Residents in the Mueang district of Buriram province are urgently requesting assistance to address a contaminated water supply that has resulted in rashes and sores covering their bodies. The village leader is aware of the problem and is preparing a budget to resolve the issue.
The residents of Nong Bon and Khok Phet villages in the Khlanta sub-district of Mueang district, Buriram province, have reported issues related to their unclean water supply. After using the water, they have experienced intense itching and developed sores. The residents are urging the authorities to take immediate action to address the problem.
Upon investigation, it was observed that the water usage and appearance in Nong Bon village (Moo 10) and Khok Phet village (Moo 9) seemed normal, with clear and non-cloudy water. However, the residents claim that the water is contaminated, and over 100 households have been affected, experiencing itching and developing sores after using the water.
A 49-year-old resident named Wasana Chuan-Kratok from Nong Bon village displayed sores that had developed on her body due to the polluted water. She mentioned that approximately two months ago, the village’s water supply began emitting a foul smell and caused itching when used for bathing.
Despite notifying the water supply officials, the situation remained unchanged. Some residents have resorted to using a mixture of coconut husk and soap to alleviate the itching. Wasana expressed concern for young children with sensitive skin and the elderly, such as 80-year-old Boon Sri-Lamai, who have to endure the poor water quality. They are now using collected rainwater for bathing until a solution is found.
Sommai Tonchan, the village leader of the Khlanta sub-district, acknowledged the issue and explained that each village has its own water management system. Khok Phet (Moo 9) and Nong Bon (Moo 10) villages obtain their water supply from Samet Village (Moo 7), located approximately 700 meters away. However, Samet Village’s water source has dried up, leading residents to pump water from other sources to their purification center.
Sommai also mentioned that when the water committee of Samet Village (Moo 7) attempted to collect funds from Khok Phet and Nong Bon residents to share the costs, they refused, stating that they had already paid their water bills. This resulted in a disruption of their water supply.
Upon learning about the situation, the sub-district administration office provided water from Khok Klang Village (Moo 8), which is approximately 2.5 km away. Unfortunately, this created water filtration issues, leading to the aforementioned adverse effects on the villagers.
As an initial solution, Sommai plans to allocate around 800,000 baht (US$24,165) from the office’s budget to improve the water filtration system and other necessary equipment. The issue will be discussed in a council meeting, and the required funds will be allocated as an urgent measure.
(Source: – The Thaiger)
