HUNGRY CATERPILLARS THREATEN TREES AT ICONIC LAEM PROMTHEP VIEWPOINT
Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat has ordered officials to ramp up their efforts to save palm trees from dying at the popular tourist viewpoint Laem Promthep, overlooking the southernmost point on the island.
The trees are a key component at the iconic viewing spot and over the years have been part of the scenic attraction that has drawn millions of visitors, but they are now under serious threat of being destroyed by caterpillars that are continuing to eat away at the palms.
Before Songkran, Governor Sophon led a team of agricultural experts and other officials to inspect the site and demanded that immediate action be taken to eliminate the problem. If remedial action could not be taken, the trees might die off and ultimately have a detrimental impact on Phuket’s image in the eyes of tourism.
Joining Governor Sophon were
Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos, Jarasri Khamphirasingh of the Phuket Provincial Agriculture Office, along with the Mueang District Chief and a host of public sector officials.
The palm trees are synonymous with one of Phuket’s most famous landmarks and it would be devastating to lose them to such pests, Governor Sophon said.
The caterpillars have been even more prevalent of late due to the lack of rainfall in the area, which continued for several months, he added.
Ms Jarasri explained that blackheaded caterpillars, which increased in intensity as food plantations developed across the country, feed off palm trees, specifically coconuts, sugar palms, dates, areca nuts and palm oil.
Once an outbreak of the caterpillars is detected the leaves of the tree will turn brown and wilt, similar to those affected by termites. Once the outbreak occurs it can spread rapidly and be devastating to the ultimate health of the trees, she said.
The method for containing and…
...destroying the blackheaded caterpillars involves cutting the leaves on the lower part of the tree where the pests tend to be more prevalent and burning them. This is also known as the ‘Karma method’, Ms Jarasiri explained. It is crucial that trees impacted by the pests are not removed and re-planted elsewhere, she added.
The Phuket Agricultural Office has also started releasing 200 Bracon Hebetor parasitoid ‘minute wasps’ per rai throughout the area each evening at dusk for a limited time, which will also help control the black-headed caterpillar problem.
Chemicals could also be injected into the tree’s trunks or sprayed onto the leaves by injection to help eradicate the pests, Ms Jarasiri said. An insecticide crop protector known as emamectin benzoate distributed at a dose of 30 millilitres per tree is especially effective, she added.
Mayor Aroon explained that Governor Sophon had instructed him to work with local government, the provincial agricultural office and local district leaders to stamp out the threat from the caterpillars by being extra diligent and surveying all local areas to ensure there are no more outbreaks.
Mayor Aroon specifically urged farmers in the area and owners of old plantations to check the trees in their areas to ensure their plots do not become breeding grounds for the pests.
Funds have been allocated to deal with the issue and initial action will see leaf cutting and burning to try and eliminate the threat, Mayor Aroon added.
This is not the first time officials have had to fight to keep the trees alive at Laem Phromthep. A huge replanting at the iconic viewpoint was carried out in 2010 because the palms were “too old” and being eaten by insects.
The saplings, each about two metres tall, were provided by the tourist-popular Nong Nooch Botanical Garden in Pattaya, while the sugar palm seeds were provided by the Rawai Elders Club.
Then in 2019, Nong Nooch Botanical Garden was called in again, this time to provide 70 sugar palms.