Phuket —
Phuket Governor Nirut Phongsitthithavorn has announced an ambitious plan requiring all local administrative organizations across the province to manage and eliminate food waste within their own jurisdictions by next year. The initiative is to reduce the burden on the municipal incinerator at Saphan Hin and promote sustainable waste management practices.
Governor Nirut told the Phuket Express. Food waste, which accounts for roughly 60% of all solid waste in Phuket, must be treated at the source. He urged government agencies to lead by example in separating waste and directed all 18 local administrations to accelerate efforts to handle organic waste independently.
According to January 2026 statistics, Patong Municipality generated the highest volume of waste at 6,506 tons, followed by Phuket City Municipality with 4,912 tons and Rassada Municipality with 2,789 tons. The smallest volumes were recorded in Koh Kaew Subdistrict Administrative Organization (379 tons), Thepkrasattri Municipality (386 tons), and Mai Khao Subdistrict Administrative Organization (573 tons).
Some areas are experiencing sharp increases. Kathu Municipality reported a 22.6% rise due to expanding housing developments and new condominium projects, while Pa Khlok Municipality saw the highest surge at 33.9%. The province plans to closely monitor and compare progress across districts.
Governor Nirut discussed the potential impact of localized food waste management. For example, Patong produces about 200 tons of waste daily. If 120 tons of food waste were processed locally, only 80 tons would need to be sent to the central facility. Applied province-wide, this approach could reduce daily waste from 1,200 tons to just 480 tons, a level the incinerator can handle efficiently.
To ensure long-term sustainability, the province is advancing the concept of “One District, One Waste Plant.” Each district would establish its own waste treatment facility, reducing reliance on the single incinerator at Saphan Hin. In areas with limited land, neighboring districts may collaborate to build shared facilities. This policy has already been communicated to all district administrations.
Governor Nirut concluded that solid waste management is now a provincial priority requiring collective action: “Every sector must take responsibility. If we can eliminate food waste locally, we will ease the burden on the central system and create a cleaner, more sustainable Phuket.”
