Military stick the boot in after raw sewage floods Koh Phangan

[webfact]

Military stick the boot in after raw sewage floods Koh Phangan

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

KOH PHANGAN: -- The Thai military swung into action Sunday to make the Koh Phangan authorities act over sewage polluting the island.

 

Pictures had appeared online with dozens of complaints from locals that raw sewage was flowing into the sea in the Ban Thong Sala area of the holiday island in South Thailand.

 

Reporters from Thai Rath went beaches there and found it stank with filthy, foaming, black water messing up many parts of the local area.

 

Some spots were being used by tourists, they said.

 

Locals told them they had been complaining about it for ages, but the local authority did very little to address the problem. It was now getting critical.

 

On hearing the news local army commander Thanongsak Permsanam took a contingent of soldiers to investigate and he was clearly not happy with the inaction.

 

He is now telling the local authority to get their collective fingers out and do something about the pollution quickly.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-06-12

[robblok]

It often needs the army to do anything.. local politicians rather keep the money they get from BKK for themselves. The more they spend on water treatment the less they have for themselves. 

[trogers]

Naahh...

 

Just a normal and natural condition...so said someone in the province next door...

[evadgib]

The amount generated there each month would easily fund sewage disposal if the hierarchy weren't all wearing " Great Escape" trousers ?

[Bangna Betty]

How can local authorities ignore this? TIT. It's always about money here.  I would absolutely love there to be a major tourist swing AWAY from Thailand with the reason given as dirty environment, unsafe infrastructure and roads and see if the big fall in income would motivate any changes. 

[ChrisY1]

They really need to look at the beaches in the WI......pristine.....properly managed and never marred by raw sewage.....Thailand' islands are cesspools really!

[PoorSucker]

How can local authorities ignore this? TIT. It's always about money here.  I would absolutely love there to be a major tourist swing AWAY from Thailand with the reason given as dirty environment, unsafe infrastructure and roads and see if the big fall in income would motivate any changes. 

Money for infrastructure on Koh phanhgan is allocated from Suratthani and is calculated on permanent residents on Koh phanhgan.
3/4 residents are not written on a Koh phanhgan housebook so not accounted for.
The tourist are not accounted for.
The Burmese are not accounted for.

[darksidedog]

26 minutes ago, robblok said:

It often needs the army to do anything.. local politicians rather keep the money they get from BKK for themselves. The more they spend on water treatment the less they have for themselves. 

You think here is bad? When I was living in India, an audit showed money being spent on building roads, and then maintaining them for 7 years, before it was revealed that none of the roads had actually even been built.

[robblok]

16 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

You think here is bad? When I was living in India, an audit showed money being spent on building roads, and then maintaining them for 7 years, before it was revealed that none of the roads had actually even been built.

I think its bad, but sure there is always worse. 

[Samui Bodoh]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Military stick the boot in

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He is now telling the local authority to get their collective fingers out

 

Is the boot going to replace the collective fingers?

 

Just asking...

[Basil B]

.This is causing now causing a big stink     ...in more than one ways.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Military stick the boot

Hope they cleaned there boots well afterwards..

[clockman]

2 hours ago, Bangna Betty said:

How can local authorities ignore this? TIT. It's always about money here.  I would absolutely love there to be a major tourist swing AWAY from Thailand with the reason given as dirty environment, unsafe infrastructure and roads and see if the big fall in income would motivate any changes. 

Bit by bit, the writing is on the wall. They ignore at it there peril!

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Bangna Betty said:

How can local authorities ignore this? TIT. It's always about money here.  I would absolutely love there to be a major tourist swing AWAY from Thailand with the reason given as dirty environment, unsafe infrastructure and roads and see if the big fall in income would motivate any changes. 

 

I would love to see a section 44 decree now indicating that starting tomorrow, every complaint, every discovered lack of checking and monitoring, lack of maintenance, etc., is an automatic 60 days jail and 2M Baht fine. Plus dismissal and totally banned forever from any form of government employment and total life ban from any direct or indirect political activity. 

 

Perhaps also add some serious form of local shaming.

 

IMHO until this subject (and some others) is taken seriously it's a serious impediment to change and to moving forward.

 

[Classic Ray]

41 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

I would love to see a section 44 decree now indicating that starting tomorrow, every complaint, every discovered lack of checking and monitoring, lack of maintenance, etc., is an automatic 60 days jail and 2M Baht fine. Plus dismissal and totally banned forever from any form of government employment and total life ban from any direct or indirect political activity. 

 

Perhaps also add some serious form of local shaming.

 

IMHO until this subject (and some others) is taken seriously it's a serious impediment to change and to moving forward.

 

I post stuff like this and get roundly criticized. I almost realise the futility of it in this dysfunctional society, I just hope beyond hope that one day some little parts of it will filter into Government and get done.

 

Maybe we need to translate it all into Thai and deliver it to Government House monthly. They can always use it to light the boilers that they don't need.

[anon4637435435]

Ooh... smelly boots!

[weegee]

Change of Village Heads would make a difference, if it was done more frequently....Dont make this position Permanent, and change every couple of years, until the locals are again represented and their village receives what the government thinks they are supplying money wise....

Proper Drainage of sewage and floodwater garbage is probably the most important thing for Thailand to tackle first....

 

[Get Real]

Anybody care for a swim?

