Second incinerator “not likely’

PHUKET CITY: Phuket will likely have to wait for a new government before getting a second incinerator to deal with the island’s increasing volume of trash, Wisut Singkhachornworakul, Advisor to the Ministry of Interior, told a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Monday.

During the meeting, held to discuss problems faced by the province, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasuppana said that the island desperately needs a new incinerator to supplement Phuket’s sole furnace at Saphan Hin.

She proposed construction of a second 250-ton-per-day incinerator costing 1.3 billion baht.

K. Wisut said, “We recognize that Phuket has a big problem with garbage disposal and we will raise the issue with the Prime Minister. The present government is only temporary, however, so is unlikely to fund for such a large project.”

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampetch raised the issue of Phuket’s understaffed police force, explaining that the province was 500 officers understrength.

K. Wisut replied that this was a common problem in southern provinces and that Pattani was short of 1,000 officers, though he added that he would mention the issue to the Prime Minister.

“Each province has its own problems. Ranong has problems with illegal immigrants, Nakhon Sri Thammarat has problems with storms and the three southern provinces [Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat] have many big problems.

“Phuket must wait, but it should be possible to get the 1.3 billion baht for the incinerator between 2008 and 2011,” he said.