Every day, Phuket - the pearl island of Thailand - faces an alarming reality: about 1,100 tons of household waste is collected from all areas, from busy beaches to peaceful small streets. All of this huge amount of waste is concentrated at the only landfill in Sapan Hin, located right on the east coast of the island.
Here, a heartbreaking scene appears: towering mountains of garbage are continuously piled up, covering a large area. The pungent stench from the landfills permeates the air, seriously affecting the lives of nearly 1,000 residents living nearby. Every day, they have to face serious air pollution, flies and mosquitoes breeding, and a high risk of contracting environmental diseases.
Phuket is famous as a tourist paradise, attracting millions of visitors to Thailand.
Of that huge amount of waste, about three-quarters (equivalent to 700 tons) is sent to the landfill's incinerator for treatment. However, the incinerator's capacity is limited and cannot handle all the huge amount of waste that is poured in every day. The remaining part, estimated at about 400 tons, continues to be dumped into the environment, causing serious pollution to the land, water and air.
However, this place is facing a serious waste pollution situation, having to process more than 1,000 tons of waste every day.
In recent years, the island has become one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world, attracting millions of visitors every year. According to statistics, in 2024, about 13 million tourists out of a total of 35.5 million international visitors to Thailand chose Phuket as their stopover.
However, the boom in tourism has also come with significant consequences. "Phuket has developed too much," said Suppachoke Laongphet, deputy mayor of Phuket City. He added that the tourism boom and rapid urbanization have caused the amount of household waste on the island to increase dramatically, far exceeding the amount before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the face of mounting community outcry, Phuket authorities are still scrambling to find a solution to the growing waste problem. With the peak season in December bringing a surge in tourists, the pressure on relevant agencies to address the waste management challenge is increasing.
The island receives more than 1,000 tons of waste every day. The number is expected to increase to 1,400 tons by the end of 2025, causing landfill overload.
According to Phuket Deputy Mayor Suppachoke Laongphet, the volume of waste generated during the low season, before Covid-19, never reached 1,000 tons per day. However, that figure has now increased to 1,000 to 1,100 tons per day. This can increase to a staggering 1,100 to 1,400 tons per day during the peak season, raising concerns that the landfill could be full within a year.
"The development of Phuket city has been happening much faster than necessary. We are planning for the worst case scenario, having to prepare an area to store 1,400-1,500 tons of garbage per day for the next 2-3 years until the (second) incinerator is built," said the leader of Phuket city.
The landfill in Phuket is located next to a residential area, causing great inconvenience to people in this area.
Phuket authorities are currently working with private and other government agencies to reduce waste by 200,000 tonnes a year. The plan includes converting waste into fuel. Meanwhile, a second incinerator is under construction in Phuket, scheduled for completion in late 2026 or early 2027, with a daily capacity of 500 tonnes.
On the issue of waste reduction, the Thai government, led by the Phuket Environment and Pollution Control Department, has also set a target of reducing waste by 15% within six months. However, despite the improving efforts, solid waste management experts believe that more needs to be done. “I don’t think just adding more incinerators is the only solution. I think they need to focus on waste reduction and separation,” said Dr. Panate Manomaivibool, a solid waste management expert and associate professor at Burapha University.
Recently, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), an international body that sets standards for sustainable travel and tourism, conducted a five-day assessment in Phuket. The preliminary results of the assessment showed that 70% of Phuket’s accommodation establishments were not registered, leading to unregulated waste management or even tourist safety.
