Looming Water Shortage In Phuket

[george]

Cloud seeders back in Phuket

PHUKET: -- Despite recent rain showers, the Royal Rainmaking Project has been called in again to help stave off yet another looming water shortage in Phuket.

Isara Anukul, Chief of the Water Allocation Division of the Phuket Irrigation Office (PIO), told the Gazette on Wednesday, “The water level in Bang Wad Reservoir [Phuket’s main water source] has dropped to 450,000 cubic meters … That is enough to last about a month.”

K. Isara said, “We have been making plans to cope with a water shortage since February because there has been very little rain since the beginning of the year.

“Officers from the Royal Rainmaking Project will come to help solve this problem. We will start making ‘artificial rain’ [cloud seeding] this Saturday [August 20],” he said.

Cloud seeding is the process whereby chemical compounds – silver iodide particles, frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice) crystals or even salt – are dispersed into clouds, by either aircraft or large, ground-launched flares.

The theory behind cloud seeding is that it introduces other particles into a cloud to serve as “cloud condensation nuclei” – the tiny particles of dust ever-present in the sky around which rain droplets form – which could induce a greater amount of precipitation.

K. Isara explained that Phuket’s water authorities will also seek help from private companies and privately-owned water reserves, namely tin mine lagoons that are already used to supplement the mains water supply.

The PIO will use a lagoon at Sri Suchart Grand View, in Soi Pa-niang, to supplement the Phuket City Municipality supply and another in Kathu to add to the Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority supply, he said.

Sayun Vareearunrod, Manager of the Phuket Waterworks Office (PWO), told the Gazette that the PWO will be relying on the Khun Banlue Water Resource in Kathu to supplement the PWO’s supply.

--Phuket Gazette 2005-08-20

[jaapfries]

Cloud seeders back in Phuket

PHUKET: -- Despite recent <a style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=22&k=rain%20showers" onmouseover="window.status='rain showers'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">rain showers</a>, the Royal Rainmaking Project has been called in again to help stave off yet another looming water shortage in Phuket.

Why worry about a little thing like "water" when you have this tremendous advantage of being able, to offer people "DUTY FREE" shopping ? ? ? ? ? ?

What an amazing country: in the North there are FLOODS and in the South (& East) there is a month-long DROUGHT . . . . . . There's only one solution: Join the Toxin Family and let's all go DUTY FREE shopping in Phuket . . . . .

[kidtongue]

Cloud seeders back in Phuket

PHUKET: -- Despite recent rain showers, the Royal Rainmaking Project has been called in again to help stave off yet another looming water shortage in Phuket.

Isara Anukul, Chief of the Water Allocation Division of the Phuket Irrigation Office (PIO), told the Gazette on Wednesday, “The water level in Bang Wad Reservoir [Phuket’s main water source] has dropped to 450,000 cubic meters … That is enough to last about a month.”

K. Isara said, “We have been making plans to cope with a water shortage since February because there has been very little rain since the beginning of the year.

“--Phuket Gazette 2005-08-20

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, planning since January 05. Quick, someone get a MAP? OMG Phuket is still and island, probably same for Samui. Why bother desalinating water when we can have panic instead?

[Galong]

Seeding clouds - now there's a nice longterm solution to a problem that's been going on for years now.

Every inch of Phuket is being developed. I'm sure that the gov will come up with a longterm plan to supply water for the thundering masses... you know, something like rolling bones or sacrificing a virgin.

[womble]

I month of water left?????

erm........

What would have happened if Phuket was as busy as it will be next year?

No water???

why TF can't they build proper infrastucture to maintain high end tourism?

It makes me laugh that the government think they can attract "high end tourists", when they can't even make sure there is enough water for them.

Remember south Thailand is tropical, and water shortages have nothing to do with low levals of rainfall, it's all about missmanagement .

[Scott]

The country needs to have a real "save water" campaign. I can't believe how wasteful people are with water. I see dishes being washed with water running continuously, twice daily washing down of driveways--instead of sweeping. Water left on all the time.

Since this water all has to be pumped, cleaned and delivered, it's a real waste. Hope people can wake up one day.

[BillyZ]

The country needs to have a real "save water" campaign.  I can't believe how wasteful people are with water.  I see dishes being washed with water running continuously, twice daily washing down of driveways--instead of sweeping.  Water left on all the time. 

