People in Samui protest against an incinerator for making awful smell and contaminating the river

[Lite Beer]

People in Samui protest against an incinerator for making awful smell and contaminating the river

KOH SAMUI: -- Over one hundred people in Maret sub-district, Koh Samui, Surat Thani gathered to protest against an incinerator for contaminating the river and making awful smell.

On November 28th at 10:30 o’clock, groups of people from Village No. 1, 2 and 5 in Maret sub-district gathered in protest about an incinerator making awful smell and contaminating the river. Over one hundred people signed a petition and sent it to the authorities. They also brought the press to Koh Samui City’s incinerator in Maret sub-district to show them piles of trash that have accumulated over the years that the incinerator has not been working causing bad smells and pollution.

Mr. Niran Phetphrom, the representative of the people, said that people in Village No. 1, 2 and 5 in Maret sub-district, Koh Samui and in nearby areas have suffered a lot from the incinerator which Koh Samui City officials claimed that it was broken leaving them unable to incinerate the trash that has been buried for the past decade instead.

The trash is located close to the source of the river and those directly affected by it felt they could simply not take it anymore.

Moreover, the people asked the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to come and take care of their troubles.

-- Samui Times 2014-11-29

[notmyself]

Makes no sense at all. Are the people protesting that the incinerator is not working?

[khunPer]

Makes no sense at all. Are the people protesting that the incinerator is not working?

Yes, seems like being the problem - it's an old story that an incinerator has not been working for long time (maybe a decade), but I belive I read some time back that there are two incinerators now; perhaps the other is working...

[notmyself]

Makes no sense at all. Are the people protesting that the incinerator is not working?

Yes, seems like being the problem - it's an old story that an incinerator has not been working for long time (maybe a decade), but I belive I read some time back that there are two incinerators now; perhaps the other is working...

I heard quite some time ago that it was working at limited capacity which would make sense if only one of the two were working. Article suggests that people are complaining about the incinerator polluting a local river but it is more likely the ever increasing pile of solid waste that is to blame.

[khunPer]

Makes no sense at all. Are the people protesting that the incinerator is not working?

Yes, seems like being the problem - it's an old story that an incinerator has not been working for long time (maybe a decade), but I belive I read some time back that there are two incinerators now; perhaps the other is working...

I heard quite some time ago that it was working at limited capacity which would make sense if only one of the two were working. Article suggests that people are complaining about the incinerator polluting a local river but it is more likely the ever increasing pile of solid waste that is to blame.

The only thing I instantly can Google that make sense is this text:

»In 2008 the incinerator stopped operating due to a technical problem and didn’t start operating again until 2010. During the breakdown of the incinerator, Samui municipality was disposing solid waste to a sanitary landfill site but this method is not sustainable due to limited land availability.«

(http://www.globalislands.net/greenislands/index.php?region=11&c=41)

Could be the old waste – I do remember the talk then about incinerator failure and deposit that caused problems.

A document from 2000 says: »The plant employs two 70-ton stoker incinerators to treat up to 140 tons of municipal waste per day...«

(http://www.jfe-holdings.co.jp/en/release/nkk/40-10/art04.html)

And a planning document for Samui from June 2013 talks about upgrading incinerators with a plant using the heat to generate electricity – may be some news article about that, that comes to (my) mind...

(http://www.jfe-holdings.co.jp/en/release/nkk/40-10/art04.html)

A single post only at Samui Times’ website that just say: »This has been going on for years!«

[khunPer]

A little more to the incinerator story; today when I passed my GF watching Samui Cable News she said: »That's about the garbage at Samui.« I stopped, interesting; saw the protesters at the garbage plant and a spokesman talking-and-talking. What do he say...? »He complains about the bad smell and a lot of garbage from hotels and hospitals.« Do he say anything about the incinerator, can they burn the garbage...? »He says that the machine is not working, they can only burn 40 tons a day...« Anyone from the local government there...? »No...«

The next clip was showing some man in an office, he looked like someone important – what do he say...? »He excuse and say it is his fault...« Do he come with any solution to the garbage problem and repair of the broken incinerator...? »No...«

Presume it’s a question of money – I mean that the “machine” can be fixed if money is available – and, as it seems like there has been serious problems since 2008, that should be long enough time to have it all fixed-and-settled and again up running full capacity of 140 tons a day...!

