Shrimp farms in Ban Tha Rua in Phuket get compaine from the villagers since the farm poisoning the canal where their livelihoods depend on. Ten Bang La local villagers said that last week that shrimp farm operators were letting chemical wastewater into Klong Pak Ka and killing lots of marine life.

Surasak Wahlum, a 55-year-old fisherman, said, “The waste kills shellfish and other marine life in canal, so it hard for us to do our jobs properly.”

Wirot Suksamrit, also 55, said wastewater was released into the canal twice a year. “It takes a long time for the water to return to normal and for fish to return to the canal,” he said.

President of Pa Khlok Tambon Administration Organization (TAO) Athipong Kongnam said the TAO had warned the shrimp farmers about the practice before.

“They promised to clean the water before they released it into the canal, but they still do it secretly,” he said.

Mr Athipong said there was nothing much the TAO could do to stop the operators. “The farms are located in Tambon Srisoonthorn and at that place, no organizations there taking for the responsibility,” he said.

“We’ll just have to report it to the police,” he added.

News by Phuket Gazette