News
Phuket addresses waste issue with new incinerator construction
Phuket City Municipality recently convened its inaugural public assembly to deliberate on the construction of a new incinerator at the Saphan Hin solid waste disposal site.
The proposed initiative entails collaboration with EA Waste Management Phuket Co Ltd, a private entity, tasked with the development and operation of the facility. Encompassing an area of nearly 15 rai (24,000 square meters), the new site is anticipated to accommodate a minimum daily capacity of 500 tonnes of solid waste, alongside generating 9.9 megawatts of electrical power.
Orapailin Trakulpriphon, Deputy Mayor of Phuket, emphasized the pressing issue of mounting garbage within the city, highlighting the necessity for comprehensive, multi-sectoral management. This gathering serves to solicit public feedback, recognized as pivotal in fostering effective waste management strategies in Phuket.
This public consultation follows last year’s announcement of Energy Absolute Public Company Limited (EA) securing the bid for constructing the new incinerator, pending approval from the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP). In September, Saroj Angkanapilas, Mayor of Phuket Town, and Wasu Klomkliang, EA’s Executive Vice President, convened in Phuket to formalize the government contract signing.
According to EA, the new incinerator is slated for operational commencement by 2026. Under a build-operate-transfer agreement, EA will oversee facility management for 20 years before transferring ownership to Phuket City Municipality.
The incinerator is designed to process a minimum of 500 tonnes of waste daily while generating 9.9MW of electricity, to be sold to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA). PEA will procure 8MW of electricity at 5.84 baht per unit for the initial eight years and 5.14 baht per unit thereafter.
This incinerator project forms part of six initiatives outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked on February 18 this year between EA and the Federation of Thai Industries Phuket (FTI Phuket). Aligned with the “Phuket as a Green Island; Low Carbon City” initiative, this collaboration aims to promote sustainable tourism and industry growth in Phuket.
The overdue implementation of the new incinerator project underscores the island’s struggle to manage its daily waste output. Phuket has grappled with waste disposal challenges for nearly a decade. Despite the existing two incinerators capable of processing up to 700 tonnes per day, the influx of solid waste during peak tourism seasons reaches approximately 1,000 tonnes daily.
The forthcoming incinerator, spearheaded by EA, marks the third facility at Saphan Hin, poised to aid authorities in gradually mitigating landfill overflow, as reported by Phuket News. Chantima, Chief of Phuket City Solid Waste Management at the plant, underscores the shared responsibility of residents in addressing Phuket’s waste management crisis.
News
Pickup truck crash in Lampang kills one amid heavy rain
Due to heavy rain, a pickup truck returning from Chiang Mai skidded off the road and crashed into a tree in Thoen, Lampang.
Despite the efforts of rescue teams, a 50-year-old woman tragically lost her life.
The accident was reported to Thoen Police Station in Lampang at 6:50 PM yesterday, July 30.
The incident occurred on Phahonyothin Road, between kilometer markers 632 and 633, near the Mae Thot intersection in Thoen district.
Rescue units from Mae Thot, Lampang, Thoen, and Ombun Thoen were promptly dispatched to the scene.
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Upon arrival, responders discovered a white, four-door Mazda pickup truck with a Surin registration overturned and severely damaged from colliding with a large roadside tree. Inside the vehicle, four injured individuals were trapped.
Rescue teams quickly extracted three injured and provided initial medical assistance before transferring them to a hospital.
However, a 50-year-old woman from the Na Pang subdistrict, Phu Phiang district, Nan province, who was seated in the back, sustained critical injuries and succumbed to them before she could be freed from the wreckage.
Initial investigations revealed that the group had traveled from Chiang Mai to Nakhon Pathom.
The accident occurred on a curved section of the road, worsened by wet and slippery conditions from the rain.
The vehicle lost control and crashed violently into the tree.
After extracting and treating the injured, the deceased’s body was transported to the hospital for further examination.
Police have launched a formal investigation into the accident. They are gathering evidence and statements from the injured to understand the exact circumstances leading to the crash.
The results of the investigation will guide necessary legal proceedings, reported KhaoSod.
Authorities advised.
“We urge all drivers to exercise extreme caution, especially in bad weather and on curved roads.”
News
Police arrest violent debt collector after tip-off in Bangkok
Police apprehended a member of a violent debt collection gang linked to the assault of a 73-year-old woman following a tip-off. He was caught while attempting to flee from a motel on the outskirts of Bangkok.
