70 tonnes of algae collected from Patong Beach

[snoop1130]

Some 70 tonnes of macro algae was removed from Patong Beach yesterday (Mar 21). Photo: Patong Municipality

 

PHUKET: A mass clean-up operation led by Patong Municipality environmental health officers  collected some 70 tonnes of algae at Patong Beach yesterday (Mar 21).

 

An officer at the Division of Public Health and Environment told The Phuket News that a campaign had been launched to clear the algae from the bay.

 

“Our staff collect the algae two times every day. The first time is 8-10am and the second time is 2-3pm,” she explained. 

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/70-tonnes-of-algae-collected-from-patong-beach-79425.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-03-22

 

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[Patong2021]

I was shocked when the article  mentioned the link to the wastewater (sewage) dumped in the sea.. Honesty  is so rare when it comes to Phuket beaches. First time I see such an admission. The local government have refused to release water quality information for years. The allegations that the people who swim at Patong Beach are swimming in raw sewage cannot be countered because the water quality data is not available.

 

When I read, I think oh, this algae is very bad, but then I see,  that Macroalgae is seaweed and that in appropriate  natural quantity  is beneficial and and counters excess nutrient levels and microalgae growth. It provides shelter for small invertebrates Seaweeds take up excess nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, etc.) from the system.  I don't know if the standard solution they use works. They usually bury the smaller amounts of seaweed at the beach or close by so that the  nutrients just get released back into the water as the seaweed decays. I hope they carry these tonnes inland.

Edited March 22, 2021 by Patong2021

[Thechook]

Well when you use your beaches as sewage ponds what do you expect.  There is absolutely no way would swim in their seas.

[PETERTHEEATER]

I don't  believe that the amount of algae collected was 70 tonnes. I think at least 90% of the mass collected was sand. 

[SteveB2]

Algae... Yer right - Thats nothing.

 

When I first came to Pattaya 25 years ago - we weren't so much worried about the polution from the 4ft sewage main at the end of the old US Navy pier... 

 

We were more worried about the sea catching fire ????