Phuket prisoners to dredge drains in new project to fight flooding

Phuket prisoners will dredge drains and sewers in a new project to fight the island province’s horrendous flooding problems. Officials held a meeting about the upcoming endeavor at Phuket’s Provincial Hall on Wednesday.

Officials said the project aims to prevent a repeat last year’s damage from havoc wreaking floods. Inmates from Phuket Provincial Prison will contribute to society by clearing these areas, The Phuket News reported:

1. Poonphon Road, a distance of 681 metres
2. Nakhon Road, a distance of 792 metres
3. Chumphon Road, a distance of 802 metres
4. To Sae Road, a distance of 350 metres
5. Soi Sam Kong, a distance of 680 metres
6. Soi Khao Rang Cemetery, a distance of 316 metres
7. Wichitsongkram Road, a distance of 2,160 metres
8. Wichitsongkram Road, Soi 1, a distance of 2,160 metres
9. Soi Ton Pho, a distance of 1,420 metres
10. Suthat Road, Soi 1, a distance of 144 metres
11. Suthat Road, Soi 2, a distance of 1,566 metres
12. Soi Rongmai Rianchai, a distance of 400 metres
13. Damrong Road, a distance of 3,274 metres

The floods last year between August and November were described as the worst to his Phuket in 30 years, according to the President of the Phuket Old Town Tourism Community Enterprise.

The deputy mayor of Phuket’s main city district, Supachok Laongpetch, said that the build up of mud and garbage in the city’s drains and sewers had caused several blockages and bottlenecks, exacerbating the district’s floods.

Officials from Phuket City Municipality confirmed that a budget of 500,000 baht had been approved for the project.

Floods caused chaos in Phuket last year. Roads were underwater – including the popular party district Bangla Road in Patong. Phuket’s main city district was flooded, and muddy landslides closed roads in Kamala.

The floods were due to the continuous downpour that persisted overnight as well as reservoirs in Srisoonthorn inundated with water causing the Bang Neow Dam to overflow.

Will the upcoming dredging project be effective? We’ll have to wait and see.