BANGKOK – The much-visited Phi Phi islands in Thailand’s Krabi province is facing two huge problems.

There is a shortage of fresh water for both consumption and domestic use during the dry season, and outlets selling marijuana are on the rise.

Businessmen are urging the government to allocate funds to set up a freshwater production plant and also take steps to control the open sale of marijuana.

Mr Pisan Trangkasombat, the managing partner of Phi Phi Bayview Resort, spoke about the economic obstacles affecting tourism on the islands.

He said the price of fresh water is expected to be high, ranging from 150 baht (S$5.60) to 300 baht per cubic m. The water is sourced from natural and artesian wells.

Mr Pisan added that the water crisis had gone beyond the capacity of private enterprises to address independently, and the government may need to allocate a budget to secure freshwater sources or install desalination plants to turn seawater into drinkable water.

These were matters that required national-level policies by the government to effectively tackle the problem, he said.

He cited as an example the successful initiative in the past to lay underwater power cables from the mainland to supply electricity to the Phi Phi islands.

Local politicians and MPs from the Krabi area were aware of the pressing issue of freshwater scarcity on the islands and acknowledged that there was a crisis, he said.

Mr Natthi Adisaralak, president of the Chamber of Commerce in Krabi province, revealed that proposals had been made during joint public-private sector meetings to address the economic challenges of the province.

The aim is to involve government agencies in finding solutions to these issues, he said.

One proposed solution was the production of drinking water using filtration systems. Currently, the Phi Phi islands purchase fresh water for consumption, but the supply remains insufficient.

A study was conducted recently to assess the impact of this issue, with the Department of Water Resources working to address the problem for tourism destinations on the islands. The department is in the process of designing a project for a freshwater supply system.

On the open and extensive availability of marijuana, Mr Pisan said it may create a negative impact on tourists who are parents, and they would not want their children, particularly teenagers, to visit Thailand.

Some tourists, upon arriving in Thailand, may openly engage in the consumption or use of marijuana, even though it may not be legal. Smoking marijuana in public places such as temples and shopping malls can lead to a 25,000 baht fine.

He urged the government to expedite the issuing of regulations on marijuana use. It should not be freely available, and the authorities should enforce strict regulations or laws to prevent unrestricted sales as seen currently, he said. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK