Koh Lipe Thailand - Sustainable Development and Responsible Tourism

Water Management

Water is one of the basic necessities for survival. If it is not used and managed in a safe way, we risk sickness and water becomes a danger to us. During the underground filtering, water can get contaminated by many things; dirt, detergents and soap released by people, animal feces, rubbish and oil and many others. Drinking this water can introduce micro-organisms, which could lead to infections with fever and stomach-aches. Parasites reproducing in our system can put our bodies into danger and weaken the immune system

Water is stored by the Chao Ley during the rainy season and collected in big blue drums. The island is rich in fresh water that has been filtered through the ground. Rain water is used for cooking and drinking. Well water is used mainly for washing clothes and pottery, and for bathing. Its when the people start to drink the well water that the problems start.

Lipe’s Water

The Italian Association GEA Onlus has analyzed the water contents on Koh Lipe for safety levels and to suggest to the local people as well as tourists, better water management. They have concluded that the rain water is clean and free of bacteria, toxic substances and unsafe micro-organisms. However, there is an unsafe level of contaminates in the well water. Conclusions are that the water is contaminated by:

Soap and detergents because people bathe or have built showers too close to the wells
Burning of rubbish near a well
Some bungalows and houses are built very close to existing wells, micro-organisms in sewage from the toilets eventually seep into the well water and may get recycled through the showers.
Most of Lipe's resorts and business operations have a "bottomless" septic tank which relies on a natural filtration process through the ground.
The island 'regenerates' for six months during the low or off-season, but the more sewage and waste that is filtered, the more contaminates have a chance to infiltrate the fresh water wells. The island will become saturated and no longer be able to filter the good from the bad.

Rubbish Management

paper decomposes in 2-5 months
orange peels in 6 months
cigarette filters take 12 years to decompose
plastic decomposes in 450 years

Recyclables – rubbish such as aluminium, paper, plastic, and glass can be collected and sold. It can quickly become profitable for the Chao Ley community if they take precautions. There are various recycle bins located around the island and in some resorts.

Toxic – rubbish such as batteries, oils, paints. These should be separated and taken along with the recyclables and deposited in safe areas on the mainland. Give your used batteries to your resort if they recycle or deposit them yourselves on the mainland. Do not throw them in the rubbish bins, they will get burned and become very dangerous!

Other – rubbish such as straws, foam, etc..

As of now, plastic water bottles and aluminium can be lumped together and recycled. Glass bottles are separated and buried. All other rubbish is burned!

A double edged sword: It costs money to transport the recyclables. It needs to be profitable for the locals in order for the system to work. Rubbish is collected here and put on a boat, the boat either dumps it in the ocean and pockets the money, or it is deposited in a landfill on the mainland and burned. Either way, it is bad. Until better solutions are in place, the island will continue burning rubbish.