Thai island’s garbage mountain to be cleared away
45,000-tonne trash pile threatened to damage island’s reputation with tourists after company previously tasked with handling it was fired
By Supapong Chaolan and Gary Boyle
The mountain of garbage, 45,000 tonnes of it, that is polluting Koh Tao island is to finally be removed with the signing of a contract with a new firm that has promised to properly dispose of it all.
“We’ll certainly clear it up and make Koh Tao a perfect, pollution-free tourist attraction,” Surat Thani governor Witchawut Chinto said on Wednesday during a visit to inspect the mess on the island.
The spreading eyesore of foul-smelling garbage has authorities worried it could seriously damage the island’s reputation as a divers’ paradise.
The 21-square-kilometre island in the Gulf of Thailand is not far from Koh Phangan, an island which has earned notoriety for its Full Moon parties.
The garbage piled up after the company previously hired to dispose of it was fired, its contract not renewed due to its failure to fulfil the terms, Mr Witchawut said.