Bangkok gives plastic water guns a second life

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is introducing a sustainable twist to this year’s Songkran festivities by inviting revellers to donate their used or unwanted plastic squirt guns for recycling.

Pornphrom Vikitsreth, chief sustainability officer for Bangkok and advisor to the governor, announced on Saturday that the recycling initiative is aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of the massive water festival.

“Instead of ending up in landfills, collected water pistols will be transformed into naphtha, a feedstock used to produce recycled plastic pellets,” Pornphrom said.

These pellets will eventually be molded into new items, such as chairs, containers, flowerpots, clothing fibers and various plastic components.

The project is being carried out in collaboration with private sector partners specialising in sustainable waste management.

To facilitate the collection, the BMA will set up dedicated disposal bins at the three major Songkran celebration hubs of Silom Road in Bangrak district, Khao San Road in Phra Nakhon district and the World Water Festival 2026 at Benjakitti Park in Klong Toey district.

"This is the first time we are specifically targeting the ubiquitous plastic water pistols for recycling," Pornphrom stated. "Previously, these items were treated as general waste, but by involving the public in this process, we can significantly reduce plastic waste and promote a circular economy."

The campaign comes in response to the staggering amount of waste generated during previous festivals, with BMA data from Songkran 2025 underscoring the scale of the challenge.

Last year, Khao San Road alone produced 141.4 tonnes of trash collected over three days, accounting for over 31% of the total waste in Phra Nakhon district during that period.

Meanwhile, the five-day ‘Maha Songkran’ event at Sanam Luang generated 34.6 tonnes of waste, and celebrations on Silom Road resulted in 74.5 tonnes of trash, representing roughly 19% of Bangrak district’s total waste output.

For other private event spaces across the capital, district offices have been instructed to coordinate closely with organisers to ensure that no waste is left behind and that the city remains clean throughout the seven days of the festival.