Patong hotel ordered to remove water-runoff pipe from beach
Phuket Gazette


The beach chair operators asked the hotel to rectify deluges of rainwater from flooding the beach during heavy downpours. Photo: Supplied

PHUKET: -- A leading Phuket resort has been ordered to remove a pipe that released runoff rainwater directly onto the sand at Patong Beach.

The news came yesterday when officers from the Regional Environmental Office (REO) and Patong Municipality inspected the Impiana Resort, on the Patong beachfront road (map here).

“We asked people in the area, and were told that the hotel installed the pipe at the request of beach chair operators in front of the resort,” REO inspection officer Khanchit Soontrakorn told the Phuket Gazette.

“Every time there was heavy rain, the rainwater flowed down from the resort onto the beach, right where the operators rent out beach chairs,” he said.

“Often, there was so much rainwater that it formed huge puddles in the sand, which didn’t look nice, so the beach operators asked the hotel to try to do something about it,” he explained.

Mr Khanchit said that his officers tested the water coming out from the pipe and confirmed it was not wastewater.

“The water coming out of the pipe formed a light foam, which indicated some form of detergent was being carried out with the rainwater, so the hotel agreed to remove the pipe and install a separate chamber to collect rainwater runoff from the resort’s swimming pool terrace,” Mr Khanchit said.

“A pump will be installed to empty the water from the chamber into the hotel’s main wastewater drain when the chamber is full,” he explained.

“We will return next week to make sure the pipe has been removed and that the runoff chamber has been installed,” Mr Khanchit added.

The inspection yesterday came after REO chief Dr Pornsri Suthanaruk received a complaint, with photos of the pipe, from a Phuket expat.

“Thank you for notifying us about this. If anyone sees wastewater, or any other form of pollution that needs action, please take photos and report it directly to us by calling 076-219329 or 076-219415,” Mr Khanchit said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Patong-hotel-ordered-to-remove-water-runoff-pipe-from-beach-22794.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-11-16

Sitting on a rented chair looking at a sewage pipe doesn't look nice either. O.K we on here know that it is not sewage but what would the tourist be thinking?

The Thai solution to almost everything, do first, don't think and don't look back. If someone complains tell them it was not you and go on , only after too many complain find other half - ass solution. But please don't do it right the first time or follow common sense....

If there were municipal drains along the frontage road into which rainwater run-off was collected from hotels and other structures this self-help solution would not occur. It is the responsibility of the municipality to plan and provide the infrastructure to support the tourist cash-cow,

If there were municipal drains along the frontage road into which rainwater run-off was collected from hotels and other structures this self-help solution would not occur. It is the responsibility of the municipality to plan and provide the infrastructure to support the tourist cash-cow,

That would have been to easy ,,,,nobody would think of a simple planning like that,,,,Just build and see what happens later , who cares.

Sitting on a rented chair looking at a sewage pipe doesn't look nice either. O.K we on here know that it is not sewage but what would the tourist be thinking?

Did I miss something. Where did it mention sewage run off?

Sitting on a rented chair looking at a sewage pipe doesn't look nice either. O.K we on here know that it is not sewage but what would the tourist be thinking?

Did I miss something. Where did it mention sewage run off?

I am not saying it is sewage. Basically what I am saying is, what would a tourist be thinking it was whilst they are enjoying their romantic honeymoon? It would probably cross my mind that he may be sewage and I may very well think this is a dirty beach and I'm not swimming in that water. storm water contains a variety of contaminants.

Perhaps the Regional Environmental Office (REO) and Patong Municipality would look at all the bad water being discharged at the south end of Patong beach via the klong that collects all sorts of water from the Nanai Rd and Middle Road buildings.

Good to know that if observed and video captured, a polluter will be accountable.

Depends who the polluter is!

Perhaps the Regional Environmental Office (REO) and Patong Municipality would look at all the bad water being discharged at the south end of Patong beach via the klong that collects all sorts of water from the Nanai Rd and Middle Road buildings.

I've seen that water. Not only does it have paper and plastic rubbish floating in it, but oil slicks from the road. Terrible that this flows straight out into the beach water.

Perhaps the Regional Environmental Office (REO) and Patong Municipality would look at all the bad water being discharged at the south end of Patong beach via the klong that collects all sorts of water from the Nanai Rd and Middle Road buildings.

See the OP, make a photo and report.

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That's quite amazing that the hotel didn't even bother to hide the pipe a little better. It's in the middle of the piece of beach just in front of their beach front hotel . They didn't even bother to do as everybody is doing, that is throwing the shit in the nearby klong or water drain pipes...

you can eat the food @ the hotel and swim later in your own shit