Firefighters Put on Standby As Dry Conditions Take Hold
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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 thephuketnews thephuketnews1 thephuketnews.com Friday, February 22 – Thursday, February 28, 2019 Since 2011 / Volume IX / No. 8 20 Baht TOURIST GORED AS TREKKING ELEPHANT GOES WILD > PAGE 3 NEWS PAGE 3 Greek hunted for brutal murder of AT THE local beautician READY FIREFIGHTERS PUT LIFE PAGE 11 Marine mural ON STANDBY AS art for turtle’s DRY CONDITIONS sake in Mai Khao TAKE HOLD, SMALL Firefighters across the island are on standby to respond to any wildfires that may break out. Photo: The Phuket News / file WILDFIRES BREAK OUT Tanyaluk Sakoot “Fires can easily start from peo- fire, the provincial level will step in,” fire was spreading quickly,” Sub Lt & Eakkapop Thongtub ple’s activities, such as burning trash, Mr Prapan added. Suwarin explained. [email protected] as well as dry grass and activities in The order followed a spate of “Concerned that the fire would fields. During weather like this, such small wildfires breaking out at five soon grow out of control, a total of SPORT PAGE 32 irefighters throughout Phuket fires can spread quickly,” he warned. different locations on the island eight fire trucks were called in. It took have been put on alert follow- The order was handed down to last Sunday (Feb 16), with the most all of them two hours to completely Phuket City FC Fing a spate of small wildfires all local municipalities and tambon threatening fire, along the Cherng stop the fire,” Sub Lt Suwarin added. breaking out across the island. Prapan administration organisations (OrBor- Talay – Baan Don Rd in Thalang, “We are not sure what started the Kanprasang, Chief of the Phuket Tor) to be responsible for their areas. taking eight firetrucks two hours to fire. Nobody knows how it happened first home match Provincial Office of the Department “All fire equipment and firetrucks bring under control. yet,” he said. held at Surakul of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation must be ready at every local adminis- By that time, the fire had scorched “Luckily, the firefighters stopped (DDPM-Phuket) confirmed the order tration,” Mr Prapan explained. about three rai of a coconut plantation. the fire before it got close to mansions, on Wednesday (Feb 20). “They must understand that this Sub Lt Suwarin Mrodmuang of luxury villas and residents’ homes,” “This year the dry season has is their own responsibility. They have the Cherng Talay Police was notified Sub Lt Suwarin noted. arrived quickly. Hot weather and a their own fire departments to respond of the fire at 4:30pm. Mr Prapan called on residents to lack of rain in areas can cause fires to fires, whether they be household “I immediately informed the fire- take precautions to prevent fires from to spread easily, just like every year,” fires or wildfires,” he said. fighters from Cherng Talay OrBorTor starting, and take proactive steps to Mr Prapan said. “If they are not able to control a and Cherng Talay Municipality. The prevent them from spreading… CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 @thephuketnews 2 PHUKET NEWS THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 [email protected] Russia set to open Consulate-General in Phuket before News year’s end > page 4 Chalong Underpass makes breakthrough Cleaning Koh Racha THE TUNNEL THAT WILL become the Chalong Under- Go Eco spurs DMCR action over reef blocks pass has now been fully ex- Waranya Prompinpiras but when they dive there, they cavated and the construction [email protected] see a boat that had been sunk engineer for the project still to be a dive site and nearby hopes that the underpass will he Department of they see these blocks. be open to traffic in April. Marine and Coastal “At the end of January, a Somkiet Yimpong, Project Resources (DMCR) foreign tourist took pictures The tunnel has now been T Manager at the Phuket office of fully excavated and the will move to tidy up a pile of of these blocks and posted on the Highways Department, told underpass is hoped to open artificial reef blocks dumped their own social media with The Phuket News last Friday to traffic in April. Photo: on the sea bed off Koh Racha the caption ‘Concrete waste (Feb 15) that the tunnel break- Phuket Highways Office Yai, south of Phuket, as they of Phuket tourism’,” he said. through came in late January. have been targeted as an eye- One pile alone comprises Work on installing the phase, but hopefully this will sore for foreign tourist divers. about 20-30 blocks, amongst panelling along the walls of be all done before the end of The news follows local The unsightly pile of