Work restarts on fire-ravaged Phuket homes

MAI KHAO, PHUKET: Work to rebuild 17 houses that were burned to the ground in a fire at a sea gypsy village in Phuket at the end of June restarted yesterday after a two-month hiatus.

Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop arrived at Ban Hin Look Diow village in the morning to set 150 builders off to work again.

The rebuilding of the sea gypsy houses started in July, soon after the fire, but ground to a halt shortly afterwards.

Mai Khao Mayor Sarawuth Seesakhukham denied construction had actually stopped, saying it was merely progressing ‘very slowly’.

He blamed the slow ‘progress’ on delays in the delivery of building materials arranged by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor).

The work will be completed next month, he says.

— Atchaa Khamlo