May not sanitize Bangkok waters, but hopes persist
A million
microorganism balls are being produced in hopes that they will help at
least a little in combating the putrid waters flooding Bangkok.
Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy and three Chonburi groups have
joined forces to produce a million microorganism balls Bangkok residents
can use to try and disinfect at least a bit of the putrid flood water
now stagnating in the capital.
Sattahip’s Naval Recruit Training Center, Thammasart
University’s Chonburi Province campus, the Chonburi Technology and
Agriculture College and the Agricultural Training and Development Center
at Yansangwararam Temple began work Nov. 8 to create a million balls
shaped with clay, rice husks, sand and micro-organisms that allegedly
can disinfect up to five cubic meters of water for a month.
With an estimated 100 million cu. meters of water
pouring into Bangkok daily, the balls may end up providing more peace of
mind than actual results, however.
World Health Organization officials have been being
widely quoted as saying the “good bacteria” balls will be ineffective in
the face of such a large quantity of “bad bacteria.” Tests during both
the 2004 Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in the United States showed
the balls never lived up to their hype. More critical media reports have
called the bacteria mud balls a “flood hoax” meant to distract
Bangkokians from their plight.
Komsan Khemphet, dean of the Chonburi Agriculture and
Technology College, noted that improper use of the “effective
microorganism” balls can actually lead to more contamination. But with
cooperation of the navy and other agencies, balls can be properly
produced and deployed to clean water no deeper than 1.5 meters.
Still, even a bit of relief would be welcome for
Bangkok denizens, whose streets have become a floating landfill. Plastic
bags overflowing with waste and rotten food cling to boats, cars,
motorbikes and people as they slowly snake through inundated roadways.
Raw sewage and animal carcasses can be seen bobbing in waters ripe for
disease.
Navy officials made no promises on the effectiveness
of the balls, but called the effort is a way for Thais to join together
to work for common good and that the EM balls cost virtually nothing to
produce.
