Phuket –
As tourism and urban development continue to surge, Phuket Province finds itself battling a rapidly escalating waste management crisis. Local authorities convened an urgent meeting led by Deputy Governor Adul Chuthong, bringing together municipal executives and concerned agencies to strategize solutions for the island’s mounting trash problem.
Phuket’s waste production has soared to unprecedented levels, peaking at over 1,400 tons per day during high tourist seasons—up from 700 tons per day just a few years ago. With the island’s primary landfill nearing full capacity and its main incinerator recently undergoing repairs, garbage is now piling up in makeshift dumps, creating environmental and health concerns.
Wutthichai Bamrungrat, Phuket’s provincial local administration head, confirmed that Landfill No. 5 is already full. “We are barely managing to bury the waste properly. It’s turning into a mountain. We’ve begun treating it with EM solution to suppress odors while waiting for RDF [Refuse-Derived Fuel] processing,” he noted. Meanwhile, emergency funds totaling 40 million baht are projected to run dry by September.
In an innovative bid to tackle the crisis at its source, the Mai Khao Subdistrict Administrative Organization has been selected to pilot a small-scale incinerator capable of burning up to 50 tons of waste daily. If successful—and proven to emit minimal air pollution—this project could be rolled out across other local districts.
“This could be a game-changer if it works,” said Somchat Techathavorncharoen, MP for Phuket’s 1st district. “We need to decentralize waste management and stop funneling all garbage into city landfills.”
Authorities are also pushing ahead with plans for a second large-scale incinerator, but red tape and jurisdictional hurdles involving forest land permissions have slowed progress. The provincial administration has called on parliament and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to expedite approvals and allocate more funding to ensure the project moves forward by next year.
Business owners warn that without prompt action, the waste issue could severely impact Phuket’s tourism image, environmental health, and even the island’s seafood safety—given the risk of contamination entering the marine ecosystem.
“We can’t afford delays,” stressed Deputy Governor Chuthong. “This is about more than trash—this is about the island’s future.”
