Phuket Marine Police help thirsty sea gypsies

PHUKET: Koh Sireh sea gypsies received 6,000 liters of water yesterday after they told Phuket Marine Police they had a water shortage.

“It is not our job to do this, but we have a good relationship with the Koh Sireh sea gypsies,” said Marine Police Inspector Chatchai Sakdee. “And if we can do something to help people, we will.”

“When they told us about their water problem, we contacted the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation-Phuket, and they took over two truckfuls of water.”

Pisak Chonlayut, manager of the Phuket Water Authority (PWA), said that there is not a water shortage, but that Koh Sireh has low water pressure because it is the last stop for water that travels through pipes from Bang Jo.

“The pipe is more than 20 kilometers long. It starts in the Bang Jo area and runs along Thepkrasattri Road to provide water to Thalang, Srisoonthorn, Pa Khlok, Koh Kaew, Sapam, Kuku and Koh Sireh,” said Mr Pisak.

“It is hard for water to travel over the Baan Kuku hill in Rassada, leaving areas like Koh Sireh with low water pressure.”

The PWA is waiting for a 5-million-baht budget to be approved to buy a booster pump that would improve the water pressure in the pipes, said Mr Pisak. If approved, it will be installed at the Phuket Rajabhat University intersection.

“I don’t know when we will get the money, but we will install the pump immediately when we do. It will take about two months to set up,” said Mr Pisak.

“I want to reconfirm that Phuket has enough water for everyone on the island.”

— Saran Mitrarat