Black water seen pouring into Pattaya Bay after a recent rainstorm was not sewage, but muddy storm runoff, Pattaya’s mayor said.
Sonthaya Kunplome told the media June 1 that a much-discussed video posted online was inaccurate. It showed a storm-drainage pipe on Pattaya Beach near Walking Street spewing brackish water into the sea. The online poster claimed it was raw sewage.
In fact, Sonthaya explained, it was merely excess storm runoff intentionally released into the sea rather than remain on the streets to flood people’s homes and businesses.
All wastewater is sent via different pipes to sewage-treatment plans on Soi Wat Boonkanjanaram and Soi Nongyai, he said.
Usually storm runoff is routed through filters to capture trash and natural debris. But in times of heavy rainfall, that system cannot keep up and water backs up and floods homes. City engineers have the option during such times to open filter gates and allow rainwater to run directly into the sea, Kunplome said.
Thus, the dark color of the water was sand and sentiment and not sewage, the mayor insisted.
Pattaya officials repeatedly have urged residents not to believe as gospel what they see on social media and instead pick up the phone and ring the Pattaya Call Center at 1337 if they have questions or concerns. (PCPR)
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