Royal Rainmakers to Be Called, Rations Lifted As
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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2019 thephuketnews thephuketnews1 thephuketnews.com Friday, February 8 – Thursday, February 14, 2019 Since 2011 / Volume IX / No. 6 20 Baht PHUKET CANDIDATES REGISTER FOR ELECTION > PAGE 3 NEWS PAGE 3 Brit barricades self in Phuket WHAT Town condo CRISIS? ROYAL RAINMAKERS TO LIFE PAGE 11 Fighting plastic, BE CALLED, RATIONS LIFTED drinking the air AS GOVERNOR ORDERS that we breathe OFFCIALS TO RESOLVE Every drop of water at the Bang Wad reservoir is precious. ISLAND’S WATER CRISIS Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot The Phuket News The notice, issued by the PWA dry season – until the annual rains in dire need of expanding or some [email protected] at 10:30pm, announced that the im- return in May. form of replenishing considering pending water restrictions to come Somsawat Chaisinsod, Director the rapid expansion of development he Phuket Governor this week into effect in Koh Kaew, Rassada of Phuket Provincial Irrigation Of- across the island. SPORT PAGE 32 agreed to call in the Royal and Rawai from today (Feb 8) until fice, told The Phuket News yesterday Phuket PWA Branch Manager TRainmaking Department and the end of the month would not be (Feb 7) that “The PWA has issued a Graisorn Mahamad told The Phuket Chelsea coaches ordered water officials to “find an- brought into force. statement on a misunderstanding of News on Thursday morning that the other way” to resolve the island’s The impending water rationing the information that we have given move to cancel the water restrictions water supply crisis, including finding in those areas was announced only them.” followed a meeting with Phuket arrive to train alternative sources to provide water on Tuesday (Feb 5). However, Mr Somsawat confirmed Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana local youngsters supply to residents and businesses The reason given in the notice by that the statement was “technically and Phuket Irrigation office chief Mr across the island. the PWA was that the Phuket Provin- accurate”. Somsawat late on Wednesday. As a last gasp measure to instill cial Irrigation Office had confirmed “We can supply the water that That meeting came just hours confidence, the Phuket Provincial that the water reserves in the Bang the PWA has formally requested us after The Phuket News interviewed Waterworks Authority (PWA) issued Wad reservoir in Kathu, the Bang to,” he noted. Mr Graisorn about the current water an emergency notice late Wednesday Neow Dum reservoir in Srisoonthorn Mr Somsawat only two weeks ago supply crisis on Wednesday afternoon, night (Feb 6) announcing that all and the Khlong Kratha reservoir in warned that the dwindling reserves at when he said that he was already con- water restrictions have been lifted. Chalong were enough to last the Phuket’s three main reservoirs were sidering rolling out water rationing.... CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 @thephuketnews 2 PHUKET NEWS THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2019 [email protected] All safe as burst water pipe causes Tesco mall ceiling News collpase > page 4 Royal Rainmakers to be called Continued from page 1 Mr Graisorn said. PWA officials were working best we can,” he said. ...in the major tourist areas “However, we especially on acquiring water supply Mr Graisorn estimated of Patong, Kata, Karon and prefer for rain to fall in Kathu from privately owned sources that the Bang Wad reservoir is Chalong. because that is where the main across the island, but noted currently half-full, containing “The Governor told the Bang Wad reservoir is and the that the bureaucratic process some 4.5 million cubic meters PWA to revise its water plan,” area has many canals, which may delay the actual supply of its 10mn-plus m3 capacity. Mr Graisorn said on Thursday. makes it easier to manage from those sources by as long Bang Neow Dum contains “The Governor also agreed the water supply we have,” as three months. about 2.4mn m3 of water, he to make a formal request to he added. “PWA officials just went noted. Only two weeks ago call in the Royal Rainmaking Regarding the considera- out to estimate the water that PWA officials confirmed to Department,” he added. tion of limiting water use in could be supplied from six The Phuket News that the “The Governor does not Patong, Kata, Karon, Chalong private water sources in ar- reservoir had no more than want water rations to affect the and Kathu, Mr Graisorn told eas such as Chalong, Kathu, 2.3mn m3 of water – the least people. He ordered the PWA The Phuket News before his Governor Phakaphong has agreed to call in the Royal Patong and Mai Khao, among it has ever contained. to find another way, that we meeting with the Governor, “I Rainmaking Department to replenish the reservoirs. other areas, but this will take Worse, the Khlong Kratha must find other sources (of am thinking about additional about 120 days to complete reservoir in Chalong currently water) in