I read that Thai Law gives a local administration the right to charge a so-called “tourist tax” of up to 2 percent on hotel bills, and as they don’t charge any tourist tax at Samui – that has been up in news feed some time ago, I think early this year – just 1 percent could generate a nice lot of money to help sorting out the island’s infrastructure; and to fix the incinerator before the problems gets totally out-of-hand. 1 percent tax will be like 20 baht on a 2,000 baht room, which I think is about average (5-star to bamboo huts). However, if average pay is only 1,000 baht a room (low end, must be more), then that 10 baht tax each “nite” can easily generate something like 30 million baht a year (based on 15,000 rooms only even most news feeds talks about more, each 1,000 bath, occupied 200 days a year).

Such a 1 percent surcharge tax only would mean no harm to the tourism – but mean a lot to Samui – may well improve tourism also.

[notmyself]

Could take a decade to clear the backlog even after it is all up and running again. I guess it has taken so long because they had to order the part from Bangkok.

[Rooo]

They do charge the 2%, came in a few years ago.

[khunPer]

They do charge the 2%, came in a few years ago.

Thanks Rooo , just remember I read about it and 1 percent was in question.

However checking with Google-search now (not many results) I can find a few resorts at Samui mention Tourist Tax:

»

Tax: Government Tax (7%) not included, Service Charge (10.70%) not included, City/Tourist Tax (1%) not included

Taxes

Not included in the Total Price: VAT 7%, Service Charge 10%, Local/Tourist/City Tax 1%. (When not included, local tax figures are indicative and may be subject to change at the hotel)

«(sic.)

Edited November 30, 2014 by khunPer

[samuibruno]

the problem remains that no body[or very few] actually knows how to go about collecting the taxs already in place in thailand

[inzman]

I'm wondering where the tax money is going? Perhaps someone should ask the important guy with no solutions to the problem.

[khunPer]

the problem remains that no body[or very few] actually knows how to go about collecting the taxs already in place in thailand

Perhaps let that be a job for the Police force; they seems – based on what we can read in the news feed – to be very efficient in money collecting...

(...sense of humor can be present .)

[reptile91602]

Samui continues to be run like a big joke. They bought the first incinerator over ten years ago for some 30 million baht but had no one able to figure out how to use it. So it sat for years useless.I am surprised they ever figured it out.

[anon022]

Mañana mañana

[spidermike007]

Moreover, the people asked the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to come and take care of their troubles.

Does anybody know why Samui has been ignored, thus far? It seems it remains the "forgotten island". Has any improvement taken place, at all? I know the taxis were "reformed" in the beginning. But, that lasted about 6 days. You cannot find one to use their meter, at this time. They just laugh at you. No enforcement, no follow up, seemingly no concern by the NCPO. Why? Are they afraid of Samui? Or is the land of the forgotten simply not on their radar?

It is about time the people of Samui stand up. They have been ignored for far too long, by a fabulously indifferent municipal, state, and federal government.

[Tropicalevo]

Moreover, the people asked the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to come and take care of their troubles.

Does anybody know why Samui has been ignored, thus far? It seems it remains the "forgotten island". Has any improvement taken place, at all? I know the taxis were "reformed" in the beginning. But, that lasted about 6 days. You cannot find one to use their meter, at this time. They just laugh at you. No enforcement, no follow up, seemingly no concern by the NCPO. Why? Are they afraid of Samui? Or is the land of the forgotten simply not on their radar?

It is about time the people of Samui stand up. They have been ignored for far too long, by a fabulously indifferent municipal, state, and federal government.

Start a 'Reform Samui' movement and I will come to your first meeting to sign up.

[spidermike007]

Moreover, the people asked the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to come and take care of their troubles.

Does anybody know why Samui has been ignored, thus far? It seems it remains the "forgotten island". Has any improvement taken place, at all? I know the taxis were "reformed" in the beginning. But, that lasted about 6 days. You cannot find one to use their meter, at this time. They just laugh at you. No enforcement, no follow up, seemingly no concern by the NCPO. Why? Are they afraid of Samui? Or is the land of the forgotten simply not on their radar?

It is about time the people of Samui stand up. They have been ignored for far too long, by a fabulously indifferent municipal, state, and federal government.

Start a 'Reform Samui' movement and I will come to your first meeting to sign up.

