FIRE raged through Phuket's most photographed tourist symbol yesterday, destroying notable palmyra and blackening a large section of the once-beautiful Cape Promthep.
Reader Guy ''Charlie'' Lidureau took this dramatic shot from the sea at precisely 6.51pm on Sunday as the blaze reached its destructive peak. About three rai was burned by the blaze, fanned by a hot wind.
A spokesman for the tessaban Rawai council told Phuketwan that it was too early yet to provide a full estimate of damage. He said it was fortunate that rain came to help douse the blaze.
''It happens every year,'' he said, ''although this year seems to be worse than last year because of the long, dry period without rain.''
It's believed the fire probably started with a discarded cigarette or intense sun magnified through a piece of glass.
Because of the terrain at the cape, no firetrucks can be used so the firefighters had to combat the blaze by hand, using backpack sprays or wet hessian bags. It's an unequal struggle.
Phuket Crimes Involving Guns, Knives SurgeReader Guy ''Charlie'' Lidureau took this dramatic shot from the sea at precisely 6.51pm on Sunday as the blaze reached its destructive peak. About three rai was burned by the blaze, fanned by a hot wind.
A spokesman for the tessaban Rawai council told Phuketwan that it was too early yet to provide a full estimate of damage. He said it was fortunate that rain came to help douse the blaze.
''It happens every year,'' he said, ''although this year seems to be worse than last year because of the long, dry period without rain.''
It's believed the fire probably started with a discarded cigarette or intense sun magnified through a piece of glass.
Because of the terrain at the cape, no firetrucks can be used so the firefighters had to combat the blaze by hand, using backpack sprays or wet hessian bags. It's an unequal struggle.
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By law, the local administration should strictly ban smoking cigarettes and carrying glass bottles for all visitors, with a lot of sign-boards informing them about the ban at this beautiful natural spot. Wrong-doers should be penalised if they are caught smoking cigarettes or drinking booze with glass bottles.
Posted by Whistle-Blower on April 26, 2010 13:49