BANGKOK, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Packaging Association recently told the media in Bangkok that Thailand's packaging and printing industries are shifting away from plastic and utilizing more bio-flexible products in line with the government's policy to ban plastic packaging in the future.

(File photo: China Daily)

Manit Kamolsuwan, president of the Thai Packaging Association, said the policy will encourage many companies to innovate and adopt technology in line with the global movement against plastics to serve environmental concerns.

Local producers use flexible packaging such as film, mostly for foods and beverages, including other raw materials such as cast polypropylene film, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, aluminium foil and laminated film, said Manit.

He also said Thailand's packaging and printing industries will consume increasing volumes of paper as global concern about plastic waste grows.

The Thai Packaging Association's latest report indicated that paper consumption is roughly at 70 kilogrammes per person per year.

Meanwhile, Kriangkrai Tiannukul, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said the packaging and printing industries will grow 2 to 3 percent in 2019, driven by food and beverage demand.