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Water Shortage Hits Phuket as Holiday Island Lets Natural Supply Run Away
By Phuketwan Reporter Wednesday, May 7, 2014
PHUKET: Water shortages across Phuket are worse than ever this year with supplies through taps often running dry in Rawai, Vichit, Rassada, Chalong, Patong and other districts, a survey has found.
A rebellion among residents is spreading as profit-takers push water prices higher.
The water shortage highlights one of Phuket's key infrastructure problems - and emphasises the lack of a strategic approach, as revealed in news reports about the owner of one large lagoon in Phuket City filling it in, much to the annoyance of residents.
While Phuket gets plenty of water naturally throughout the year, the vast majority runs into the sea. Not enough of is stored to meet the island's growing needs.
New developments, for instance, are not regulated to take account of providing their own extra water supply.
Residents are forced to buy water from private dealers at prices that are sometimes vastly inflated because of heavier demand this year.
Not only residents but construction firms, resorts, restaurants and other private businesses are also being forced to buy water this year, a Phuketwan survey showed.
Phuket's long dry spell, which can extend through the November to April high and dry season and continue into May, usually produces some shortages. This year, the shortages are more intense and more widespread.
Mr Chin, a private water seller based on the bypass road in Phuket City, declined to give his surname but said: ''More people definitely need water this year, right across the island. Our business is much busier this May than ever before.''
He said six-wheel trucks carrying 16,000 litres sold for 500 baht a load, smaller trucks carrying 7000 litres sold for 200 baht, with pickups carrying 2000 litres going for 40 baht.
''We increase prices up to three times if the water is intended for resale, not use, by the buyer,'' he said.
Preecha Jaiard said he sold water at a rate of 1200 baht for 16,000 litres, having bought the load at 500 baht. Demand was so strong he was able to sell 2000 litres for 200 baht, having bought the load at 40 baht.
The owner of a restaurant in Rawai said he was among those paying 200 baht for 2000 litres: ''I feel this year is proving to be worse than previous years.''
The Mayor of Rawai, Aroon Soroj, said the shortage of water was definitely greater this May.
''Rawai doesn't have enough water to serve residents at this time of the year,'' he said. ''But we can supply extra water by truck for free if residents call 076 613800.''
Not all municipalities on Phuket are believed to share this policy. Some Phuket residents say they continue to receive water bills even after the water has stopped flowing.
Patong businesses have complained at being offered trucked water that is not clean enough for washing.
Governor Maitree Intrusud said that billing problems could arise if water meters continued to run when water stopped flowing, if pipes were broken, or if there were problems with pumps.
''I have ordered all Phuket councils to address the issue, to sort out the problem, and to help people find the extra water they need,'' he said.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Since the Governor has told them to address the issue, we can all sleep knowing it will be fixed imminently.
Posted by
Tbs
on
May 8, 2014 04:42
Great expose, had years of this bullcrap. The local supplier continues to lie through their teeth. Supply and demand but I don't buy it. As I said earlier this week 6000 L B1,200.
Posted by
gee
on
May 8, 2014 06:16
A 'one tonne' pick-up is carrying nearly 2 tonnes of water?
Posted by
gee
on
May 8, 2014 06:22
Gee, it's a very common practice, in Thailand, to installed higher rated springs, so the pick=up can carry a heavier load, however, the fools don't understand that the chassis is also designed only to carry its designed for weight, there are numerous, and hilarious, photos, on the "net" showing the results, many pick-ups with broken backs and axels. Of course this is another dangerous practice, but nothing is done to stop it.
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 8, 2014 07:20
#Gee
They modify the rear suspension, axle and wheels to carry the extra weight. Its very common in pickups that carry water and other products on a regular basis.
Posted by
Amazing Thailand
on
May 8, 2014 08:40
Plenty of brand new cars driving around Phuket but I hardly see any investment in rainwater-collectors around/on top/nearby houses. Throughout the year, Phuket has more rainy days then sunshine and yet there is nobody taking advantage of it or investing in this kind of technology that actually would help the environment AND support each individual in saving money.
Posted by
Jakub P.
on
May 8, 2014 09:38
Water conservation goes way over the top of Thai heads.
Posted by
Anonymous
on
May 8, 2014 11:52
On year like this, extremely dry, measures should be taken to save water before getting to this point. What can be done??? What about Songkran??? That's an enormous waste of water, probably enough to supply Phuket for 1 month; a solution could be blocking water supply on that day so none goes wasted
Posted by
JK
on
May 8, 2014 12:21
(moderated)
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 8, 2014 13:23
Editor Comment:
Laurie, if you have evidence for the allegations you make, please let us see it. If not, we will continue to give all individuals the protection they deserve from unproven assertions and foolish insinuations. The system is what needs fixing.
