Phuket Faces Waste Management Crisis as Daily Trash Surpasses Landfill Capacity
PHUKET – Plastic waste, including bottles and cans, litters the waters around Phuket, a popular tourist destination renowned for its beautiful beaches and sunsets. Meanwhile, the island struggles with an escalating garbage problem, with over 1,000 tonnes of waste generated daily.
This figure has risen significantly from 742 tonnes in 2022 and 961 tonnes in 2023, according to local statistics. Trucks and tractors are continually transporting waste to a landfill that is expanding rapidly, replacing the once serene views cherished by local residents.
Local resident Vassana Toyou expressed her frustrations, stating, “There is no life outside the house. The smell is overwhelming, necessitating the use of masks.” This has resulted in increased electricity bills as she relies on air conditioning and purifiers to combat the odor.
Phuket’s rapid growth, driven by the tourism sector which attracted around 13 million visitors in 2024 alone, is contributing to the waste crisis. This is a significant increase compared to just 6 million two decades ago.
Deputy Mayor Suppachoke Laongphet noted that the city’s expansion has outpaced sustainable development, leading to trash output exceeding pre-COVID levels. By year-end, Phuket could be producing as much as 1,400 tonnes of waste daily, further straining the island’s only landfill at Saphan Hin.
Plans are underway to reduce waste generation by 15% within six months, expand the landfill, and construct a new incinerator, as authorities aim to transform Phuket into a more sustainable tourist hotspot.
As of 2021, Phuket’s permanent population was approximately 418,000, excluding transient workers from other provinces and countries. The island’s sole municipal incinerator can process only 900 tonnes of garbage each day, while a mere 10% of waste is recycled. The Pollution Control Department reports that a majority of the waste is organic.
Experts emphasize that solely increasing incineration capacity is not the ultimate solution. “Focusing on waste reduction and effective separation is crucial,” stated Panate Manomaivibool, a waste management expert.
In a bid to improve recycling efforts, the municipality initiated a trial program for a “garbage bank” in the Samakkee Samkong community, aiming to implement broader recycling initiatives if successful.
