Authorities say ‘polluted’ Phuket water is just sediment

Black-coloured stream was drawn down from nearby pond at high tide, says Karon mayor

PHUKET: The mayor of the Karon municipality has denied that a black stream running from Karon beach into the sea is polluted water, saying it is the colour of sediment while the water is actually crystal clear.

Jadet Wicharasorn was responding on Tuesday to bird’s-eye view pictures of Karon beach that have gone viral on social media. They showed a black stream flowing through the beach into the sea, which was partly darkened.

Mr Jadet said the water came from Nong Han pond near the beach. It was black because a high tide had reached the pond and when it retreated, it drew black sediment from the pond through the sand and into the sea.

“I insist that the water is not polluted. Polluted water would have blackened all the seawater along the beach,” he said.

Mr Jadet said he ordered a water quality contractor to check the seawater in the area and “collected samples are crystal clear and odourless”.

To solve the problem, he said, the municipality would dig holes to trap sediment upstream, he said.

The Nong Han pond is part of a public park that covers an area of seven rai, Mr Jadet said.