As Krabi runs out of water, entrepreneur calls for urgent action
A business operator in Thailand’s southern province of Krabi on Friday called on the local administration as well as the government to take urgent action as the tourist paradise fights extremely hot and dry weather conditions.
“We have learned that the province has less than 100,000 cubic metres of water available to make tap water,” Krabi entrepreneur Thanawat Phukaoluan said on Friday. “If there are no rains soon, Krabi will run out of water for consumption in 7 or 8 days.”
Thanawat added that the situation on Krabi’s much-visited Phi Phi Island has become even more dire, as the company that supplies fresh water to the island has suspended its service since Tuesday (April 23).
This has severely affected the locals and hotel operators who do not have access to underground water sources, he said.
Thanawat pointed out that the water supply issue on Phi Phi Island is under the jurisdiction of Ao Nang subdistrict administrative organisation, which is too small an agency to tackle such a major problem. He urged the Krabi provincial administrative organisation (PAO) to step in and allocate a budget to create a more sustainable water supply route to the tourist island.
“Krabi must follow the example of Phuket PAO, who disbursed 50 million baht to improve the Bang Wan Reservoir so it could supply water to drought-stricken villages in Kamala subdistrict,” he said.
Thanawat said another approach to tackle the water shortage was artificial rain, but such efforts had proved to be less effective due to Krabi’s unique climate.
