Phuketwan 'Brave Enough to Change' Campaign
PHUKET: Black stinky water covered a canal and a section of Phuket's Bang Tao beach today, but there were different views on what to do about it.
Governor Maitree Intrusud came to the canal, splashed his face with the water, said there was no smell and no danger, and that it was safe to swim.
He encouraged Russian tourists to walk through the muck and they did, with some interesting body language.
While the governor could smell nothing, lots of other noses were twitching. He says the water is safe for swimming. But local residents say one child has been treated at a hospital for an infection and they fear others will fall sick.
When pressed to say whether the obviously black water was good or bad, Cherng Talay Mayor Ma-Ann Samran said: ''It's bad water.''
Tourists won't swim in black water and the governor won't be there each day to tell them it's safe and doesn't smell.
On Bali or some other holiday island where tourism is an important industry, the local authorities might seek to shut down the resorts that pump out the black water immediately to save the island's reputation.
On Phuket, where the only enforcement option appears to be gentle persuasion, there's none of that.
The local residents could give the governor and the mayor the names of the resorts they believe are pumping the muck into the canal. They were certainly happy to provide them to journalists today.
The governor and the mayor could go to those resorts, demand to see the paperwork, and ask to see the wastewater treatment plants in action.
But no. On Phuket, the sun is shining and it's safe to swim, even if the water is black and smells really bad. Only the dogs were paddling in it today.
One fisherman told a Phuketwan reporter on the canal's edge: ''Look at this. The tourists won't come. The fishermen can't fish. It is really bad for Phuket.''
Ironically, the stretch of beach at the southern end of Bang Tao is overlooked by the latest luxury property development at the exclusive Amanpuri, world's first boutique resort.
Villas here go for between $3 million and $5 million. And what do the rich look down upon?
A canal pumping black water into the sea, and authorities who are slow to realise the threat that these environmental lawbreakers pose to the future of Phuket.
The relationship between the polluting resorts and the local administrators appears to be far too cosy, Phuketwan believes. With Phuket's reputation on the nose and offensive to the eyes, it's time to shut down some of these resorts.
The owner of the Blue Siam gallery and beach club, which sits right alongside the canal, is Anusorn Koliya. He said: ''The black water began last week after the heavy rain. My guests don't want to swim in it or even walk through it.
''They get itchy and they break out in spots. Many tourists come and take photos. This is a quiet beach, and when people come here and see the black water, they leave quickly.
''I am not so much worried about my own customers, but about the future of Phuket.''
Fisherman Sawai Rermaroon said: ''Is this a civilised island? A civilised island wouldn't have this.
''We have black water because of the selfishness of people who have big money. They don't care about the environment or local people. When the rains come, they let the bad water out.
''Foreign tourists, Thai tourists, everyone is complaining.''
Everyone, that is, except the governor.
Phuketwan believes all resorts on Phuket should be checked for working wastewater systems. Any that pollute local canals should be closed immediately.
This is the icing on the cake for Phuket. When the Gov. can claim that "black" water is safe in all respects it is really a sad state of affairs for the future of our main industry. Anybody that believes beautiful Phuket would have grown like it has over the past decades if we had "black" water for the tourists to look is delusional. 1st impressions do count and this is a bad one!!
Posted by gemjac on April 12, 2014 20:24