Kantaphan Phisalsukskul, Inspector General of the MNRE, chaired an inspection meeting at the Upper Andaman Sea Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre at Cape Panwa.
The meeting focused on monitoring and urgently addressing environmental and natural resource issues in Phuket, said an official report of the meeting.
Among the key issues discussed was the long-running land dispute involving residents in the Bang Khanun forest area. Officials were instructed to accelerate compensation efforts, with the Royal Thai Navy designated as the lead coordinating agency.
The Ministry also ordered the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) and related agencies to establish a unified ‘Single Map’ database of forest encroachment cases to support more effective criminal and civil legal proceedings.
In response to concerns over landslides during the rainy season, the Department of Mineral Resources was tasked with speeding up the installation of soil mass monitoring equipment in the Kamala mountain range.
The Department of Water Resources, working with the Phuket Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment, was also instructed to study water diversion routes in the Khao Nakkerd area in an effort to reduce landslide risks ‒ namely in the Kata area.
Tourist safety was another major topic at the meeting, with officials discussing plans to develop Freedom Beach as a sustainable model recreational forest area, said the report, without explaining any of the key issues involving death threats against a Phuket MP for leading a probe into illegal encroachment onto protected forest.
Authorities are also coordinating with the ministry’s Information and Communication Technology Centre to prepare helicopter emergency response support, referred to as “Sky Doctor”, aimed at improving emergency assistance for tourists, the report continued.
Environmental management measures included plans to work with local authorities in Sirinat National Park to establish an integrated waste management system.
Officials also confirmed that random inspections would continue at hotels and other establishments to ensure wastewater treatment complies with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements.
The meeting also apparently addressed Phuket’s long-term water security, with relevant agencies assigned to study the possible expansion of reservoirs near protected forest areas to meet future demand from residents.
Mr Kantaphan stressed the importance of all agencies working proactively, integrating information systems and communicating clearly with the public in order to reduce confusion and strengthen confidence in sustainable natural resource management efforts in Phuket, the report concluded.