June 28, 2007

Thailand to compensate fish farmers for sewage spill

Phuket city would offer compensation to fish farmers whose fish died from waste water relreased from the Phuket City Office's waste management area.

The incident occurred last week when the fish and mussels being farmed near Koh Kui and Klong Koh Phi were killed as a result of the pollution.

Heavy rain caused untreated run-off from the city's waste disposal facilities to overflow into the canal and into the water system.

Farmers said the fish stocks lost were almost ready to be harvested. Estimates put the losses at over THB 6.6 million (US$200,000).

Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansuppana said that her office has now authorized payments of a maximum of THB 400,000 (US$12,560) per victim. Farmers seeking to claim amounts higher than this would need approval from the Ministry of Interior.

The sewage flow was caused by garbage on the island which overwhelmed the incineration plant and landfill. The current amount of waste, around 500 tonnes a day, is twice the plants' capacity of 250 tonnes per day.