The ugly issue surfaced after local Thai Visit Chounchit posted a video of the morass of underwater debris immediately off Karon Beach on his Facebook page (click here), news of which was first broken Phuket Xtra earlier today (see video above).
“I am so disheartened by this,” Mr Phuriphat told the Phuket News today (Nov 20). “I am offering B10,000 reward per case to anyone who can provide pictures and information of people dumping trash into the sea.
“Please call directly at 081-797 9666 to report any such findings.”
Mr Phuriphat pointed out that the penalty for dumping trash into the sea is up to six months in jail or a fine of up to B10,000 or both.
Wanchai Saeton of Karon Municipality, however, believes the trash was dumped overboard elsewhere and pushed toward Karon Beach by current and tidal flows.
“There is a lots of trash near Laem Sai at Karon Beach. That trash came from other areas and ends up in the same area every year,” he told The Phuket News.
“We are now contacting scuba divers to draw up a plan to collect this trash from the sea bed, and I have sent out yet another order to fishing operators and tour companies to make sure no trash is dumped overboard.”
Suchart Ratthareungsri, Director of the Marine and Costal Resource Conversation Region 5 office, which is based in Phuket and includes Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga, reported that local action is already underway to launch a clean-up operation.
“After we were informed about the trash off Laem Sai, we rallied together and about 28 scuba divers will go to collect as much trash as they can on Monday (Nov 23),” he said.