order to serve the water restrictions in Patong, last month was in response the island to take action and all the process and actually contains about 1.42mn m3 of people,” Mr Graisorn said. Karon, Kata, Chalong and to information released from order the water supply restric- supply this water to people water of its 4.2mn m3 capacity, Governor Phakaphong also Kathu, but I have not yet made the PWA to the Cherng Talay tions in order to conserve the on time. Mr Graisorn said. ordered the PWA to check the any decision on that. I need Tambon Administration Or- dwindling reserves at the “We can’t use these water “I will announce any fur- water levels at the three main time to think and plan about ganisation (OrBorTor). Bang Neow Dum reservoir in sources immediately,” he ther updates regarding water reservoirs and report to him managing the water reserves The actual order announc- Srisoonthorn, which supplies confirmed. supply across Phuket,” Mr every 10 days, he noted. we currently have. ing the water restrictions, the Cherng Talay area. In the meantime, the PWA Graisorn said. “The Royal Rainmaking “However, I suggest that mainly in the tourist-popular Officials at Cherng Talay will do their best to make “People need to know that Project will help our situation. people in those areas make Bang Tao area, was issued by OrBorTor confirmed to The the best use of what water this is better for them. They Our request is to make rain plans to collect their own water Cherng Talay OrBorTor Chief Phuket News on Thursday reserves they have, though have to conserve water these fall in specified areas. We from Feb 28,” he warned. MaAnn Samran. (Feb 7) that the water ration- they are already running low days in order to have enough want rain to fall in the Bang Mr Graisorn confirmed Although the PWA did ing measures in that area are Mr Graisorn explained. water to last everyone across Neow Dum, Bang Wad and that water rationing brought not request water rationing, still in force. “Right now we have to the whole island for the dry Khlong Kratha reservoirs,” into force in Cherng Talay Mr MaAnn was the first on Mr Graisorn explained that manage our water reserves as season,” he said. New lifeforms discovered on Phuket EXPERTS FROM PHUKET Rajabhat University con- firmed on Monday (Feb 4) that Phuket is home to two entirely new species of Zooplankton, named Limnias novemceras and Limnias lenis. The discovery was certi- fied and published in an in- ternational academic journal called ‘ZooKeys’ back in October 2018, and officially Dr Phuripong Meksuwan carries out research at Phuket confirmed on Monday after Rajabhat University. Photos: Supplied a lengthy verification process to ensure that the newly dis- found on the roots of aquat- yet undiscovered organisms. covered species were indeed ic plants such as the water “The issue of natural land the first of their kind. hyacinth and water lettuce, allocation and management The new species were and are measured in micro- together with ecological originally discovered by Dr metres – µm (1/1000th of a preservation requires the Phuripong Meksuwan, biology millimeter). participation of the public lecturer at Phuket Rajabhat Rotifers are small zoo- sector and cooperation of all University, along with Profes- plankton that occur in fresh- sectors,” he said. sor Supiyanit Maiphae of Ka- water, brackish, and marine “Such information should setsart University, Bangkok, environments. They feed on not only be used as education and PhD student Rapeepan microalgae and are consumed in classrooms. We conduct Jaturapruek. by a wide variety of fish, research on issues that are “Plankton is a small crea- shellfish, corals and other beneficial to communities ture that cannot be seen with organisms making them an in our area of responsibility the naked eye. It floats in important food source in (Andaman) as it is a form of natural water sources,” Dr aquatic ecosystems. modern education manage- Phuripong explained. The findings highlight ment and should be used to The two Limnias species the diversity of the biological aid sustainable development,” were found in small ecosys- resources in the Andaman he added. tems in streams located in region. In 2016 a new species Ao Luek District in Krabi Dr Phuripong also raised of lizard, the Acanthosaura and the Pik Jig Forest Area concerns about the rapid phuketensis, was discov- in Mai Khao, Phuket. development across Phuket, ered in the jungles of central Limnias novemceras and which is threatening such Phuket as well as new species Limnias lenis are rotifers important creatures as well as of snake and gecko. thephuketnews THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2019 THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2019 PHUKET NEWS 3 Brit barricades self in in Phuket Town condo Eakkapop Thongtub Both police and the repre- [email protected] sentative from the British Em- bassy have repeatedly stressed he saga of a British man that their primary concern is for The fire ripped through the village, who has barricaded Mr Maclean's welfare and that destroying 67 homes.