Wastewater woes get top-level attention
The House of Representatives Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment arrived in Phuket on a study tour last week, apparently to follow up on land disputes and wastewater problems on the island.
Committee chairman Apichart Sirisunthon, who also serves as the secretary-general of Move Forward Party, arrived with his delegation and joined a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Mar 19 presided over by Phuket Governor Suwan Suwannarat.
The visit and study tour were prompted by complaints received by the committee, said an official report of the meeting.
Present for the meeting were a slew of leading Phuket officials, and members of the public to provide feedback and suggestions.
The meeting included a briefing on land rights in Thalang District and wastewater problems in Mueang Phuket District and Kathu District, said the official report.
However, Phuket MP Chalermpong Sangdee, also of the Move Forward Party, later noted in a post online that the key areas of concern for wastewater were Kamala, Karon and Patong.
“Every year during the tourist season there is more wastewater than normal, and [it] flows into the sea,” MP Chlaermpong wrote.
According to the official report, the committee aims to follow up on solving issues related to people living and using the Bang Khanun National Protected Forest area.
Regarding the issue of wastewater, Mr Apichart received a presentation by the Phuket Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office and the Environment and Pollution Control Office 15, based in Phuket, said the official report.
However, details of the presentation were not published.
The visit by Mr Apichart follows black wastewater flowing across beaches and into the sea where tourists swim at Patong, Karon, Kamala and Bang Tao.
During an inspection tour of Phuket last year, Dr Surasee Kittimonthon, Secretary-General of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), revealed.that Phuket is already unable to treat nearly 55,000 cubic metres of wastewater each day, leaving the wastewater to be disposed of untreated.