High-ranking police officials, including Thiti Sangsawang, Noppasin Poolsawat, and Thiradech Thamsuthee, along with a team of investigators, successfully arrested Kritchit, also known as 33-year-old Chit Thasala, from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province today, July 30.
He is one of the three members of the gang responsible for violent debt collection activities, including physical assault, intimidation, kicking doors, cutting off electricity, and locking debtors inside their homes.
The Min Buri Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Kritchit on July 23 for operating an unauthorized personal loan business, charging excessive interest, and threatening debt collection practices.
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He was apprehended at a hotel in the Saphan Sung district as he tried to escape in his car. During interrogation, Kritchit denied all charges, stating he had only completed Grade 9 and initially worked as a fruit farmer in Phuket’s Thalang District. In 2022, he sold his orchard land and used the proceeds to start a money-lending business.
He collaborated with two other suspects, Ta and Khet, who are still at large, to lend money in the Min Buri, Ram Inthra, Rom Klao, and On Nut areas.
They charged an interest rate of 20% daily, with borrowers typically taking out 5,000 to 6,000 baht loans. Kritchit claimed that Ta and Khet were responsible for using violence against the debtors on the day of the incident.
“I only worked with Ta and Khet to lend money. They were the ones who used violence.”
However, police remain skeptical of his testimony. Investigations revealed that Kritchit is romantically involved with the younger sister of Kenwit, another gang member who was previously arrested for assaulting the older woman.
Kenwit’s gang had attacked the 73-year-old in the Chokchai area. After receiving a tip-off, Kritchit fled to the hotel, where he was captured.
Police have transferred Kritchit to the Min Buri Police Station for further legal proceedings. His capture is a significant breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against violent debt collection gangs operating in Bangkok and nearby areas.
As one of the lead investigators remarked, we are committed to cracking down on these illegal activities and ensuring the safety of our citizens.
Kritchit’s case will proceed through the legal system, and police are continuing their search for the remaining gang members, Ta and Khet. The investigation remains ongoing, with police hopeful that further arrests will follow, dismantling the entire network of violent debt collectors, reported Khaosod.
News
Thai vendor denies assault, cites stress from poor sales
A Thai grilled squid vendor turned himself in and expressed remorse after allegedly striking a Pattaya city official who requested him to move his sidecar motorcycle from obstructing traffic.
The vendor, however, denied the physical assault, citing stress from poor sales as the trigger for the incident. He claimed their encounter was limited to a verbal disagreement and a shirt tug.
Pattaya police yesterday, July 29, invited Siwachett Nakham, a 42-year-old former temporary employee at the government’s Public Works Department and a current grilled squid vendor, to meet with an investigator to address the dispute.
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The altercation involved Siwachett and a 40-year-old Pattaya city official, Udon Woranam, who had requested Siwachett to move his vehicle, blocking traffic near Jomtien Beach in front of the Dongtan Police Box. Siwachett was accused of punching Udon after the latter politely asked him to move his motorcycle. Siwachett, who acknowledged being the person in the video, denied the physical assault, maintaining that he only had a verbal confrontation with Udon and tugged his shirt.
He cited stress from poor sales and financial burdens as the reasons behind his behavior.
“I did not intend to harm Mr Udon because I had worked with the Public Works Department before, so I knew hitting an official was a bad idea.”
Siwachett apologized for his actions, and Udon said he did not wish to pursue the matter further. Despite this, Pattaya City insisted on taking legal action against the vendor to set a precedent and deter similar future incidents.
Selling goods
Additionally, Udon advised other vendors to remain calm, control their emotions, and adhere to the designated areas for selling their goods according to the law.
Following resolving this dispute, traffic police officers from Pattaya Police Station raided vendors illegally selling goods on public sidewalks and roads around Pattaya. This operation was in response to tourists’ complaints about obstructions and hazards caused by unorganized vendors.
When authorities arrived near Pattaya Police Station’s Dong Tan substation, they encountered heavy traffic congestion caused by street vendors parking on the road. Some vendors attempted to evade arrest by speeding through the officers’ blockade, putting the safety of officers and nearby individuals at risk.
Thai police managed to apprehend 12 vendors, who will now face legal proceedings for violating traffic and cleanliness laws. The police also announced plans to increase daily inspections in collaboration with municipal officials to restore public spaces for residents and tourists, reported the Pattaya News.
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