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Phuket's tourist icon ablaze: a Phuketwan reader's dramatic image

Phuket's Cape Icon Stung by Brutal Blaze

Monday, April 26, 2010
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.
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Comments

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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

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Since the 12th of March we have no law in Thailand anymore. So there is nothing to enforce. Very sad!

Posted by DD on April 26, 2010 14:23

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@whistle blower, good idea. Another source of income for corrupt officials. Thais 20 baht, foreigners 2000 baht.

Posted by Horst on April 26, 2010 14:34

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whistle blower you want to lose all our liberties and become like Europe, no drinking allowed in public areas etc.

But it does happen every year any way. It could also be part of the natural process. In one part of America they kept the wildfires under control but could not work out why the forest was dying: it was because it needed the fire.

That also being said, Rawai tessaban should have hoses and water connections in the area to protect Phromthep and the lighthouse and to control the fires if they get out of hand

Posted by Michael on April 26, 2010 16:44

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@Michael..I never said to ban drinking but to prosecute those carrying glass bottles in order to avoid them throwing them on site which may set a fire later on...

Anyway, it is not fun for many tourists and residents (Thais and expats alike) to see drunkards with booze in hands at many beautiful natural spots such as Promthep Cape, National Parks, beaches and waterfalls around the country.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on April 27, 2010 08:10

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Not sure about that, most alcohol comes in glass bottles and I have had many a good time with Thai families at places like Phromthep and national parks where they have called me over to enjoy some food and the obligatory glass of sang som. That's part of the beauty of this place.

I think more education is needed regarding rubbish (garbage) and also have you seen how many rubbish bins there are at Phromthep (very very few considering how many visitors it gets)

There is a waterfall near Phang Nga with free entry, good signs in Thai and English concerning garbage and the environment, plenty of rubbish bins and the place is always immaculate and every Sunday very full of groups of people having picnics, drinking and also smoking cigarettes.

Posted by Michael on April 27, 2010 17:59


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