"the fools don't understand that the chassis is also designed only to carry its designed for weight"
Isn't it foolish to label people you haven't met 'fools'? And isn't that foolish English grammar? And didn't one of the wisest teachers of all time state 'call no man a fool'?
Posted by
Sam Wilko
on
May 9, 2014 08:59
Sam Wilko, quite frankly I don't give a damn about your foolish reply, I hope my comment upsets your day and tonight you lose sleep, I certainly won't.... I guess you would say it is very intelligent to put others lives at risk, what a fool you are. As for "fools" well, if you do something foolish then by definition you are a fool, it doesn't mean everyone needs to know you to know what you are. Sam, the world is full of fools...just look in a mirror, you might see one.
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 9, 2014 09:51
" I hope my comment upsets your day and tonight you lose sleep" Just what mental age are you? Wow!!! You surpass yourself!
Posted by
Sam Wilko
on
May 9, 2014 12:22
Sam Wilko... it seems to have had the desired affect, next time you reply to my comments maybe you'll think twice. My comment was deliberately aimed at your comment as you seem to have question my use of the word idiot...clearly by definition overloading a vehicle is foolish, therefore those that do are fools, next time do not be so quick to reply... think very hard first, if in fact, you are capable of such a feat. You will find my comments are well thought out and researched, even if Ed disagrees... and at times refuses to post given proof/evidence.
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 9, 2014 15:47
Editor Comment:
Your usual grasp of unreality seems to slipping even further, Laurie.
Oops.. "idiot" should of course be "fools."
(moderated)
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 9, 2014 17:10
Editor Comment:
As long as you have choices, Laurie, that's the main thing.
Herrlich. Laurie is quite a pompous presumptious vainglorius troll. Oops.
Posted by
Lena
on
May 9, 2014 20:02
Editor Comment:
Glad you didn't insult anyone by using ''fool'' or ''idiot,'' Lena.
Lena, I hope you have a very nice day, but when you calm down think about this, many more agree with me than disagree, there must be something in that. It's a pity you don't get to read all of what I say, you might learn more.
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 10, 2014 06:50
Editor Comment:
As everybody in Thailand knows, Laurie, having the majority on your side doesn't count.
This is a serious subject,one that is going to affect us all.And can easily cripple this Island.If you have not got something constructive to say Laurie,stay out of it.
Posted by
Anonymous
on
May 10, 2014 09:18
@Lena: cc Laurie Howells.
Quite. Grandiloquence is probably the most fitting description. His worst faults are dishing out criticisms without being able to accept them in return, which shows a weakness of attitude by failing to realize that his opinions show a lack of character by his attempts to prove to others who or what he is. His near dominance of this comments section shows that, and is becoming increasingly annoying. Probably suffers from sheer boredom, let alone writers cramp. Best to ignore his carps.
Posted by
Pete
on
May 10, 2014 10:49
Thanks, Laurie - you had me 'howelling' with laughter...
Posted by
Sam Wilko
on
May 10, 2014 11:39
Wow.. many posts totally off topics.
Foolish to overlaod anything is moving on the road, not becasue the chassy can broken, but because can't modify the brakes, can't modifiy th engine (using like brake), can't modify the point of lateral tipping. Infact here the overturning of the water tank at the end of a descent is common thing. And about the price of the water try to thinking how much is the gasoline, the working time and the devaluation of the truck used. I think is cheap price even 200 baht for 2.000 liters that is an amount of water adequate for a family from 3 to 7 days.
Posted by
dave
on
May 10, 2014 12:55
What can I say, like all others, including dear readers, I am not perfect, I to have done some foolish things, therefore I to, at times have been a fool...let he who has not sinned, cast the first stone. Having said that, this whole discussion comes from me saying that it is foolish to overload a vehicle, there fore, if you do something foolish, the yes you are, at that time, a fool... I find it have to believe that some of you do not understand such a very simple understanding, but hey, if it is too hard for you then maybe someone can explain it in more simple terms, it is foolish of me to try and explain simple things to very simple minds, who seem to believe it shows intelligence to overload a vehicle therefore creating a dangerous situation.
Aonymous, use your name and I'll have more respect for what you say. Crippling the island has nothing to do with what I, or you, say...go petition the man who can, but doesn't, do something... the governor.
