Samui Island is facing garbage dumping problem

[webfact]

Samui Island is facing garbage dumping problem



KOH SAMUI: -- Samui Island is facing a garbage problem with now over 200,000 tons of garbages left undisposed of and is annoying people living nearby.

Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum disclosed of the problem after inspecting a garbage dumping site of Samui City which is creating pollution nuisance to many people living nearby including local government officials working at the Samui Provincial Court, prisoners at Samui prison, and residents living nearby.

Waste water from the dumping site is also threatening a natural waterway.

The governor’s inspection came after the problem was raised by the National Council for Peace and Order after it could hurt tourism. The governor was later told to solve the problem within one month.

The governor said the garbage problem in Samui Island turned critical after two furnaces on the island broke down and an annual budget of 49 million baht the Samui City was allocated by the government was cut.

But as a temporary reprieve of the problem, the Samui City turned to dispose of the garbage using landfill method.

However rubber sheets were used to pave the bottom of the land fill to prevent waste water to flow into nearby water resource.

The governor also said there was a proposal to unload garbages to ships to dispose of on shore, but this needs very high operation cost and owns vessels for use.

The garbage problem came after the Samui City suspended a six-month contract to a private operator after it failed to dispose of the garbage which is amounted to 140 tons a day, and of existing garbage which now has accumulated to over 200,000 tons.

The city is in the process of hiring a new contractor to do the job but still could not get start due to some legal commitment stated in the first agreement which could not be scrapped.

As a preliminary remedy of the problem, the governor asked the city to hire new operator to remove garbage from the island, and instruct relevant health agencies to come and take care of people living near the dump site.

For the private operator which could not fulfill the commitment, he also advised the city to terminate the agreement.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/samui-island-is-facing-garbage-dumping-problem


-- Thai PBS 2015-04-07

[webfact]

200,000 Tons of Trash on Koh Samui Confirmed To Be Taken Care Of



KOH SAMUI: -- Recently the Koh Samui City department stated that it has no available budget to take care of the two hundred thousand tons of trash on Koh Samui that has affected both tourism on the island and has become a public health issue.

In a recent TV interview the mayor of Koh Samui City, Mr.Ramnet Jaikwang said that the city municipality budget could only cover taking care of trash on a daily basis, with nothing in reserve to deal with the two hundred thousand tons of banked up trash left on Koh Samui.

However, the mayor now requested the national government to allow a supplementary budget to fix the problem for the people of Koh Samui. Meanwhile, the city municipality will take care of health implications of residents in the garbage dump area in the south of the island close to the provincial prison.

In April, Surat Thani Governor Mr.Chatpong Chatraphuti, along with the government sectors went to inspect the area after Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha commanded the governor to take care of the problem.

Source: http://www.samuitimes.com/200000-tons-of-trash-on-koh-samui-confirmed-to-be-taken-care-of/

-- Samui Times 2015-04-07

[khwaibah]

Shut the island down and evacuate all personal.

[Commerce]

Just dump it all at sea. Won't make a lot of difference.

[Suffinator]

The governor’s inspection came after the problem was raised by the National Council for Peace and Order after it could hurt tourism.

Yeah never mind the environmental impact just worry about the impact on tourism for there lies the money and we can't have that being damaged.

Clueless and greedy.

[monkeycountry]

Samui is the main source of income and thereby tax revenue for Suratthani province. However, the vast majority of this tax revenue is sent directly to mainand Suratthani and Bangkok, and very little of it is sent back to Samui, which means Samui does not have enough money to solve various problems or improve anything.

The official reason Samui gets little money back is that the registered amount of residents on Samui is low at around 50,000 ppl and tax revenue is distributed based on that. Unfortunately tourists and workers from other provinces, who produce garbage just like everyone else, do not count when distributing tax revenue. I am guessing however, that the Suratthani governor or the NCPO could easily change that, and allocate more money to Samui - if they wanted to.

Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum should realise that if tourism on Samui dies, then so does Suratthani's main source of income, it is therefore not only in Samui's interest, but also in Suratthani's interest to spend alot more of Samui's tax revenue on improving Samui.

Of course corruption, nepotism and incompetence among local officials is also ruining every attempt at improving Samui, but unlike the tax revenue distribution problem, the these problems are not easily solved.

[craigt3365]

They could also do a lot of environmentaly friendly things. No more small soap/shampoo/conditioner bottles in hotels, no more plastic water bottles, no plastic bags, no styrofoam food containers, etc, etc. Won't 100% solve the problem but would make a bit of a dent.

Best of luck. This is a big problem all over Thailand.

[monkeycountry]

"In April, Surat Thani Governor Mr.Chatpong Chatraphuti, along with the government sectors went to inspect the area after Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha commanded the governor to take care of the problem."

For those who don't know, the incinerators have been closed for years, it is not a recent problem. Unfortunately the governor has been too busy to do anything about it, and everything else for that matter, until now. The plan is now to dig the garbage further down and cover it with dirt, and the job has to be completed before the generals next visit.