Since this water all has to be pumped, cleaned and delivered, it's a real waste.  Hope people can wake up one day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BONE DRY IN BAN CHANG, RAYONG

On subject, but in a different part of the country. Five days ago, our city water in Ban Chang (Eastern Star, a bit away from the main part of town) went dry. It's not been on since.

We called the water department and they said that the water would be on again on Wednesday. By Thursday, still no water.

Yesterday (Friday) before we actually went to the water department [sometimes you've just gotta lean on their desk and breathe on them to get an answer] we found out that, gee, there is a water supply problem and the water is only being turned on on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

We went to the office, anyway, because we hadn't received any water on Wednesday and it wasn't running yesterday, either.

The Water Department guy came out to our house and looked around and declared that all of the water pipes were in good condition, nothing broken. Oh, and now they're back to supplying water 7 days a week.

A nearby village IS getting water, but where we are, no one is. I think what's happening is that they've got the taps open all the time (or on specific days), but not at 100%. So the water never gets to us.

Fortunately, we've got access to fairly cheap water (via trucks) and they can come 7 days a week and fill up our 2,000 liter tank. We're also looking at digging a well. Seems we've got a pretty decent water supply only about 5 or 6 meters down.

To add to this. I've got a friend who is in the business of repairing industrial machinery. He told me yesterday that a lot of the main plants in Map Ta Put are contacting him and getting ready to service machinery once they shut down. Many of the plants are planning a major slow down in work or complete shut downs altogether. Nevermind the water diversion projects. It seems they don't have a lot of faith in them.

This may or may not be true. But it was the very same companies in Map Ta Put who highlighted the seriousness of the water shortage last month when they said that they were going to scale back to 60% output. As far as I know, they haven't ramped it back up to 100%. And it's funny, the papers seem to be quiet about it all at the moment....

[womble]

The country needs to have a real "save water" campaign.  I can't believe how wasteful people are with water.  I see dishes being washed with water running continuously, twice daily washing down of driveways--instead of sweeping.  Water left on all the time. 

Since this water all has to be pumped, cleaned and delivered, it's a real waste.  Hope people can wake up one day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes people waste water, but this is not the problem, with increased demand the infrastucture hasn't even been planed or implemented.

With the amount of rain that falls in the south, there is no excuse.

[Martin]

Development always outpaces infrastructure. Putting in infrastructure costs a lot of capital; so if a government predicts development and spends money on getting the infrastructure put in (in advance) and then the development doesn't occur, then the money is wasted.

Better to wait till the development is finding it is short of water and raise the money from the developers. A 300% increase in the charges for water in Phuket would get people to be less wasteful, and also raise some money for water-supply improvements.

[Tornado]

Ive had no water every day for about 8 hours, for the last 4 days. They seem to turn it off during the peak hours, like showering in the morning... great idea.

The amount of rain we get here, should sustain any development - there's just no infrastructure for the infrastructure

Maybe if more people installed guttering and rain water tanks, we wouldnt be so reliant on the chosen ones - note to self!

[MrWizard]

The amount of rain we get here, should sustain any development - there's just no infrastructure for the infrastructure   

Maybe if more people installed guttering and rain water tanks, we wouldnt be so reliant on the chosen ones - note to self!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you are right, if you have got the space take a water tank, perhaps 2.

In Thailand you can not rely on government, for these tasks.

Also good for the economy, have more people to sell you water And you buy tanks afterall...

[khall64au]

Development always outpaces infrastructure. Putting in infrastructure costs a lot of capital; so if a government predicts development and spends money on getting the infrastructure put in (in advance) and then the development doesn't occur, then the money is wasted.

Better to wait till the development is finding it is short of water and raise the money from the developers. A 300% increase in the charges for water in Phuket would get people to be less wasteful, and also raise some money for water-supply improvements.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A small levy on 4 million tourists a year would go a long way to funding needed infrastructure.

But as it is the governemnt collects a fortune in taxes from tourism on Phuket. How much of it makes it back to the province for public works?

[Schauerte]

The country needs to have a real "save water" campaign.  I can't believe how wasteful people are with water.  I see dishes being washed with water running continuously, twice daily washing down of driveways--instead of sweeping.  Water left on all the time. 

