Bangkok, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment announced the establishment of a joint committee to promote tourism development and environmental protection related work. The two sides also called on tourism practitioners and tourists to work together with the government to reduce plastic waste. Thailand's Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Vijam, said at a press conference held by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports on the same day that Thailand currently ranks sixth in the world in the amount of plastic waste in the ocean, which is very harmful to Marine life and endangers human health through the food chain, so it is very important to reduce plastic waste.

Wei Zhan said that all departments under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have taken the lead in stopping the use of plastic bags, and announced that all national natural parks ban the use of plastic bags. He said that Thailand receives a large number of tourists every year, and the government hopes to get the cooperation of the tourism industry to reduce the use of plastic bags, while calling on tourists not to throw plastic bottles, plastic caps, etc., and jointly protect the natural environment.

Thai Tourism and sports Minister Phongpanu said that the joint committee will start work as soon as possible to play its functions, in addition to the plastic waste problem, there are many problems that need to be solved by the two departments, such as the reception capacity of natural tourist attractions.

At the press conference, Pongpanu also announced Thailand's tourism data for the first five months of this year. In the first five months, Thailand received 16.45 million foreign tourists, up 12.62 percent year on year, generating 867.4 billion baht (about 173.5 billion yuan) in revenue for Thailand, up 16.11 percent year on year.

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