Phuket’s water lords are now admitting the island’s water situation is in a critical situation – a situation they have had the power to avert but have chosen instead to ‘hope’ for monsoonal rains and go in search of alternative water sources to top up the dwindling catchment resources.

Phuket is now in the throws of a water shortage. The PWA says the water supply in Bang Ward Dam is only enough for the end of next month if no rain arrives.

The Phuket Water Work Authority manager Kraisorn Mahamat says, “The water in Bang Wad Dam (Kathu) is only enough up to the end of next month if there is no rain, while the other two reservoirs are enough until the rain comes.

Meanwhile some residents around the island have randomly had their water supply wither cut off completely or reduced to an useable trickle. Many are being forced to buy water from private water services. The sight of water trucks driving around the island’s roads has become common over the past month.

Phuket Irrigation says that authorities will now have to decrease the water supplies for residents to ensure that there is enough water until the end of this dry season. The issue of Phuket’s water management has become a hot topic on social media as residents and business question the management of the island’s water resources.

“We are solving the problem by buying water supplies from the private sector. We hope that we can handle the situation during this drought. Residents must help us to save water too.”

“Hope”. Yes, we checked. He said ‘hope’.

The Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansuppana says, “In the future we might have a project that can change sea water into freshwater or change wastewater into clean water if these water shortages continue.”

PHOTOS: Earn Benjakun

A SUV has caught fire while it was parked in the hot southern sun in Trang over the weekend.

Fire fighters in Trang were notified of the burning SUV in Yan Ta Khao District in Trang at 2pm on Sunday.

Fire fighters arrived to find the SUV ablaze. It took about 15 minutes to control the fire.

The SUV owner, 35 years old Tanchanok Sasri, says that she has parked the SUV outside her home for about two hours under the hot midday sun. A neighbour alerted the woman that her SUV had caught fire.

Tanchanok says she also lost 200,000 baht cash which was left inside the SUV.

Investigators are trying to find the cause of the original ignition of the fire that destroyed the black SUV.

PHOTOS/VIDEO: The Government Public Relation Department Region 5

An incinerator caught fire on Koh Samui, off the coast of Surat Thani last night.

“That’s what incinerators are meant to do,” we hear you cry. But this one was totally out of control destroying the entire structure.

The Government Public Relation Department Region 5 reports that the fire started at the incinerator at 6pm last night. The fire spread across the facility, an area of 50 x 100 metres.

Seven fire units along with five water trucks arrived at the scene. Fire fighters took about four hours to get the fire under control.

Surat Thani Governor Wichawut Jintoe inspected the scene last night. No deaths or injuries were reported.

At this stage it is believed that the fire might have started from a combination of hot weather, festering garbage and the strong winds.

Forensic Police are on location today to investigate the cause of the big fire.