Swedish ‘plogging’ trend reaches Koh Lanta, Thailand

Koh Lanta – an island along Thailand‘s Andaman coast – saw its first ever plogging event last week, according to the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok.

There’s nothing worse than a beautiful landscape spoiled by plastic waste and debris. A movement in Sweden has come up with a solution.

‘Plogging’ is an activity that combines jogging with picking up litter.

Over 300 people joined forces to join the ‘Sweden Plogging Day’ in Koh Lanta, Krabi province, last week.

The event was led by Erik Ahlstrom, the founder of Plogga, a growing environmental and fitness movement.

Plogga’s website describes the activity…

“Plogga is a growing movement founded in Sweden, with the simple idea to pick up garbage and jog. The name is an acronym of the Swedish words for picking and jogging—’Plocka och jogga’.

“But it doesn’t need to be jogging. You can walk, canoe, skateboard, cycle—whatever way you choose to get outside and move.”

In Koh Lanta, teachers, students, and parents from two Swedish schools – Svenska Skolan Thailand Sanuk and Lilla Svenska Skolan – joined the event, as well as the Thai school Ban Saladan.

The plogging day became a reality thanks to collaborations between the schools, Plogga and Lanta Tourism Association, and of course, all the willing attendees.

The ploggers plogged so much trash from the main road that the event ended up ending a little early, said the embassy in a Facebook post.

“We hope that the “Sweden Plogging Day” will return soon, and expand to more provinces.”

Plogging might be coming to a province near you, but plogging doesn’t have to be an organised event. It can be enjoyed at any time and place by anyone interested in saving the environment and keeping fit at the same time.

Koh Lanta is especially popular with Swedish tourists, with the Swedish Facebook group ‘Vi Älskar Koh Lanta’ gaining over 20,000 members.