News About Phi Phi, Krabi Palm & Shrimps

[NBT TV Phuket]

Redevelopment work for Phi Phi Island is in progress while Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop asks officials to speed up the reconstruction of the pier.

Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop on Saturday made an inspection trip to follow up the progress of redevelopment of Phi Phi island in Krabi after the tsunami. He was briefed on the progress of the work, especially on the 5 urgent projects for the island's reconstruction by Krabi Governor Sonti Thechanand. They are home building for tsunami displaced villagers, the pier, hospital and school, basic infrastructure such as electricity, water and evacuation routes. The Deputy Prime Minister commented that there is progress in the redevelopment work, but it needs to speed up more. He pointed out that the electricity project will cost 620 million baht while the water works will need 180 million baht. The projects which can go ahead now are improvement of the hospital, schools and building permanent homes on their owners' old land. Mr. Suwat however pointed out that another lot of 200 permanent homes on 8 rai of private donor's land still cannot be built as the land is apparently in the National Park and under a court case. Even though the pier needs to be built urgently, at this stage it is still under the plan design stage.

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Bio-diesel factory in Krabi gets started and is expected to be activated mid year this year.

The Minister of Energy Wiset Jupiban on Saturday made a trip to Krabi to visit and meet with members of the Oil Palm Agriculturalist Cooperatives Association in Krabi's Ao Luk district. He was briefed by the Association's manager Somchai Sitticoke who said his group has been allocated a budget of 18.5 million baht to build a Bio-diesel production plant under the supervision and design of Prince of Songkhla University. According to Somchai the plant will bear a production cost of 5.97 baht per litre and has a production capacity of 10,000 litres per day. Speaking about the construction progress, Mr. Somchai said the new facility construction is now 10% in progress and is expected to be completed in July this year. It has plans to sell the bio-diesel to local businesses, such as fishing boats, official vehicles and public transport like Song Taews or buses in Krabi to start with. With the largest palm plantations in the country, Krabi has announced to be an oil palm center in its development plan along with tourism.

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Shrimp farmers in Krabi facing high production costs with low produce.

Around 450 small shrimp farmers in Krabi had a meeting with Krabi Governor Sonti Techanad and a House Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives in the effort to reach a way out for their long time high cost production and low production capacity. Among the problems farmers facing are capital source and technical support while the nursery for aqua marine animals face high costs.

The group called for the House committee to present their problems to responsible agencies to promptly tackle the issues as well as seek overseas markets for their shrimp production continuously as well as purchase shrimps in different sizes. There are currently 2,110 shrimp farms in Krabi covering a total area of 6,700 rai.

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From Andaman News TV11 Phuket, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket + Radio Thailand FM90.5 Phuket, 8.30am Monday 23 January 2006 & www.Thaisnews.com