The policy emphasises the need for more trees in Phuket to restore the natural environment, aiming to bring back the island’s original green cover, Anuphong Panarat, Secretary to the Governor of Phuket, told The Phuket News.
“The draft requires each new construction to include designated green areas to ensure this. The draft must align with the Thai Constitution, other laws including the Environment Act and Land and Building Control Act,” he added.
“At its core, this policy is about returning green spaces to Phuket, which not only benefits the environment but also helps reduce risks of dangers such as floods,” Mr Anuphong said.
However, Mr Anuphong cautioned, “It doesn’t fully prevent landslides… I would say there are many factors contributing to natural disasters like floods and landslides.
“While having trees and green areas certainly helps, it’s important to understand that Phuket’s landscape is mostly forested and mountainous. But these mountains aren’t all soil; they have layers of granite that erode with rain. This is a major factor,” he said.
“Planting trees and ground cover plants can provide some level of protection, but it’s important to recognise that this alone will not fully address the issues of flooding and landslides; it’s just one piece of a larger solution,” he added.
The move brings some response to incidents such as the landslip in Baan Kuku, Ratsada, on Aug 28 that officials plainly blamed on the removal of tree cover on the adjoining plot, which resulted in a rain-soaked embankment plunging onto homes below.
The disaster affected 11 households and 50 people. In response, Phuket Province declared Moo 3, Ratsada, as a disaster/emergency disaster relief area due to the flooding and landslide. Even a week after the landslip, five households, consisting of 20 people, opted to stay in a temporary shelter set up. The remaining 30 people were staying with relatives.
The move also brings into question the ongoing investigation into the landslide in Kata on Aug 23 that resulted in 13 deaths, 19 people injuried and damage to more than 50 homes.
The Royal Forest Department has launched its investigation, and now pressed charges, for illegal encroachment onto protected forest land at the Big Buddha Viewpoint at the top of the hill where the landslide began.
Forestry officials are investigating whether the illegal car park, which required the removal of trees at the site, caused or contributed to the deadly landslide.
GOING PUBLIC
The Phuket Urban Development Network (PUDA) held a seminar in Phuket Town on Sept 19 to explain the new draft regulation.
In addition to introducing new restrictions for factories and swiftlet buildings, the draft regulation requires that any new building in the Phuket Old Town area must maintain at least 30% of “permeable space” (“to allow to allow surface water to permeate underground”) and that trees must be included on site.
In other areas near the coast, at least 50% of a plot area must be maintained as a green area, with trees on site, and plots at the bases of steep slopes must maintain up to 75% of the plot area as a green space, also with trees on site.
While the draft does not stipulate how many trees must be kept on site, it does mandate that the trees be a native species.
The seminar was led by MNRE Phuket Director Wattanapong Suksai. Attendees included representatives from government, private, and public sectors.
Mr Wattanapong shared that, “Phuket is preparing for a new version of the Ministry’s draft regulations concerning the Environmental Protection Area. This draft will update rules and requirements for environmental impact reports (IEE/EIA), land development, and building design in the area.”
The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), under the MNRE, informed The Phuket News that the drafting process, which actually began in 2021, is still ongoing.
“The policy is still under development, and no official date for its implementation has been set. More input and discussion are needed before the draft can be finalised,” The Phuket News was told.