For those who don't know, there are no waste water treatment plants on Samui either, in case anyone wondered what happens to the dirty water in the island's many klongs

[ezzra]

Samui is facing a bigger problems with the 2 legged garbage kind, too many of them are ruining

the island for many years now, and still do.....

[Gforbes]

The real problem is that there is no effective garbage collection service on Samui and there seems to be little in the way of management. Garbage is collected most days from the stinking rubbish piles randomly located every few hundred meters apart around the island. The collection 'wheelie' bins are too small and usually overflowing. What is needed is a dumpster type of collection bin and a mechanical lifting device on the front of the truck. There is also a need for the dumpster bins to be pressure washed regularly. Disposal of the collected waste is a separate problem. But as two incinerators apparently exists, but have broken down, then fixing the incinerators would seem to be the first course of action. The whole garbage collection/disposal system on Samui needs to be up-dated and yes, it does and will have a detrimental effect upon tourism.

[monkeycountry]

The real problem is that there is no effective garbage collection service on Samui and there seems to be little in the way of management. Garbage is collected most days from the stinking rubbish piles randomly located every few hundred meters apart around the island. The collection 'wheelie' bins are too small and usually overflowing. What is needed is a dumpster type of collection bin and a mechanical lifting device on the front of the truck. There is also a need for the dumpster bins to be pressure washed regularly. Disposal of the collected waste is a separate problem. But as two incinerators apparently exists, but have broken down, then fixing the incinerators would seem to be the first course of action. The whole garbage collection/disposal system on Samui needs to be up-dated and yes, it does and will have a detrimental effect upon tourism.

While I agree the garbage piles every few hundred meters are not pretty, I think credit should be given to the staff who actually drive around with garbage trucks every night collecting the garbage. They are among the very few government staff on Samui who actually do a good job.

I also agree that big bins and trucks that could lift them would be better. However, that means it would be hard for those who pick plastic and glass bottles etc. from the garbage bins to do their "job". I know it is not the smartest way to recycle, but it is better than nothing, and at least ensures that some of the garbage is recycled.

[notmyself]

I understand that one of the incinerators is actually working but at a reduced capacity.

[northernphil]

Huh! Biggest road of lubbish I have seen today.

[marko kok prong]

do it the Thai way,just set fire to the lot,in situ.

[sambum]

"In April, Surat Thani Governor Mr.Chatpong Chatraphuti, along with the government sectors went to inspect the area after Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha commanded the governor to take care of the problem."

For those who don't know, the incinerators have been closed for years, it is not a recent problem. Unfortunately the governor has been too busy to do anything about it, and everything else for that matter, until now. The plan is now to dig the garbage further down and cover it with dirt, and the job has to be completed before the generals next visit.

For those who don't know, there are no waste water treatment plants on Samui either, in case anyone wondered what happens to the dirty water in the island's many klongs

Now that someone has miraculously discovered that piles of stinking rubbish, and overflowing wheelie bins could have/is having a negative impact on tourist revenue, something might get done about it - environmental problems are not a primary concern, as is obvious from the sweeping under the carpet way of resolving the problem :-

." The plan is now to dig the garbage further down and cover it with dirt, and the job has to be completed before the generals next visit."

And after that, then presumably start dumping on top of it again!

Why not ask Gen Prayuth to order the Governor to get the incinerators fixed, and instal some waste water treatment plants? (This would be more or less normal procedure in a Western civilised country, would it not?)

Another reason why Thailand is a 3rd World Country (Think I'll start copying and pasting that!)

[sambum]

"In April, Surat Thani Governor Mr.Chatpong Chatraphuti, along with the government sectors went to inspect the area after Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha commanded the governor to take care of the problem."

For those who don't know, the incinerators have been closed for years, it is not a recent problem. Unfortunately the governor has been too busy to do anything about it, and everything else for that matter, until now. The plan is now to dig the garbage further down and cover it with dirt, and the job has to be completed before the generals next visit.

For those who don't know, there are no waste water treatment plants on Samui either, in case anyone wondered what happens to the dirty water in the island's many klongs

"In April, Surat Thani Governor Mr.Chatpong Chatraphuti, along with the government sectors went to inspect the area after Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha commanded the governor to take care of the problem."

Presumably, as the command was given by Gen Prayuth, that would be April 2015, which is only 7 days old - so a fairly recent commandment then?

[khunPer]

That news article look like a deja vu from many years back...

The amazing today’s news part is that nothing has happened since...

[samuibruno]

we have a bio septic tank system[for toilets] and a waste processor [insinkerator]

in our kitchen

which means just about zero waste from my property

aluminium cans are recycled , tins/steel recycled, glass , plastic etc recycled , paper/cardboard recycled

very very little reason left for rubbish but lack of education

and lack of long term thinking

governments just want your money today and samui municipality is the same

[gemguy]

Do not expect it to be solved any time soon...or ever for that matter.

