Nutthakrit Polpet, a specialist from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Provincial Council member Sonthaya Suntharak and officers from the Marine and Coastal Resources Department visited Klong Baan Nork Lay, which is at the south end of Kamala Bay.
The visit cam in answer to complaints from local people about filthy water flowing onto the beach, releasing a foul smell, causing skin problems for those who stepped in it, and killing marine life.
Mr Nutthakrit acknowledged there was a pollution problem and proposed that, as a short-term remedy, a sump will be dug to trap sediments which can be periodically drained. Effective microbes will also be added to the klong to clean up bacteria.
In the longer term, a wastewater treatment plant needs to be built, but Karun Sriden, Mayor of Kamala, said the local municipality has no budget for this.
“We have the plans drawn up but we don’t have the budget to built it. We need private businesses to fund it, then we will repay them from the fees we charge to users.
“In the meantime we are going to pump out the mud and sediment in the canal before the rainy season sets in. We probably will have to use our own personal money to do this.”