard parcels ready to be shipped on his Facebook account.
“Your trash – we’ll send it back to you” the post warns, reminding people that littering in a national park is an offence and punishable with up to five years in prison and hefty fines.
Along with empty plastic bottles, cans and chips wrappings, the box in the Facebook post contains a polite note saying: “You forgot these things at Khao Yai National Park”.
Park authorities say the trash left behind can be particularly dangerous for animals who may try to eat it.
Khao Yai National Park which is north-east of the Thai capital Bangkok stretches across more than 2,000 sq km (770 sq miles) and is very popular with hikers.
It’s the oldest national park in Thailand and known for its waterfalls, animals and scenery.
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