Sukanya Samutban of Patong Municipality’s Public Health and Environment Division explained to The Phuket News that about 440 people, including Patong Municipality staffers, students and local residents, joined the cleanup.
“Some 40 volunteers dived to collect trash from the coral reef. Among the volunteers were 20 foreigners,” Ms Sukanya explained.
“The divers started at about 9am and continued until about 2pm. Together they collected about 105kg of trash, which was mostly parts of fishing nets, glass bottles and items made from plastic.
“The rest of the volunteers collected trash from along the beach and joined an educational session about marine trash and trash separation.” she added.
“At the end of the activities, Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup provided medals of participation to the dive volunteers who just saved our sea and coral reef from trash,” Ms Sukanya said.
The trash collected was given to the trash bank project operated under the Patong Development Foundation for them to separate which trash can be recycled, Ms Sukanya added.