World-know resort of Koh Samui as well as neighbouring Koh Phangan have been without electricity for two days, forcing tourists to leave the island.
SURAT THANI- On Thursday morning, technicians were still working hard to put back in electricity in the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. The black-out started three days ago when an underground high-voltage cable broke down. The cable supplies electricity from Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The system so far failed to start again following also a power failure due to maintenance in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The blackout affects particularly the Island of Koh Samui, one of Thailand’s most popular destinations. The three-day power blackout has forced thousands of tourists to flee the islands. Many tourists left their resorts, crowding Koh Samui’s only airport in tumultuous scenes, indicated the daily Bangkok Post. At this time of year Koh Samui hosts about 20,000 tourists. That number shrank to about 1,000 foreign holiday-makers yesterday. Fortunately, the airport has not been affected by the power shortage with all the flights landing and starting according to the normal schedule.
Tourism officials said the blackout should not chase away tourists in the long term, as most holiday-makers have yet to arrive for what is the local high season, starting in the middle of the month.
Despite insurance from the electric company that power would be reestablished yesterday, electricity supply was still not assured on Thursday noon. Surat Thani Provincial governor Chatpong Chatphuti flew to Samui by helicopter on Thursday morning to oversee the repairs.
Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan yesterday instructed state agencies to dispatch mobile generators to the affected areas, as tourists faced many problems after being without electricity since Tuesday. “Total damages to tourism on the two islands should not be more than 5 billion baht,” estimated Wanni Thaipanich, chairwoman of the association of tourism promotion for Koh Phangan to the Bangkok Post. Hotels and residents had then to use their own generators or candles as a temporary solution.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
