In Koh Samui, residents denounce the daily burning of waste along Mae Nam road. This illegal practice persists as the island struggles to manage its rubbish and its incinerator is not functioning properly.
Every morning, thick smoke rises along the Mae Nam road, at Soi 1 towards Lamai. Locals note that large quantities of waste are regularly set alight there, making the air unbreathable in the area.
Yet a municipal sign clearly reminds people of the ban on burning rubbish. This signage does not prevent the practice from continuing, which illustrates, according to residents, the lack of effective controls.
This phenomenon is part of a much wider problem. Koh Samui produces between 150 and 160 tonnes of waste every day. The island has accumulated nearly 200,000 tonnes of rubbish over the years. The municipal incinerator, meant to handle a large part of this volume, has not been operating at full capacity for a long time and has not been properly rehabilitated. As a result: the waste piles up, is sometimes buried, shipped to the mainland at great expense, or simply burned in the open air.
Residents denounce a striking contrast between the island’s postcard image, its luxury hotels and the environmental reality they face daily. They are calling on the Koh Samui municipality to intervene quickly: site inspection, identification of those responsible, stopping the burnings and implementing sustainable solutions.
Source : local source