Pollution threatens Luang Prabang
September 9, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
VIENTIANE, 9 September, 2010 – Luang Prabang’s success in tourism is leaving behind a mountain of garbage and other related problems for local authorities to tackle Luang Prabang Province Tourism Office director, Khamphouy Phommavong reported, Wednesday.
Citing a spiraling growth tourism and development in just 15 years since the town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, local authorities now recognise they face an insurmountable mountain of garbage, pollution, waste water problems and illegal building activities.
“We have to look far beyond all the development projects that stand at our door because they will increase the influx of visitors and with them the problems will grow,” the office director told TTR Weekly.
Top of the must-do list is how to treat waste water that is polluting the Mekong and Khan rivers that flow around this historical town.
Garbage disposal threatens the town’s public health and has become an eyesore. There are also infractions of building regulation as developers attracted by the town’s popularity attempt to cash in on the tourism bonanza.
“Guest houses and hotels are releasing waste water into rivers without treatment,” he explained. “We have been discussing this issue with the province and Lao National Tourism Organisation but so far there is no progress.
“We need to find a source of funds to tackle this issue urgently. A new dump site for garbage needs to be purchased as the current landfill is almost full. The town has no waste separation scheme and no incinerators.”
Mr Khamphouy added that four issues had been raised with Asian Development Bank representatives from the Philippines who were in Luang Phrabang recently.
“We highlighted the need for waste water treatment, garbage disposal, fire fighting equipment and training for tourism personal to improve standards.
“Now we are waiting for them (ADB) to send experts to study in details.”
Previously, a study was conducted by the JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation). It concluded that US$25 million was required for tourism development projects. They included: Establish a training centre; tourism site development to improve access; renovation of historical sites; introduce an adequate water treatment and fire fighting measures.
This is another example of uncontrol tourism (also happening in our country). Tourism must be controlled by constructive laws and regulations and also well design preservative plans adopting good governance in the public sector. Private sector and every community citizen must be responsible for all activities to preserve and protect heritage and the beauty of all community areas both physical and psychological heritage and cooperate to follow up and monitor plans, laws and regulations. It is quite difficult to create this significant sense of social responsibility in every sector in the country but we have to do it we want sustainable tourism. We would like to see tourism in Thailand, in our neihbouring countries or in anywhere else remain beautiful as we have witnessed in many countries in Europe, wouldn’t we ? How can we find the good leaders to guide us this goal ?
Luang Prabang is on the verge of being destroyed as a heritage site, yet the greedy tourism industry thinks nothing of bringing more and more low-end tourists to the town. It is almost impossible to enjoy the place anymore, and the filth is everywhere. There should be an entry fee for everyone, simply to enter the town itself. Backpackers are a scourge and should be taxed out of existance as they contribute zero to the local economy.
We, the Visit Asia Travel who loves Lao culture and care environmental of this charming Luang Prabang Heritage seeks all concerns to help hands, save and put your mind to preseve our lovely town. Wants all powers to help us to save this little town for our kids