unused artificial reef blocks dumped about 100 blocks across the the underpass have already April,’ he said. marine conservation group on the sea bed in Kon Kare Bay at Koh Racha Yai, south of sea floor, Mr Ittiput explained. begun, he said. Meanwhile, the structure Go Eco Phuket posting photos Phuket, is drawing fire from tourists. Photo: Go Eco Phuket After being informed that “We still have to install all that now sits in the middle of of the pile of concrete cubic DMCR Chief Mr Jatuporn had the fume-extraction fans, noise what used to be Chalong Circle frames, sitting piled up on the News last Friday (Feb 15) that Go Eco Phuket confirmed ordered for action to be taken, dampers, water pumps, lights is nearly complete. sea floor in “Bay 1” off Koh the Go Eco Phuket post had that the pile of blocks sit at the Mr Ittiput said, “I am glad that and other things, but overall Construction of the tower Racha, on its Facebook page been brought to the attention bottom of Kon Kare Bay, on the DMCR gives importance right now the construction pro- is on schedule to be complete last Wednesday (Feb 13). of DMCR Director-General the east side of Koh Racha to this issue… If the DMCR ject stands at 76% complete,” next month, Mr Somkiet said. Nipon Thongyoo, head of Jatuporn Buruspat. Yai. Local divers refer to the is not ready to fix this, if it Mr Somkiet said. The tower is being built at the Development of Fisheries “Now, he has ordered me bay simply as “Bay 1”. does not have the budget or Mr Somkiet still hopes a cost of B3 million, as part of and Marine Environment to fix this problem. I plan to Go Eco Phuket Secretary the workers ready, they can for the underpass to open to the overall B546mn budget for Division at the Department do so in the next two to three Ittiput Schadt told The Phuket call us for help. We believe traffic in April. “Once all the the entire underpass project, of Marine and Coastal Re- weeks, but we cannot do any- News, “Foreign tourists pay that there are many volunteer systems are installed we will he explained. sources (DMCR) head office thing right now as the wind is money to dive at Racha Yai. divers who are willing to help have to go through the testing The Phuket News in Bangkok, told The Phuket too strong,” Mr Nipon said. It is a very beautiful island, re-arrange the blocks,” he said. Wildfire, drought plans take shape Continued from page 1 ...“Do not throw away cigarette butts in risk areas, such as dry grass. Also, please keep fire extinguishers in good condition at all times,” he said. He also urged people who see any fire unattended and seemingly causing risk to life or property to call the 199 fire emer- gency hotline. “In case of fire, people should use any fire extinguishers available to counter the fire The fire in Cherng Talay scorched three rai while waiting for help to arrive. Local fire near homes. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub departments in Phuket will deal with fires in their areas. We have teams of firefight- three water-supply systems connected to- ers with equipment that can access where gether that can supply 23,000 cubic meters fires are and help people very quickly,” Mr of water each day,” Mayor Somjai explained. Prapan said. “The municipality uses municipal water Mr Prapan on Wednesday stressed that supplies, private tin mining lagoons and Bang Phuket had not yet been officially declared Wad Reservoir to provide tap water,” she said. amid a “drought”, though admitted a “drought Bang Wad Reservoir currently contains plan” had been drawn up and was to be about 4,090,595 m3 of water; municipality presented to Phuket Governor Phakaphong raw water sources contain about 657,161 m3; Tavipatana soon. Suan Luang Park lake contains about 159,998 Meanwhile, Phuket City Mayor Somjai m3; a lake near Vachira Phuket Hospital Suwansupana this week called on Phuket contains about 126,005 m3; the lake along Town residents to prepare for water rationing Soi Pha-niang contains about 175,000 m3; in case rain does not arrive soon to replenish Mayor Somjai explained. the town’s water-supply reserves. “However, if there is no rain for a long “We are requesting cooperation from the time, or the raw water sources run too low, public to save water,” Mayor Somjai said. Phuket City Municipality has prepared a “From January-April every year, we have plan to prevent water shortages,” she said. dry conditions,” she added. “If the amount of raw water is not enough, Mayor Somjai explained that Phuket City Phuket City Municipality will have to reduce Municipality provides tap water to more than the water pressure from 10am to 5pm and 18,096 residences in Phuket Town and nearby from 10pm to 5am each day,” she explained.