Since this water all has to be pumped, cleaned and delivered, it's a real waste.  Hope people can wake up one day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BONE DRY IN BAN CHANG, RAYONG

On subject, but in a different part of the country. Five days ago, our city water in Ban Chang (Eastern Star, a bit away from the main part of town) went dry. It's not been on since.

We called the water department and they said that the water would be on again on Wednesday. By Thursday, still no water.

Yesterday (Friday) before we actually went to the water department [sometimes you've just gotta lean on their desk and breathe on them to get an answer] we found out that, gee, there is a water supply problem and the water is only being turned on on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

We went to the office, anyway, because we hadn't received any water on Wednesday and it wasn't running yesterday, either.

The Water Department guy came out to our house and looked around and declared that all of the water pipes were in good condition, nothing broken. Oh, and now they're back to supplying water 7 days a week.

A nearby village IS getting water, but where we are, no one is. I think what's happening is that they've got the taps open all the time (or on specific days), but not at 100%. So the water never gets to us.

Fortunately, we've got access to fairly cheap water (via trucks) and they can come 7 days a week and fill up our 2,000 liter tank. We're also looking at digging a well. Seems we've got a pretty decent water supply only about 5 or 6 meters down.

To add to this. I've got a friend who is in the business of repairing industrial machinery. He told me yesterday that a lot of the main plants in Map Ta Put are contacting him and getting ready to service machinery once they shut down. Many of the plants are planning a major slow down in work or complete shut downs altogether. Nevermind the water diversion projects. It seems they don't have a lot of faith in them.

This may or may not be true. But it was the very same companies in Map Ta Put who highlighted the seriousness of the water shortage last month when they said that they were going to scale back to 60% output. As far as I know, they haven't ramped it back up to 100%. And it's funny, the papers seem to be quiet about it all at the moment....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I live at Eastern Star too, same problem but the great leader said that there is no water shortage, so we did not complain to the lower authorities. The great leader can't be wrong?

[Malice in Wonderland]

I month of water left?????

erm........

What would have happened if Phuket was as busy as it will be next year?

Do you know something we don't??? tourists I've met that have been to Phuket since the Tsunami said they wouldn't go back because they were getting hassled everywhere they went with stuff like.. "We have tsunami,why you don't buy suit/shirt/buddah image/necklace from me??" and then vendor abuses them when they politely decline - talk about shoot yourself in the foot!!!

I get the distinct impression Samui is going to be bursting come high season....

[khall64au]

I month of water left?????

erm........

What would have happened if Phuket was as busy as it will be next year?

Do you know something we don't??? tourists I've met that have been to Phuket since the Tsunami said they wouldn't go back because they were getting hassled everywhere they went with stuff like.. "We have tsunami,why you don't buy suit/shirt/buddah image/necklace from me??" and then vendor abuses them when they politely decline - talk about shoot yourself in the foot!!!

I get the distinct impression Samui is going to be bursting come high season....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And Samui doesn't have water problems.....?

[omaga24]

Every inch of Phuket is being developed. I'm sure that the gov will come up with a longterm plan to supply water for the thundering masses... you know, something like rolling bones or sacrificing a virgin.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Galong, I'd like you to show me one virgin on Phuket!

[jrincon17]

The country needs to have a real "save water" campaign.  I can't believe how wasteful people are with water.  I see dishes being washed with water running continuously, twice daily washing down of driveways--instead of sweeping.  Water left on all the time. 

Since this water all has to be pumped, cleaned and delivered, it's a real waste.  Hope people can wake up one day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Has there ever been a water shortage in Phuket , I mean actuall shortage . No water coming out at times ? I didnt think so

[Galong]

Every inch of Phuket is being developed. I'm sure that the gov will come up with a longterm plan to supply water for the thundering masses... you know, something like rolling bones or sacrificing a virgin.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Galong, I'd like you to show me one virgin on Phuket!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where I'm from in the Deep South of the US of A (Deliverance country), the only virgins are ugly 5th graders who can outrun their brothers and father.

[khall64au]

The country needs to have a real "save water" campaign.  I can't believe how wasteful people are with water.  I see dishes being washed with water running continuously, twice daily washing down of driveways--instead of sweeping.  Water left on all the time. 

Since this water all has to be pumped, cleaned and delivered, it's a real waste.  Hope people can wake up one day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Has there ever been a water shortage in Phuket , I mean actuall shortage . No water coming out at times ? I didnt think so

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yesterday... the day before.. and the day before that...