[Coolhand]

Something I noticed in Indonesia, and its probably the same for Thailand:- traditionally food was sold from street stalls or carried from home wrapped in banana leaves, when the food had been eaten the leaf was thrown to the ground where nature took its course. In recent years, modern society has taught people that serving food in banana leaves isn't hygenic and instead, sterile plastic bags should be used. So food is now served in plastic bags, and after the food is eaten, the plastic bag is discarded in exactly the same way as the banana leaf used to be, only this time nature can not take care of the plastic bag, it being non-biodegradable.