Koh Lan, a well-known tourist destination off the coast of Pattaya, is experiencing a water shortage due to a significant increase in daily visitors.
After over two years of limited tourism due to the pandemic, the number of Thai and foreign tourists visiting the island has risen to approximately 10,000 per day. This influx of tourists has put a strain on the island’s water supply, which receives roughly 300 cubic meters of treated water per day from Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Plc (Eastwater).
To cope with the water shortage, business operators on Koh Lan have resorted to purchasing treated water from private suppliers on the mainland, at a cost of 70 to 150 baht per cubic meter. In the short term, Eastwater will be requested to increase the water supply to Koh Lan to 1,000 cubic meters per day to address the issue.
According to Manoj Nongyai, the deputy mayor of Pattaya City, officials now plan to revive an old proposal to lay an undersea pipeline that would deliver treated water from the mainland to Koh Lan. The plan had been previously discussed several years ago but had not been implemented.
Koh Lan’s water shortage has become a significant issue, with local businesses and residents expressing concern over the situation. The increasing number of tourists, combined with the limited water supply, has highlighted the need for a sustainable solution that can ensure sufficient water supply for Koh Lan’s residents and visitors in the future. (NNT)
