KOH SAMUI, SURAT THANI – A brutal drought has slashed drinking water supplies on the holiday island. Deputy Interior Minister Jaset Thaiseth ordered immediate emergency aid and mobilised every available unit.
The ongoing dry spell has dried up raw water sources. Production at the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) plants has crashed by 40 percent. The crisis is hitting Koh Samui hard.
Water production plunges 40 percent
The supply situation on Koh Samui is dire. The persistent drought means raw water reserves are no longer sufficient for normal treatment.
The production capacity of the PWA plants has fallen about 40 percent below the norm. Higher-altitude areas of the island are worst hit, where pressure in the pipe network drops most sharply.
Emergency aid brings 20,000 cubic meters per day
Jaset Thaiseth and PWA Governor Jakkapong Khamchan are pursuing a two-track emergency plan. Every day, 16,000 cubic meters of water are shipped from the mainland branch in Surat Thani to the island.
In addition, technicians are forcing 4,000 cubic meters per day through the existing underwater pipeline system. At the same time, repairs are underway on the broken reverse-osmosis system to restart local treatment.
Cloud seeding targets big rain
The authorities are preparing for artificial rain. The Interior Ministry has put the Department of Artificial Rain and Agricultural Aviation on alert.
As soon as weather conditions are favourable, cloud-seeding aircraft will begin operations over Koh Samui and the surrounding water catchment areas. The aim is to refill the raw water sources directly.
Lasting security instead of endless crises
Jaset Thaiseth made it clear that short-term repairs are not enough. He ordered a long-term water security plan for the international tourism and economic hub.
The solution to this problem must not be just a short-term relief, but must lay the foundation for a stable system.
said the authorities, quoting Jaset. The plan includes new raw water sources, more powerful production systems and better infrastructure.
Daily crisis reports until situation eases
All units must now report daily to the ministry until the situation returns to normal. The administration has divided water distribution into zones and set fixed schedules to fairly allocate the remaining supply.
The authorities stress that despite the restrictions, all resources are being mobilised to maintain overall supply. Tourists and businesses are supposed to feel as little of the crisis as possible.