The Governor’s missive was delivered at a meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall on Monday (Sept 2), where he later addressed the press to explain his instructions.
Governor Sophon emphasised the urgent need to conduct surveys and install soil movement monitoring stations equipped with tools to detect and warn of potential landslides and flash floods, said an official report of the meeting.
The systems are expected to be effective in providing a warning up to one hour before an incident occurs, covering all high-risk areas in the province, the report added.
Additionally, plans were discussed to plant banyan trees and giant leucaena as ground cover to stabilise the soil. Engineers have also been tasked with designing water retention weirs that can slow down water flow during the rainy season.
Present at the meeting were Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong; Somkid Chukong, Advisor to the Governor; along with Watanapong Suksai, Director of the Phuket Natural Resources and Environment office, and other key officials.
The details of the disaster reported by Governor Sophon were as follows:
JUNE 30 FLOODS
On June 30, 2024, around 4am, heavy rainfall of over 330 millimetres hit Phuket Province, leading to flooding and water accumulation in several areas of Thalang and Kathu Districts.
The affected areas in Thalang District include Pa Klok, Thepkrasattri, Srisoonthorn, Cheng Talay and Sakhu subdistricts.
In Kathu District, flooding occurred in Pak Kua Law community, Baan Phakdee community, Baan Nuea community and Namtok Kathu (Kathu Waterfall) community, as well as in Kathu and Kamala subdistricts. A mudslide was reported at 6am. in Baan Hua Khuan, Moo 5, Kamala.
The flooding and mudslide affected a total of two districts (Kathu and Thalang), seven subdistricts, 44 villages, 4 communities, 2,059 households and 6,202 people.
KARON LANDSLIDE
On Aug 23, heavy rainfall of 200mm was recorded in several areas of Mueang Phuket District. This led to flooding and water accumulation in Chalong, Rawai and Karon. At around 5am, a mudslide occurred in Moo 2, Karon burying houses in the area.
The disaster affected three subdistricts (Chalong, Rawai and Karon), impacting nine villages, 260 households, and 817 people.
The tragedy resulted in 13 deaths and 19 injuries. Additionally, 170 houses were partially or completely damaged, and one road, Pak Bang Road in front of Karon Municipality, was also damaged.
Karon Municipality is currently verifying the information to ensure accuracy before presenting it to the Karon Municipality People’s Assistance Committee, which was to meet at Karon Municipality offices yesterday (Sept 3) to discuss providing assistance according to the regulations of the Ministry of Interior on expenses for aiding affected people under the authority of local administrative organisations.
LANDSLIP IN RATSADA
On Aug 28, a flood and landslide occurred in the Thepburi housing estate in Baan Kuku, Moo 3, Ratsada. 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.
As part of the initial assistance, Ratsada Municipality set up a temporary shelter at Phim Prapai Place Hotel and provided temporary accommodation at Ratsada Municipality School in the Na Luang area for affected families while their houses are being repaired.
As of Monday (Sept 2), five households, consisting of 20 people, had opted to stay in the temporary shelter. The remaining 30 people are staying with relatives.
Ratsada Municipality is providing food and drinking water to the victims in accordance with government regulations.
MEASURES
Governor Sophon announced that Phuket Province has established guidelines to prevent and address landslide issues through collaborative efforts across all sectors to ensure public safety, said the official report.
The province has developed a master plan for managing high-risk areas, accelerated the use of community-level landslide risk maps to inform residents in vulnerable zones, and coordinated with local administrative organisations to prepare for natural disasters before, during, and after they occur.
Efforts have been made to design and implement a prevention, monitoring, and warning system, particularly in high-risk areas, using modern technology, innovation, aerial and satellite imagery, and other relevant data, the report added.
At the meeting a list of 49 ’Risk Areas’ for natural disasters was presented.
“These resources will be utilised to maximise benefits in relation to land use, especially for public utilities and building construction,” the report said.
“Soil movement measurement stations equipped with monitoring tools have been set up in risky areas to provide warnings of landslides and flash floods, with the ability to alert residents up to one hour before an incident,” the report added.
The report made no mention of local residents in Karon complaining of a weather monitoring station on the hill where the Karon landslide occurred failing to provide any warning. Officials later confirmed the instrument was not functioning.
Regardless, the official report of the Governor’s message on Monday said, “The Department of Mineral Resources has partnered with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to monitor and issue disaster warnings for flash floods and landslides via mobile phone networks, ensuring that information is delivered quickly and efficiently.”
“To further reduce the risk to life and property, Phuket Province [sic, the Phuket Provincial Office] has planned to plant fast-growing cover crops, such as banyan trees and giant leucaena. The Royal Forest Department is coordinating to obtain seeds, which will then be distributed in target areas by helicopter,” the report added.
“Additionally, the province is working with relevant agencies to design and construct water retardation weirs. Engineers are focused on creating an efficient system that can effectively slow down water flow during the rainy season,” the report concluded.
The Governor’s message and comprehensive list of details came just days after Phuket MP Cherlermpong Saengdee presented to Parliament a long list of failures of officials to take action to prevent future flood and landslide disasters, and the failure of officials to give any warning of impending disasters. (See MP Chalermpong’s report to Parliament here.)
Governor Sophon at the meeting on Monday also failed to make any mention of the Big Buddha foundation being under investigation for illegal encroachment onto protected forest area with illegal construction that is now accused of causing the deadly landlide on Aug 23.
Thai news agencies are now reporting that Phra Udom Wachiramongkol, the provincial abbot of Phuket, has issued an ‘abbot’s order’ (No. จจ.ภก. 1701/062), marked ‘urgent’ to Phra Khru Wisutkitiyaphon, abbot of Wat Kittisangkaram (Wat Kata), to stop all construction at the Big Buddha site.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post has reported that Big Buddha complex has been, or will be, ordered closed.