I wonder if that is possible. Reform and Samui seem oxymoronic, in terms. Samui has never before seen reform. Nothing really ever changes in Samui. Same, same is the code word on Samui. Nobody except the expat community seems to want reform. Samui is one of the least progressive places on earth. Prices go up daily, but services are rarely improved, and the place stays static, and unimproved, for the most part.

[khunPer]

Moreover, the people asked the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to come and take care of their troubles.

Does anybody know why Samui has been ignored, thus far? It seems it remains the "forgotten island". Has any improvement taken place, at all? I know the taxis were "reformed" in the beginning. But, that lasted about 6 days. You cannot find one to use their meter, at this time. They just laugh at you. No enforcement, no follow up, seemingly no concern by the NCPO. Why? Are they afraid of Samui? Or is the land of the forgotten simply not on their radar?

It is about time the people of Samui stand up. They have been ignored for far too long, by a fabulously indifferent municipal, state, and federal government.

Start a 'Reform Samui' movement and I will come to your first meeting to sign up.

I wonder if that is possible. Reform and Samui seem oxymoronic, in terms. Samui has never before seen reform. Nothing really ever changes in Samui. Same, same is the code word on Samui. Nobody except the expat community seems to want reform. Samui is one of the least progressive places on earth. Prices go up daily, but services are rarely improved, and the place stays static, and unimproved, for the most part.

»Nothing really ever changes in Samui. Same, same is the code word on Samui.«

SpiderMike, that’s not what we read in the threads with posts about “how Samui once were” and “how much it has changed”...

However, I understand what you mean – but I think a lot expats stays here and tourists comes, because Samui do not change too much and too fast – presume no one wish to see the our “paradise island” as a new Phuket or Pattaya – we wish “same, same”...

Believe the changes we want to see are the small irritating things – both for us residents and the tourists – like fair taxi-fares (also for the drivers) driven by meter; electric supply working; roads getting repaired and over time improved with new tarmac; beaches and other areas kept clean; garbage collected, and disposed of in a decent way...

On the other hand, I am very happy Samui is so “far away” from Bangkok, that they (government at any time) leave us alone – hope we can sort out our few domestic problems ourselves, most do seem to improve, however “not too fast”...

Edited December 2, 2014 by khunPer

[spidermike007]

Moreover, the people asked the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to come and take care of their troubles.

Does anybody know why Samui has been ignored, thus far? It seems it remains the "forgotten island". Has any improvement taken place, at all? I know the taxis were "reformed" in the beginning. But, that lasted about 6 days. You cannot find one to use their meter, at this time. They just laugh at you. No enforcement, no follow up, seemingly no concern by the NCPO. Why? Are they afraid of Samui? Or is the land of the forgotten simply not on their radar?

It is about time the people of Samui stand up. They have been ignored for far too long, by a fabulously indifferent municipal, state, and federal government.

Start a 'Reform Samui' movement and I will come to your first meeting to sign up.

I wonder if that is possible. Reform and Samui seem oxymoronic, in terms. Samui has never before seen reform. Nothing really ever changes in Samui. Same, same is the code word on Samui. Nobody except the expat community seems to want reform. Samui is one of the least progressive places on earth. Prices go up daily, but services are rarely improved, and the place stays static, and unimproved, for the most part.

»Nothing really ever changes in Samui. Same, same is the code word on Samui.«

SpiderMike, that’s not what we read in the threads with posts about “how Samui once were” and “how much it has changed”...

However, I understand what you mean – but I think a lot expats stays here and tourists comes, because Samui do not change too much and too fast – presume no one wish to see the our “paradise island” as a new Phuket or Pattaya – we wish “same, same”...

Believe the changes we want to see are the small irritating things – both for us residents and the tourists – like fair taxi-fares (also for the drivers) driven by meter; electric supply working; roads getting repaired and over time improved with new tarmac; beaches and other areas kept clean; garbage collected, and disposed of in a decent way...

On the other hand, I am very happy Samui is so “far away” from Bangkok, that they (government at any time) leave us alone – hope we can sort out our few domestic problems ourselves, most do seem to improve, however “not too fast”...

Not referring to development, higher prices, more five star resorts, more traffic, nor more stores as progress. Referring more to recycling initiatives, stable power, faster internet, 4G service, waste sewer treatment instead of pumping turds into the sea, cleanup of beaches, elimination of the Bangkok Air monopoly, regulation of taxis, enforcement of basic traffic safety law, etc. Real progress. Progress with a vision, and visionary leadership, something Samui has always lacked.