Organised by the Andaman Natural Resources Conservation Foundation together with various government agencies, private organizations, and the public, the Big Cleaning Day 10 was a showcase of how Phuket not only talks the talk but also walks the walk.
Mr Piyadej Chuachyad, Advisor to the President of Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO, or OrBorJor) said: “This activity is held to create awareness of waste management among people and help to promote sustainable waste management solutions, rehabilitate and protect our natural resources and the environment, and dispose of residual waste in the ecosystem from returning into the sea where it poses threat to marine life.”
“It also keeps the beach clean and beautiful, so it’s simply everyone’s duty to care about natural resources, conserve and restore them,” he added.
Speaking at the event, Mr Piyadej called for everyone to protect Phuket beaches and the sea so the island’s natural resources are plentiful and sustainable forever.
Among those who joined the clean-up were government officials from various agencies; students from BCIS, Kajonkiet and other schools; members of general public.
The timing for the clean-up was chosen well as the event coincided with the beginning of the monsoon season when strong waves bring ashore lots of seaborne trash and marine debris showcasing the huge impact of human activities on the marine ecosystem.
Furthermore, if not collected, the garbage is most likely to return to the sea threatening marine life such as fish, turtles, and dolphins.
As Phuket is yet to come up with a special service to collect marine trash from the beaches, regular clean-ups remain the only way to reduce sea pollution and keep Phuket sands clean and tidy for tourists and local beach-goers alike.
Phuket OrBorJor did not report how much trash was collected at the Big Cleaning Day 10. Previous events of this kind usually netted hundreds of kilograms of marine garbage, mostly plastic.