Lena and Pete, a personal attack will get you nowhere, except to show readers what you are... can you please add something to the debate or are you only capable you insults.
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 10, 2014 16:32
@Laurie Howells:
No, not a personal attack; just a description of how you project yourself to readers and your constant use of the word ???fool?????. You are not perfect as you have suggested in some of your posts. Good that you admit to it.
Cicero (if you know who he was) wrote ???It is the peculiar quality of a fool to perceive the faults of others and forget his own?????.
Then you say ???many more agree with me than disagree?????. Really, is that the silent majority in your
mind? Give us some proof. Look up or down this column ??? not a single soul agrees with you.
Posted by
Pete
on
May 10, 2014 18:16
Pete, and anyone else, who find my comments annoying, boring, stupid, idiotic etc, my name is at the bottom of every comment, therefore it is your choice to read or not, no one forces you to do it, so why oh why do you foolishly read, instead of ignoring them, then complain. Foolish behaviour...mmm now what would that make you. Pete, can you do something a little more intelligent, and tell us what you think about overloading vehicles...please stay on track, as this was the original post.
Posted by
Laurie Howells
on
May 10, 2014 19:00
Laurie. Read again, then you will see, if you does not ignore your own comments, that you were abusive first. Not the first time. You can only finger show on other people, even when you write of your own faults. Great technic. Respect. A sign of a clever troll.
Overloading is not foolish. It is dangerous as it is a lot in this country. Not following codes of safe procedures is common and one cause for the cheap prices.
Think about a korean ferry, three times overloaded and therefore top heavy. It sunk and took nearly a whole school to death. That is also not foolish. It was a procedure to milk the ship, the pickup. With the broken pick ups, they were running long time to their end. Making a lot of cash for the owner, as they have great experience to how much "overclocking" the vehicles can take. And even a broke axle is repearable for the crafty people here. Makes the pick up not safer, but it is not driving with 100 km /h. It is a rational behavior, made possible by lax oversight. Nothing foolish. Quite the opposite.
And back to Laurie, in all your comments you transpire an overlord complex. Specially over the Thais but normally everyone. Simple put, you feel superior. You are not.
Posted by
Lena
on
May 10, 2014 21:08
Overloading of any vehicle is a complete ignorance of physics. Even under loading, if done incorrectly can cause performance issues with the vehicle. Any truck or pickup incorporating a carrying tray assumes that the maximum rated load is uniformly distributed across the area of the tray so that the centroid of the mass causes the correct weight to be born on both front and rear axles. If the mass is too far forward a higher load is applied to the front wheels and if too far back, insufficient load and less traction to the front wheels.
Modifying rear axles, suspension or any other components does not take into account the limits of strength of the drive train and braking. As knee tic energy is to the velocity squared, a 50% increase in load equals an increase in energy of 125% with probable stopping distance 2.25 times the design. Added to this, as the cargo is liquid and subject to surging and I assume without adequate baffles, the wave effect of the liquid would impose a modulating load when breaking. On any road with even the smallest amount of water with reduce friction coefficients, this variation of surging of the load, increases the likelihood of an accidents.
Brakes will be overheated beyond design, drivetrain will be over stressed, loads to steering will be beyond anticipated design and fatigue cracking to the body and frame will increase. Ultimate Failure of any component is likely to occur at a critical situation as hard braking or a steep assent or descent.
So those who undertake such modifications are not fools or idiots, they are both !
Posted by
Manowar
on
May 10, 2014 21:19
Overloading as a deliberate action is negligent and as such any damage caused to an innocent party should be treated as a crime.
An overloaded truck potentially endangers all other road users and pedestrians, an overloaded ferry endangers all passengers and loss of life should be and in this case will be prosecuted as a crime of manslaughter against those who allowed this to occur. This will not be limited to the captain and crew but will also include the company directors because they knew of and allowed this to occur. At the very least, they failed in their obligation and duty of care towards the passengers. Once overloading is confirmed there are no grounds to defend this action.
In the case of overloaded trucks, the same applies, either the person modifying the vehicle has sufficient knowledge to undertake such works, in which case failure will be professional negligence causing death or they have insufficient knowledge in which case it is ignorance, an illegal modification, overloading and a deliberate action for which they were unqualified to undertake..
This type of action is not smart, not about saving money, not about providing cheaper goods or products, it is about greed and disrespect of others. Accidents and damage will not occur every time, maybe not the first 1000 times but at some stage it will occur and some innocent person will be effected by another negligence.
