Phuket's Water Crisis Threatens Tourism Industry

[webfact]

File photo Bang Wad Dam

 

Phuket's tourism industry, a significant revenue stream for the region, is threatened by a worsening water crisis. Due to decreased capacity in the primary reservoirs - Bang Wad, Klong Kata, and Bang Neow Dum, hotels are reporting increased expenses as they are forced to buy water. Local and national government has yet to establish a lasting solution to this perennial issue. 

 

Phuket Tourist Association President, Thanet Tantipiriyakit, expressed disappointment at the situation stating that as a primary tourist location, Phuket should have a better water supply. Sukrid Klinson, the Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) branch manager, revealed that Bang Wad reservoir holds a reduced 1.17 billion cubic meters (m³) of water, just 16.8% of its total 10.2 billion m³ capacity. 

 

The PWA is currently in talks with private suppliers to secure additional water totaling 1.4 million m³, planning to procure 960,000 m³. This step, however, does not resolve the issue for all affected areas. The Bang Wad Reservoir's water level is alarmingly low and without immediate significant rainfall, the PWA will be forced to limit the discharge rate from this reservoir, turning instead to private supplies. 

 

Offering a glimmer of hope, the Southern Meteorological Centre (west coast) predicts earlier than expected rainfall. This rainfall, beginning in the second week of May, is projected to be heavier than previous years. Until then, the PWA is distributing free water to needy communities and drought-impacted areas.

 

-- 2024-05-02

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[ChipButty]

Offering a glimmer of hope, the Southern Meteorological Centre (west coast) predicts earlier than expected rainfall. This rainfall, beginning in the second week of May,

 

They said the other day End of May, 

[BritScot]

The shock of drought in the dry season! Who could of predicted it? Not as if it happens every year! Typical thai. As soon as it rains all is forgotten then OMG! flooding..... its a sad joke.

[topt]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Local and national government has yet to establish a lasting solution to this perennial issue. 

Have there ever been any real solutions started in the last 10/15 years or so?

 

[sherwood]

Bring on the 300baht tourist tax.

That will fix the problem 555

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Phuket's tourism industry, a significant revenue stream for the region, is threatened by a worsening water crisis. Due to decreased capacity in the primary reservoirs - Bang Wad, Klong Kata, and Bang Neow Dum, hotels are reporting increased expenses as they are forced to buy water. Local and national government has yet to establish a lasting solution to this perennial issue. 

Cap tourism until the governor increases the infrastructure.

[Rig Pig]

Are we surprised? More houses, hotels, apartments, shopping centers, etc, etc. And no infrastucture improvement to support them. It's a joke. Who are the buffoons who run this show???

[ikke1959]

Watermanagement in Thailand is not the best.. Songkran, ....spill water, water for watering against dust, or taps not closed and water is running away useless...Water over roofs to cool down and just name it.. They spill water and now they complain... Maybe start with good education about water usage, in schools on TV etc etc... Make people aware that water is needed instead of being spilled

[LivinginKata]

Today out homes in Patong no water. Had no piped water for 10 days. Ground well dry. Water truckers nor even answer phone now. Thats it for our guests. No water.

[Jenkins9039]

We've got two 30m wells.

 

-New One (Empty) can get about 30mins of water a day (services the garden/pool).

-Old one - No issues (services the home).

 

-Just arranged for a bore well (100m) going in this month.

 

-Currently have 1-5 trucks of water a week (300 baht a load) delivered (building) but will also likely start collecting water instead of sending it down the road.

 

Been getting worse and worse over the past five years.

[ChipButty]

11 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Today out homes in Patong no water. Had no piped water for 10 days. Ground well dry. Water truckers nor even answer phone now. Thats it for our guests. No water.

Here in Rawai both my neighbours have no water they relied on city water, stupid, we are ok I have a really deep well and a tank, 

[agogohome]

We're going to be reading of floods in the coming weeks. Apart from that, Phuket has enough water to supply everyone's needs for months to come. The old tin mine workings are still full to the brim. They've been used during previous droughts. 

[LivinginKata]

3 hours ago, agogohome said:

We're going to be reading of floods in the coming weeks. Apart from that, Phuket has enough water to supply everyone's needs for months to come. The old tin mine workings are still full to the brim. They've been used during previous droughts. 

 

For sure not for us in Patong. Not piped water. Ground dry. Wife on phone all morning and cant get a water truck delivery.

[ChipButty]

9 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

For sure not for us in Patong. Not piped water. Ground dry. Wife on phone all morning and cant get a water truck delivery.

The guy next door to me has spent 3 years building a house and he has built in every corner, guess what he never built a well they relied on the city water he has now found out that it's not reliable, I honestly don't know where he can dig for a well without knocking something down, He took over an empty piece of land the well should have been the first he done, 

[LivinginKata]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

The guy next door to me has spent 3 years building a house and he has built in every corner, guess what he never built a well they relied on the city water he has now found out that it's not reliable, I honestly don't know where he can dig for a well without knocking something down, He took over an empty piece of land the well should have been the first he done, 

 

We learned from our first 2 projects build as big a storage tank as possible. First build only 5,000 liters, 2nd 30,000 liters, and Kata 400,000 liters under the building to store rainwater as no ground water worth going the cost of deep well  ( we tried 3 bore holes to 70m )