THE CONTROL OF MARINE PLASTIC LITTERS FROM DUMPING

Abstract

Not only do marine plastic litters in the sea, primarily originate from a land- based source but they also come from dumping. Such marine litters are caused by the inefficient management of plastic litters which affect the marine environment including living things and marine life and become a major marine environmental problem in the world today. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 or UNCLOS is a convention containing international legal measures for the protection and preservation of the marine environment against all sources of pollution including marine litters from dumping. Thailand as a party therto is obligated to implement UNCLOS provisions, through internal laws its to prevent, reduce and control marine plastic litters. However, Thailand does not have internal laws that are fully in compliance with UNCLOS relating to the prevention, reduction and control of marine plastic litters from dumping, despite the fact that Thailand is one of top ten largest sea dumping countries in the world. This article is intended to present and analyze the legal measures to prevent, reduce and control of marine plastic litters from dumping under the UNCLOS, as international obligations for the implementation of Thailand's laws in accordance with the UNCLOS.