Coinciding with the visit to Phuket by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Minister Chakkraphong was in Phuket yesterday to attend a meeting at the Phuket Irrigation Office, joined by Surasee Kittimonthon, Secretary-General of Thailand’s Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR).
At the meeting, Mr Chakkraphong received updates on key water issues, including progress on the water management development plan in Phuket, construction plans of the Provincial Waterworks Authority’s Phuket branch, and recent flood relief efforts. He later visited the Bang Wad Reservoir in Kathu District to further assess water management efforts.
In his address, Minister Chakkraphong highlighted the importance of effective water resource management in Phuket, which he noted was a province known for its world-class tourist attractions that significantly contribute to Thailand’s economy.
He instructed the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) and other relevant agencies to take proactive measures to resolve flooding, drought and wastewater challenges, thereby enhancing the quality of life for locals and driving economic growth in Thailand, said an official report of the meeting.
The Minister also stressed the importance of completing the Provincial Waterworks Authority’s Phang Nga - Phuket water-supply expansion project by 2027.
The long-awaited pipeline was given only a passing mention at a meeting in November last year held to discuss strategies for avoiding water shortages that plagued the island as recently as 2019.
The project has been tabled for nearly 10 years, and in 2020 was confirmed to be stalled by bureaucratic hurdles, despite already being approved by Cabinet.
Apparently that has changed, with the current government promoting that the pipeline is finally to be completed.
The expansion project for the Phang Nga - Phuket branch aims to build a water production system with a capacity of 120,000 cubic metres per day, serving 35,000 new water users in target areas such as Takua Thung District in Phang Nga Province and Thalang, Kathu and Mueang Districts in Phuket, said the official report of the meeting yesterday.
The project, part of a four-year plan (2024-2028), aligns with the 20-year water resources management master plan to ensure water security for the region, the report added.
The Provincial Waterworks Authority has been instructed to efficiently manage water in Phuket’s reservoirs, ensuring a stable and balanced water supply throughout the year, the report said.
ONWR Secretary-General Surasee said the main water issue in Phuket is a shortage of water for consumption, noted the report.
“This is because the current sources of raw water used for tap water production are not sufficient to meet the growing demand from expanding urban communities,” Dr Surasee said.
“Additionally, the water supply network does not yet cover the entire area, and parts of the system are in disrepair,” he added.
“Phuket is also facing flooding problems due to inadequate drainage capacity in the canals, which are further obstructed by improperly sized bridges and road underpasses. Rising sea levels along the coast also contribute to the flooding. These issues are most prominent in Thalang, Kathu, and Mueang Phuket Districts,” Dr Surasee continued, noting that the issues affect every area on the island.
“Another significant issue is the wastewater, primarily from communities and service establishments,” Dr Surasee also noted.
Dr Surasee confirmed during a visit to Phuket last year that nearly 55,000 cubic metres of wastewater a day on the island went discharged untreated.
“To address these problems sustainably, ONWR and related agencies have developed a master plan for water resource management. This plan includes 461 projects spread over the short term (2023-2027), medium term (2028-2032), and long term (2033-2037),” Dr Surasee said.
“Once completed, these projects are expected to increase water supply by over 77 million cubic metres, reduce flood-prone areas by 18,789 rai, and improve wastewater treatment capacity by more than 22 million cubic metres per year.
"From this master plan, ONWR has prioritised 142 key projects for the next three years, which, if completed, will benefit 3,241 rai of land, 86,941 households, and protect 2,450 rai of land,” he added.
“These projects will also increase the water supply by 9.81 million cubic metres. All relevant agencies will work diligently to implement government policies and orders to ensure water security for Phuket Province," Dr Surasee said.