Dazzling Thai holiday islands made famous by Hollywood movies Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio are facing severe water shortages amid a heatwave that has swept across Asia, a tourism official and native residents said on Thursday.
The Koh Phi Phi archipelago, situated off the west coast of southern Thailand, attracts lots of of hundreds of tourists yearly to its pristine beaches and turquoise waters.
But a deadly heatwave that has dropped temperature records across the region in recent weeks, in addition to a protracted period of low rainfall, has depleted reservoirs.
“The private company that supplies water to the islands may have to stop supplying,” said Wichupan Phukaoluan Srisanya, president of the Krabi Hotel Association, which represents hotels in the world.
Island authorities have discussed water transport from the mainland if dry weather persists, she added, but will hold off on that in hopes that the rainy season will arrive in May.
“However, we wish to guarantee tourists planning to go to the islands that we are going to manage it,” Wichupan added.
Residents who asked to not be named said that they had been affected by fresh water shortages for months and that some hotels had limited bookings in consequence.
Online posts from returning tourists warn travelers to “check if fresh water is out there at their accommodation” before their stay.
One wrote on the review site TripAdvisor that “the faucet water stopped flowing” since the island’s reservoirs had dried up since late April.
Scientists have long warned that human-induced climate change will cause more frequent, longer and more intense heatwaves.
According to the United Nations World Meteorological Organization, while the El Nino phenomenon is contributing to unseasonably warm weather this 12 months, Asia can also be warming faster than the worldwide average.
Local tourism operators have repeatedly called for long-term investment within the water supply of Koh Phi Phi islands, which lack sufficient reservoirs and infrastructure.
In the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui – one other hugely popular tourist island – is experiencing similar dry and hot weather, however the local tourism board said there was no impact on tourists.
“We only need a water truck, but that triples the cost of running hotels,” said Koh Samui Tourist Association president Ratchaparon Poolsawadee.
Recent extreme heat has hit Asia, causing deaths from heat stroke, school closures and desperate prayers for cooling rain.
For about per week in April, Bangkok authorities issued every day extreme heat warnings as the warmth index – which takes under consideration other aspects including humidity – exceeded 52 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit).
