by Editor

 

The Nation Thailand has reported that a police complaint has been filed against Prachuap Khiri Khan governor and five senior officials for allegedly turning a blind eye to the release of wastewater on the beach.

 

The report states that representatives of the Anti-Corruption Network’s local chapter filed a complaint at the Muang Prachuap Khiri Khan Police Station in which they accused the six officials of dereliction of duty under Article 157 of the Penal Code.

 

Apart from the provincial governor, the others accused are Prachuap Khiri Khan mayor, chief of the Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment, chief of the Marine Transport Office 3, director of the Wastewater Management Authority’s local office and director of the neighbour province Phetchaburi’s Marine and Coastal Resources Administration Office 3.

 

Chaisit Plangsrisakul, a member of the Anti-Corruption Network’s working group, is reported as saying untreated wastewater was being released onto the beach near the town hall. 

 

He said the group had taken some senior officials to the area in June, where they learned that the wastewater was coming from a hotel nearby. However, Chaisit said, nothing has been done since.

 

“The continuous release of wastewater has had a severe impact on the ecosystem of the coastal area, which is an important tourist landmark.

 

But the relevant state agencies have paid no attention,” he said.

 

Vendors near the beach filed similar complaints in May, saying that the smelly dark water was being released from a wastewater pipe near the breakwater. They said the bad smell was driving away tourists and affecting their business.

 

A recent test conducted by the Regional Environment Office 8 showed that the wastewater had not been treated and violated safety standards.

 

Source: https://royalcoastreview.com/2022/08/prachuap-khiri-khan-wastewater-alleged-inaction-results-in-police-complaints/

 

-- © Copyright Royal Coast Review 2022-08-16

 

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Nice to see citizens taking action and applying pressure to ineffectual government officials. Maybe there is some hope after all…

2 hours ago, webfact said:

They said the bad smell was driving away tourists and affecting their business.

That could well apply to most road side businesses in Thailand with their ridiculous open drains

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Apart from the provincial governor, the others accused are Prachuap Khiri Khan mayor, chief of the Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment, chief of the Marine Transport Office 3, director of the Wastewater Management Authority’s local office and director of the neighbour province Phetchaburi’s Marine and Coastal Resources Administration Office 3.

Name and shame them... only way to get something done.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

where they learned that the wastewater was coming from a hotel nearby.

Hotel owned by a Provincial official??????

They file a complaint against the officials for NOT enforcing any laws in reference to their other earlier complaint about polluters.

 

The storm/sewer drains along the seawall are quite disgusting & numerous.  Very large ones in front of the larger hotels ... probably just a coincidence.  Probably 30-50 pipes draining into the Gulf along the seawall, with maybe 3 or 5 major size ones.  

 

Your nose tells you exactly what is coming out, even during dry season, so not exactly 'storm drains' use alone.

 

Easy to tell which hotels would be main offenders, though it's probably/possibly most of the business within the first few parallel streets to the surf.

 

Sad part is the just dug a new drainage system that extend further inland, between RR line & hwy 4, so the potential for more violators possibly increasing in the future.

 

I won't walk my dog on the sand on that part of the bay that fronts the main hotel/restaurant section of the seawall, or at all on that whole stretch.   We'll walk on the sand on N side of the bay.

 

Last 2 times I swam at Ao Manao, I got ear infections, and something I'm not prone do.

 

Nuff said ... and counters the authorities reporting it is one of the top 5 cleanest fecal count beaches in Thailand.  If you go, keep your head out of the water.

 

We popped into the surfside restaurant Sunday (long weekend) and there were only about 50 people at Ao Manao (on beach/half in water).  Vendors were probably busy, as we didn't bother going over to that area.  Pretty sad for a long weekend.  Thais know better to stay out of the toilet/Gulf.