Koh Samui, the second biggest island in Thailand and a renowned tourist destination, is suffering from a severe water shortage.
According to TheGuardian.com, authorities on the island are working on solutions to the shortage that has left taps dry for months.
This comes after a drought, stressed infrastructure, and a boom in tourism which, according to Deputy Mayor Sutham Samthong, has put pressure on the island’s water supply.
Samthong has urged visitors and locals to use water sparingly, as the island is relying on water being brought from private reservoirs and other areas. He believes that, with careful management, the island will be able to navigate the next two months, after which rain is forecast.
Samui is popular with tourists for its white-sand beaches, ancient temples and luxury resorts. However, the region often experiences a lack of fresh water between March and May. This was exacerbated by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Hotels and tourism businesses use more water from the municipal supply than surrounding suburban areas. President of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, stressed that these businesses were incurring extra costs by having to buy additional water over and above the municipal supply.
According to Dr Kannapa Pongponrat Chieochan, an Assistant Professor at Thammasat University who has researched water-saving initiatives in Koh Samui, the situation is a result of lack of planning. The infrastructure has undergone extreme stress, following the end of the pandemic. The island’s infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the growing population as people move from the Thailand mainland to find jobs in the booming tourism industry, said Chieochan.
“I would like to ask people to save water; use it sparingly. If we help each other, we can get through this,” said Samthong.
