Phuket officials and business representatives recently visited the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort to observe its waste and water management systems. The province faces a serious solid waste challenge, with over 1.2 million tonnes of accumulated waste and more than 1,200 tonnes of daily waste generation.
The Katathani Resort is considered a local benchmark for systematic waste management, particularly in reducing waste at the source and promoting long-term sustainability. The resort operates a zero food waste system through on-site waste separation and treatment, which reduces the amount of waste sent for external disposal.
The delegation also examined the resort’s water management system, which has its own natural water sources and raw water supply, along with a standard wastewater treatment system consisting of five treatment ponds. Treated water is reused to irrigate plants within the resort, while wastewater is fully treated before being discharged into the sea. Additionally, the resort operates a sludge treatment system, converting the sludge from the treatment process into fertilizer.
Sombat Atiset, CEO of Katathani Group, stated that the hotel has prioritized environmental management for nearly 30 years. The organic waste system can handle several tonnes of waste per day without using fuel or heavy machinery, and the wastewater sludge is converted into fertilizer, reducing the need for external disposal services.
Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn acknowledged that waste management is a major challenge that requires cooperation from all sectors. Phuket produces about 1,200 tonnes of waste a day, but the Phuket City incinerators can handle only 500 tonnes, or 40% of the total. The rest is sent to landfills elsewhere in the province, which are becoming overwhelmed. Only 10% of the trash in Phuket is recycled, and 60% is organic waste.