[2020]

Just do what these nuggets did....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810557-what-is-all-the-foul-smoke-in-nathon/

I had a headache for days and a sore throat for a week after that, so I won't be back for another go. I got the ferry to the mainland and found the beaches far better, the people far more relaxed and resorts far cheaper for comparable quality. Sorry to be a downer on the good folk living there, but that is exactly my experience last time.

[notmyself]

It's been so long that I can't honestly remember when the plant was fully working. Has to be at least 5 years which is quite a while even if they had to order the part from Bangkok.

[spacebass]

Straight into the sea same as at Koh Samet Rayong !

Edited April 7, 2015 by spacebass

[ksamuiguy]

10 years or so ago, the Garbage Incinerator (near the Prison) was working and was very efficient.

I did an inspection for (unnamed group) the system worked and worked well, little on no wast emitted.

The problem than came up that the smell was bad on Couudy/Misty days.

The problem was the caused by the opening of the door to the dumping pit, the garbage trucks used did not fit/seal to the opening.

The cost of maintenance and operation than became a problem.

This was a "State of the Art" Japanese designed and built plant, but underused at that time.

It is difficult to imagine that they need parts from Bangkok.

If that plant was put back in operation, it would solve the islands garbage woes.

It was another project that was to early for it's time., now that it is needed no one seems to care or want to resurrect the beast.

[futsukayoi]

One of the main reasons there is no money to sort this problem is that so many foreign house owners don't pay the tiny charge for garbage collection and just dump their garbage in someone else's bin. In the area where we live there are hundreds of foreign owners of houses costing millions or tens of millions of baht but at the most 1 in 5 cough up for garbage collection. If they go round to every house on the island and anyone who has not paid for garbage collection gets billed from the date their house was built they would have the money to fix this in no time.

[wabothai]

Urban planners urgently needed.

[samuibeachcomber]

The authorities here could not manage a "piss up in a brewery"

Too many people,too many cars,too many trucks,too much development...and thais dont "see' the rubbish" we see.

Just go to an isaan village and see the rubbish all over the place.It's just not a high priority fo them it seems.

[carmine]

Dumping garbage, kids on bikes chucking rubbish, its a way of life here. It'll take a new generation to change things not a government overnight fix it.

Just like nearly everything else here that hasn't changed at all. That is except a crackdown on everything foreign.

[sambum]

Dumping garbage, kids on bikes chucking rubbish, its a way of life here. It'll take a new generation to change things not a government overnight fix it.

Just like nearly everything else here that hasn't changed at all. That is except a crackdown on everything foreign.

The small complex where I rent my house which is just off the main road, and actually in the "city" limits) does not have a rubbish collection service, so we have to dispose of our own. (e.g. put it in plastic carrier bags and take it to the nearest green wheelie bin, which is usually full to overflowing, with piles of stinking bags beside it. A neighbour (Middle Eastern) did not even bother doing that - he just dumped his bags of rubbish at the side of the lane leading to our complex! (Just to illustrate that it's not just a Thai problem!)

I agree with your post - it could take a new generation to change things, but only if the anti littering laws are enforced by that generation. Did you ever hear of ANY Thai being fined or punished in any way for dumping rubbish? But, if a farang walks down the street in Bangkok and drops a cigarette butt - he/she is immediately jumped on by the "litter police" and fined 2000 baht.

The way forward is to convince the Thai "powers that be", and the Thai citizens that cater for the tourist trade, that garbage dumping, especially in holiday destinations can and does have a detrimental effect on tourism, and hence dramatically decreases the number of baht that goes into their pockets, and by giving them a hefty fine at the same time, their pockets are being hit twice!

[ksamuiguy]

So no one wants to address the issue of the garbage incinerator.

Another neglected and abandon resource, now needed to help resolve current problems.

It worked and worked well, than it went away. The scale at the plant was the official weigh station on the island for a long while.

[spidermike007]

The article states Samui city? Just where is this place, Samui city? As far as I know, there is no environmental policy on Samui. The central government does everything in it's power to ignore the island and pretend it does not exist. Very nearly the same with the Surat Thani government. A giant sucking sound. Take the money. Give very little back. And most of the business owners (there are a few that are conscious and give a damn, but they are in the extreme minority) On Samui, are trying to suck as much cash from the cow as they can, and tend to give very, very little back to the community, nor their own businesses, resorts, restaurants, etc. The place is sort of crumbling. There is an astonishing lack of pride on the part of most of the locals, and many of the business owners. Very little is being done to really improve the place. The mayor has done a few beautification projects, and they have been doing minimal work on the Ring Road (many years after the central government gave them the funds for it), and improving the sewers. I give them credit for that. But, you simply do not see the kinds of projects like one might see in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, where there are some very conscious politicians who really care about their area. Not on Samui. It is not a progressive place, on any level.