Posted by
Manowar
on
May 10, 2014 22:40
Great info, manowar. Same with the buses. Cheap bought chassis rebuild to look like great, even cut in the middle to make space for more seats.
The people driving and working these things often are not the ones owning them. But they have some special skill and knowledge needed to operate with these little accidents. And the people owning them, do it knowing something can happen. No one is foolish. They know about the accidents and the dangers. But they soldier on.
Btw. same with truck wrecks from Eastern Europe, which came onto Europe's autobahn after the wall fell. But police took them down one by one and after 15 month no faulty truck dared to drive into Germany. The thing is lax oversight or maybe a different feeling for risk. Life is cheaper here. It is always a trade off between risk and reward. Helmet airbags mandatory for bicycles? Speed limit to 50? Mercedes for everyone? So for a lot of folks here asking for western safety is just like that.
But looking on it with 50 years of safety PR incorporated - for example in Germany you need to let an electrician certify every electric cable/instrument every year(!) in your shop for 250 Baht each, if you want to keep your ISO Certificate - on this overloaded and outright dangerous vehicles (if operated by a western educated driver) it is still just short minded to think of them as foolish. It is a different trade off. So nothing much will happen to an owner after an accident with one of these cars here. Different in South Korea, where life is not cheap anymore.
Things will change with the elevation of standards of living. But then most expats will have moved to Burma for the cheap food and lodging and "natural" beauty. ;)
Posted by
Lena
on
May 11, 2014 02:53
Lena, I hear what you are saying but you are missing the point on risk. Everyone is entitled to assess what risk for reward is acceptable to themselves where they are the only potential casualty. Nobody has a right to assess what level of risk is acceptable to a third party. I have no right to determine your value of life and likewise you don't for me. What we do have is manufacturers of vehicles who have determined acceptable design of vehicles for intended and limited uses, a traffic authority who accepts that design, a purchaser who buys the vehicle based on that design and the public who assumes that all these steps being followed, will provide a minimal or acceptable risk to other road users.
Whether life is considered cheap or not depends on the individual and I assume this varies broadly across all societies probably based on the quality of their life.
Prosecution of incidents arising from such usages is probably more through luck in that they have not caused damage to the right or wrong person.
The rights or wrongs are a bit heavy for me right now as I am currently receiving my daily instructions and dressing down from the childrenofwar. Anyway I much prefer the topics of sharks, chickens, snakes and unusual midnight parking.
Posted by
Manowar
on
May 11, 2014 07:48
Lena, your comment is at times contradictory and therefore very confusing. "Overloading is not foolish", are you a little crazy, I say someone is "foolish" so what would you call someone who does something dangerous... "intelligent," I really do not understand the way you think, you acknowledge it is dangerous, but reject it is foolish, maybe we are looking at the difference between mans and females, or one culture and another.
Fool, definition:: a person who lacks good sense or judgment : a stupid or silly person. Why you bring the Korean ferry disaster into the debate God only knows, it only goes to support my comments a bout "fools" a "foolish" behaviour. Thanks for supporting me, even though you were trying to do the opposite.
Another confusing comment, but yes, it is true, "Specially over the Thais but normally everyone" I do not target only Thais as this could be construed, by some. as racist if ANYONE, regardless of race, does/says (as in your case) something foolish, then they are fools, bear in mind, I could have used much stronger language, but chose to be "softer," hoping not to raise the ire of PW's readers, but my efforts obviously failed. Lena... learn to understand the definition of words my comment regarding "fools" and the "overloading", opposed to your computer term "overclocking," is 100% correct. It's obvious you problem isn't so much as with what I say but with me, Get over it, and do not read what I post, but hey, secretly I know you like to read them.
Another misuse of a word to try and justify your stance "overlord."
Def. Overlord:
1: a lord over other lords : a lord paramount
2 a : an absolute or supreme ruler
b : one having great power or authority
A little exaggerated, don't you think.
Anyway, call me what you like, I don't really care, but it would be nice if you could at least argue for, or against, the topic of my comments rather than single out individual words.
My last comment on this story...Lena, Is it or is it not foolish, stupid dangerous, idiotic and criminally negligent (at times leading to negligent manslaughter) to "overload any vehicle.
Posted by
Laurie howells
on
May 11, 2014 12:16
Water shortages in Patong today, truck delivering to Impiana and others.
Posted by
Manowar
on
May 14, 2014 15:17
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Since the Governor has told them to address the issue, we can all sleep knowing it will be fixed imminently.
Posted by Tbs on May 8, 2014 04:42