The governor led a delegation to Saphan Hin Village yesterday (Apr 17) to meet residents affected by the blaze, which broke out last Saturday (Apr 11).
The Governor was joined by Wichit Deputy Mayor Wiset Sabaijit, Phuket Provincial Palad (Chief Administration Officer) Rungruang Thimabut, MPs Chalermpong Saengdee (Constituency 2) and Orathai Kertsap (Constituency 3), Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office (DDPM Phuket) Chief Warat Surawadee, and other local officials.
Governor Nirat said authorities had responded immediately from the moment the fire was reported, with Phuket City Municipality and relevant agencies working continuously under established emergency procedures.
“Even though this is the largest landfill in the province, all parties have performed their duties to the best of their ability,” he said, noting close coordination between Phuket City Municipality and Wichit Municipality, with provincial authorities ready to step in if the situation exceeded local capacity.
He stressed that the focus now was on forward-looking solutions rather than assigning blame.
Key immediate measures include accelerating the removal of waste from the site to prevent flare-ups, alongside plans to implement a more systematic waste management approach. This may include setting a temporary timeframe for local administrative organisations to limit or delay waste deliveries to the Saphan Hin landfill in order to reduce accumulation and fire risk, he said.
“All actions will be carried out quickly within the scope of authority and relevant laws,” Governor Nirat assured.
On public welfare, the Governor ordered agencies to expedite compensation for affected residents in line with government regulations, while public health officials have been tasked with closely monitoring air quality, pollution impacts and conducting ongoing health checks.
Mr Nirat said he understood the hardship faced by residents and reaffirmed that resolving the province’s waste management challenges remained a top priority.
“From the first day of the incident until now, all sectors have worked together in an integrated manner,” he said. “We will accelerate measures to deliver concrete results as soon as possible and move towards sustainable waste management in the future.”