Sea of Trash: Garbage covers Patong beach after New Year countdown
PHUKET — The morning sun on the first day of the year revealed a grim scene at Patong Beach, one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations. Instead of pristine white sands, a mountain of garbage buried the shoreline following the previous night’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Images shared by the local news page “แรงจัง ภูเก็ต” exposed the extent of the environmental damage. Debris stretched along the coast, heavily littering the beach.
The waste primarily consisted of Alcohol Containers, Revelers scattered countless green and brown glass bottles, along with beer cans, across the sand.
Plastic Waste Single-use plastics, including water bottles, cups, and bags, covered the area. camping chairs and festive materials lay abandoned among the piles of trash.
regarding the proximity of the trash to the waterline. Without immediate cleanup, the rising tide threatens to wash the plastic and glass debris into the Andaman Sea, posing a severe risk to marine ecosystems, aquatic life, and coral reefs.
The shocking visuals sparked intense criticism on social media. Netizens questioned the social conscience of both Thai and international tourists who left their waste behind. Critics also questioned the local administration’s waste management preparation for such a high-traffic event.
Many comments expressed sympathy for the municipal cleaning staff, who now face the monumental task of restoring the beach under the scorching sun to welcome the first tourists of 2026.
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