Phuket Tourism Takes A Hit Over 'Trashing Racha'

[webfact]

Phuket tourism takes a hit over ‘Trashing Racha’

Phuket Gazette

Koh Racha Yai, an island about 25 nautical miles south of Phuket that is popular with day trippers, snorkelers and scuba divers, is being destroyed by greedy developers and tourism operators, say environmentalists. Photo: DMCR

Bottles continue to pile up as no one wants to take on the job of recycling them. The man who used to do the job died more than a year ago. Photo: DMCR

PHUKET: -- The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) was forced to start taking steps to redress the growing concerns voiced in Phuket about the environmental destruction of Koh Racha Yai by negligent tour operators and tourism business owners.

The news comes after a leading figure in local environmental conservation blasted greedy tourism operators and the lax enforcement of environmental protection laws at a meeting in Rawai yesterday.

“To save the environment we need action now… It’s time to use the rules to enforce [environmental protection] and we need to make private businesses understand [their responsibilities],” said Suta Prateep Na Thalang.

Mr Suta, president of the Community Network of Chalong Bay and a member of the marine natural resources management team on Koh Racha, accused local resort owners of cutting down natural forests and not adhering to environmental protection regulations.

Specifically, he accused developers of not abiding by the Building Control Act BE 2522 and the environmental protection and conservation measures issued under Ministry and Science Technology BE 2535 (1992).

DMCR officer Nisa Permsirivanich said that the trash disposal on Koh Racha was not being managed well, with landfills piling up and discarded trash found strewn across the island.

“People do not cooperate with each other. For example, the person who disposed of used bottles in the past by grinding them down for recycling died more than a year ago, but nobody has volunteered to take on this responsibility. So the machine is just left sitting idle,” Ms Nisa explained.

To counter the spread of trash and to raise awareness of keeping the island clean, the DMCR will conduct beach and reef cleanups on June 1 and 2.

“Both private operators and island residents will be asked to take part. The idea is to foster relations among local people so that they work together on important operations, such as trash management,” she said.

Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa ordered a report on the situation to be filed with the Provincial Office this week and a two month deadline be set for environmental protection measures to be put in place on Koh Racha.

Vice Governor Sommai also called for another meeting to be held to address these issues. That meeting is to include representatives of the government and the private organizations involved. “Especially those on Koh Racha, such as hotels, business operators and sea gypsies,” she said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16065.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-05-29

[Zpete]

Mite be an angle for a farang to get a foot onto the residency ladder.

Seems, no Thai will do the job.

Idyllic place to live.

Dunno if any TBaht goes with the job.

[Felt 35]

The Government could always consider bottle/can deposit, i.e. add an additional 5 Baht charge for purchases of bottles/cans and get back 5 Baht back on each delivered at approved locations, supermarkets etc.

[cloudhopper]

So sad Racha was a beautiful island 10 years ago.

[JulesMad]

(Quick) money is all that counts... Unfortunately Thailand (and its people) are destroying their once so beautiful country! Shortsightness and money obsession are to blame (imo)

What else is new?

[HongKongPhooey]

(Quick) money is all that counts... Unfortunately Thailand (and its people) are destroying their once so beautiful country! Shortsightness and money obsession are to blame (imo)

What else is new?

There are also people trying to do something about it as the article clearly shows. Thailand is still a beautiful country and hopefully the work by the people who care will eventually catch up with the people who don't. Changes like that don't happen quickly in this part of the world but they do happen.

[bluesky76]

(Quick) money is all that counts... Unfortunately Thailand (and its people) are destroying their once so beautiful country! Shortsightness and money obsession are to blame (imo)

What else is new?

who do u think is throwing their rubbish on the beaches?

[Gerryasia]

I have sent this item to a Thai friend whose brother needs a job. '_'

[HongKongPhooey]

(Quick) money is all that counts... Unfortunately Thailand (and its people) are destroying their once so beautiful country! Shortsightness and money obsession are to blame (imo)

What else is new?

who do u think is throwing their rubbish on the beaches?

Touche'

[Chupup]

So sad Racha was a beautiful island 10 years ago.

Yes Puket was as well 20 years ago, what a mess now

[HongKongPhooey]

So sad Racha was a beautiful island 10 years ago.

Yes Puket was as well 20 years ago, what a mess now

It was different 20 years ago but it's obviously still beautiful now.

What was the island like for cinemas, shopping centres, international schools back then? There are still plenty of remote undeveloped islands in the region, with Phuket being as developed as it is you get the best of both worlds.

Perfect