Govt To Relieve Water Shortage On Koh Samui

[george]

Thai government activing to relieve water shortage on Koh Samui

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Groundwater Resources Department (GRD) has conducted a feasibility study on groundwater dam construction on the tourist island of Samui to prevent lack of fresh water in the future.

Koh Samui has a worldwide reputation as an island holiday resort

Acting Director-General Somkid Buapeng said that the lack of fresh water on Samui island in southern Thailand's Surat Thani province worsens every year, because there are more tourist arrivals, and more tourism employees needed to work in the tourism sector.

As a result, Somkid said, there is an urgent need for the GRD to conduct a feasibility study on groundwater dam construction in order to provide more fresh water to the island where the number of tourists is increasing

Tourism growth on Samui island poses the threat of fresh water shortages for the popular tourist centre in the future.

A groundwater dam, if built, will help prevent seawater intrusion into freshwater sources.

The study, covering the effect of groundwater dam construction, prevention of seawater intrusion, ground water quality and management, Somkid said, will be completed early next year.

This year, some 2.5 million tourists have visited the resort island in the gulf of Thailand and it has raked in Bt12 billion. It is forecast that Samui will earn Bt15 billion from tourism in 2007.

--TNA 2006-11-21