The ceremony took place at the base of the site of the landslide in Patak Soi 8, behind Wat Kata, in Moo 2 Karon, and was attended by public officials and residents.
Phra Khru Suwanna Thammawinij, abbot of Wat Suwannakirikhet (Wat Kata), and Governor Sophon Suwannarat led the event.
Governor Sophon also visited 83-year-old landslide survivor Mr. Somros Thiraphitthayaphithak, offering him a gift basket as a gesture of support.
In his address, Governor Sophon provided updates on disaster recovery and highlighted the province’s disaster risk management efforts, said an official report of the event.
The official report failed to mention that the landslide killed 13 people, injured 19 others and directly damaged more than 50 homes.
The official report did note that Governor Sophon saying that restoration work in affected areas had been completed.
He also pointed out that local administrative organisations had provided assistance to victims in accordance with government policy.
They had also worked with victims to help with the rehabilitation of their mental well-being through making merit and dedicating it to the deceased, building morale among their relatives and victims in the area, he said.
The governor also addressed the long-term plans for disaster prevention in Phuket, announcing the establishment of a working group with experts from the Department of Mineral Resources.
The working group is working on engineering solutions to protect high-risk areas, while early warning systems have been deployed, including devices from Kasetsart University and the Modchanapai Foundation, he said.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is set to install 10 more early warning systems across the province, he added.
Governor Sophon stressed the importance of preparedness, noting that rain gauges have been distributed to all 30 villages in Phuket to alert residents if rainfall exceeds 150mm, allowing timely evacuations. (See story here.)
Experts from the Department of Mineral Resources explained that the landslide on August 23, 2024, was caused by the age of the soil and rock layers, along with heavy rainfall that allowed water to seep in and trigger the slide, Governor Sophon explained.
The province is now planning short-, medium-, and long-term measures to prevent future disasters in a practical and effective way, he concluded.