[Thechook]

Just normal thai beaches

[Samui Bodoh]

5 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

I would love to see a section 44 decree now indicating that starting tomorrow, every complaint, every discovered lack of checking and monitoring, lack of maintenance, etc., is an automatic 60 days jail and 2M Baht fine. Plus dismissal and totally banned forever from any form of government employment and total life ban from any direct or indirect political activity. 

 

Perhaps also add some serious form of local shaming.

 

IMHO until this subject (and some others) is taken seriously it's a serious impediment to change and to moving forward.

 

 

Respectfully, I don't think you are being harsh enough. They should also blow up their family house and send their kids to work in the mines.

 

Its the only way.

 

 

[Redline]

It's 2017 and they are still dumping raw sewage all over the coasts and islands.  Thailand 4.0?  Quality tourism?  No enforcement

[samuijimmy]

9 minutes ago, Redline said:

It's 2017 and they are still dumping raw sewage all over the coasts and islands.  Thailand 4.0?  Quality tourism?  No enforcement

 

Yes just like many western countries... still do it...

[Reigntax]

9 hours ago, darksidedog said:

You think here is bad? When I was living in India, an audit showed money being spent on building roads, and then maintaining them for 7 years, before it was revealed that none of the roads had actually even been built.

 

At least they didnt have potholes and werent responsible for any fatalities.!

[Jonmarleesco]

There are certain advantages to not having elected politicians ru(i)nning the country.

[just.a.thought]

Didn't the authorities state that it was algae, so they didn't even bother to leave the office and actually go check before they made the first statement.

[gk10002000]

so sick of hearing the military this, the military that.  Start some serious lawsuits and fines and prison terms and hold people accountable.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

so sick of hearing the military this, the military that.  Start some serious lawsuits and fines and prison terms and hold people accountable.

 

Well at least hey are doing some good.

 

But yes i agree the various local authorities who are negligent in their duties (including the RTP) should be punished, in fact until they are punished nothing will change.

[Redline]

23 hours ago, samuijimmy said:

 

Yes just like many western countries... still do it...

What countries?  There are wastewater treatment plants, and inspections that new construction MUST be connected to before the ability to occupy or use any structure.  There are also very substantial fines, and both Federal and State regulations (USA).  I have lived all over the USA in rural areas and cities, and never encountered that, or even heard of that.  Maybe you are thinking about when you were a child?

Do you really think, even if there are a few cabins that do that, that the level is even comparable?

Can you provide some recent examples (any western country will do, excluding Eastern Europe)?

[Samui Bodoh]

10 minutes ago, Redline said:

What countries?  There are wastewater treatment plants, and inspections that new construction MUST be connected to before the ability to occupy or use any structure.  There are also very substantial fines, and both Federal and State regulations (USA).  I have lived all over the USA in rural areas and cities, and never encountered that, or even heard of that.  Maybe you are thinking about when you were a child?

Do you really think, even if there are a few cabins that do that, that the level is even comparable?

Can you provide some recent examples (any western country will do, excluding Eastern Europe)?

 

Unless it has changed in the last 2-3 years, look at the city of Victoria on Vancouver island, province of BC, Canada. A much larger jurisdiction.

 

It does happen.

 

There is more to the world than the USA.

 

Cheers

[Redline]

7 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

Unless it has changed in the last 2-3 years, look at the city of Victoria on Vancouver island, province of BC, Canada. A much larger jurisdiction.

 

It does happen.

 

There is more to the world than the USA.

 

Cheers

Well, it's too bad they don't control it there.  I have spent a lot of time in Canada, as I grew up near the border.  It was always much cleaner than the US.  Maybe it's not true now.  Trump won't have enough time to destroy everything.  I was using the US as an example.  Don't get your panties twisted.  I made no indication that the US was the center of the world, or maybe you have a sort of complex or insecurity?

[scorecard]

On 6/12/2017 at 2:11 PM, Classic Ray said:

I post stuff like this and get roundly criticized. I almost realise the futility of it in this dysfunctional society, I just hope beyond hope that one day some little parts of it will filter into Government and get done.

 

Maybe we need to translate it all into Thai and deliver it to Government House monthly. They can always use it to light the boilers that they don't need.

 

To some extent I agree.

 

Officers, even at high levels, just do as they are told. In fact they wait until they get a specific order to do something, even if the ship is sinking.

 

It happens at all levels.

 

Case in point 1: Whole floor of gov't building renovated with hidden cavities everywhere in walls and floor for large number of computer cables, electric cables etc. 

 

Cable fitters now come in (employees of the same gov't agency), they are well aware of the cavities and have drawings of how it should look in the new set-up. Their supervisor gives them an instruction, not clear at all, then leaves. Cable guys not sure so they fall back to old scenario, go right ahead and put multiple cables all over the floor, as before, including nailing old dirty & damaged cable cover strips into the new ceramic floor. Nothing said by anybody, still the same 2 years on.

 

Case in point 2:  Budget received for total absolute renovation of toilets on all floors of 9 storey gov't uni. building, 2 X F and 2 X M for every floor = 36 full toilet rooms. 

 

Three years later job completed after many stops and starts and within about 1 week the majority of the new toilets blocked or door falling off, everything leaking etc.

 

As the whole job is proceeding (outside contractor, established part way through the job no prior experience at all for this work) two maintenance officers from the uni now asking big questions about the work, saying it's unsatisfactory from many aspects, saying the ages old blockages in the underfloor piping must be cleared etc., but not cleared, both maintenance guys eventually assigned to other building clusters.

 

End result, all toilets in the building locked, now still locked 2 years on. Everybody in the building must go to other building to go to the toilet.