Holiday island stinks: “Must wear mask”

Phuket
The stench in the holiday gem: “We just stay home”

Rebecka Rosengart

Published 11.16

Phuket has been hit by a waste crisis. Archive image Photo: Bjarne Frykholm/Schibsted

A strong stench has spread over the paradise island of Phuket in Thailand.

The island has been hit by a waste crisis – and the cause is attributed to increased tourism.

– You have to wear a face mask because of the stench, says a woman who lives on the island.

Anyone who snorkels in Phuket’s turquoise waters will most likely see as many beer cans on the bottom as coral – or at least a lot.

Thailand's Thailand’s largest island, Phuket, and which is an immensely popular tourist destination, has recently been hit by an incredible stench, writes the news agency Reuters.

The reason is the increasing amount of garbage that has accumulated on the island. The enormous amounts have caused the island to enter a waste crisis.

1,000 tons of garbage are collected every day, and much of the waste is transported to a huge landfill.

The view: Garbage

In a short time, the mountains of garbage have grown so large that they have obstructed the view.

You see mountains of garbage rather than real garbage, says one resident on the island.

“There is no life outside the house, we just stay at home,” says Vassana Toyous.

The stench is so strong that you need to wear a face mask, she says.

She says that to deal with the stench, she needs air conditioning and air purifiers on 24/7.

Need to build a new dump

Behind the crisis is tourism, which has increased recently – and more than expected, according to Suppochoke Laongphet, deputy mayor of one of the island’s municipalities.

Of the country’s 35 million foreigners, a full 13 million went to Pukhet.

The island's authorities plan to reduce waste by 15 percent within six months, Reuters reports. The landfill will also be expanded and a new incinerator will be built.

         

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