The move follows a briefing yesterday (Dec 4) at Phuket Provincial Hall, where Phuket City Mayor Supachok La-ongphet outlined the mounting pressures on the Phuket Solid Waste Disposal Centre at Saphan Hin.
The mayor warned that daily waste generation could reach 1,400-1,500 tonnes in the coming weeks, with organic waste accounting for much of the increase.
However, the centre’s incinerator can process only 500 tonnes a day, forcing the remainder into landfills, which he said was becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Mayor Supachok added that despite repeated calls for cooperation on waste-reduction measures, many local government bodies had yet to take meaningful action to reduce waste at the source.
Governor Nirat acknowledged the severity of the situation and the operational limits faced by Phuket City Municipality. He said he would personally chair the Phuket Provincial Waste and Garbage Management Committee and instructed officials to summon executives from all 19 local administrative organisations to a mid-December meeting.
The Governor stressed that only decision-makers would be required at the meeting to ensure concrete measures can be agreed upon quickly.
He also noted that more than 10 local administrations have still not signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Phuket City Municipality on updated waste-disposal fees, even though rates have not increased since 2009.
If an agreement cannot be reached, he warned that Phuket may need to consider requiring each local authority to manage its own waste to reduce pressure on the provincial disposal centre.
Governor Nirat reiterated that resolving Phuket’s waste-management crisis will require full cooperation from all sectors to ensure efficient and sustainable long-term solutions for the province.