While Thailand is in full swing celebrating the Songkran Festival, things aren’t so rosy on Koh Samui, where locals are grappling with a water shortage.
As reported by The Guardian on Sunday (14/4), all across Thailand, folks are getting into the spirit of Songkran, the Thai New Year. Streets are alive with vendors hawking water guns and spots to refill for the epic water battles.
The festival runs from April 12-16 and attracts tourists from far and wide to join in the revelry.
But over on Koh Samui Island, it’s a different story. Residents there have been dealing with a water crisis for days now.
“It’s been two and a half days without water flow,” says Wachirawut Kulaphetkamthorn, who runs a hair salon on Samui.
He explains that they faced a similar situation last year. Back then, water deliveries came every couple of days, but now they’ve been dry for 2-3 days straight.
“The nearby restaurants can’t even open because there’s no water,” he adds.
Big hotels, though, are managing fine as they can afford to pay for private water supplies. So, tourists staying there can still enjoy their water fights without a hitch.
“But it’s an added financial strain on the sector as it tries to bounce back from the pandemic,” notes Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, president of the Koh Samui Tourism Association.
Water on the island comes from reservoirs and an underwater pipeline pumping out 21,000 cubic meters of water per day. But residents’ needs are higher, at 31,000-33,000 cubic meters daily.
Thailand’s also sweating it out due to extreme heat from the El Niño phenomenon, making things hotter and drier across the region. The Thai Ministry of Public Health is cautioning folks about heatstroke risks during Songkran, with temperatures hitting record highs in some spots.
Despite the challenges, the government hopes this year’s extended three-week Songkran festival will give the tourism sector the shot in the arm it desperately needs.
After all, the festival just got a UNESCO nod as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. So, let the water wars continue!