Koh Larn Water Supply to Expand Significantly as Pattaya Mayor-Elect Pledges Enhanced Tourism Destination

PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya Mayor-elect Poramet Ngampichet has pledged a significant expansion of water supply capacity for Koh Larn, a key tourist island, aiming to resolve the island's long-standing water shortage. The commitment was made during a visit to Koh Larn by Ngampichet, accompanied by deputy mayor-elects and members of the "We Love Pattaya" group, where he thanked residents for their electoral support and reiterated his administration's focus on improving the quality of life and strengthening tourism. The visit included a motorcade procession across the island, where the team met local residents and expressed gratitude for their electoral support. Before the procession, Poramet and his delegation paid respects at the San Chao Mae Cheewit shrine, a revered spiritual site on Koh Larn, seeking blessings for their new term. The atmosphere throughout the island was lively, with residents and tourists gathering along the route to wave, congratulate, and show support to the incoming administration. Poramet said the victory reflected public confidence in the team and pledged that the new administration would move quickly to deliver on campaign commitments aimed at improving quality of life and strengthening Pattaya and Koh Larn as tourism destinations. A key priority, he said, would be addressing the island’s long-standing water supply shortage. He confirmed that prior to the end of the previous term, the city had already begun preparing the terms of reference (TOR) for a major water production expansion project using reverse osmosis (RO) technology. The project aims to increase freshwater production capacity from the current approximately 400 cubic meters per day to between 1,000 and 3,000 cubic meters per day, under a public-private partnership (PPP) model with an estimated concession period of around 25 years. The initiative is expected to reduce the cost of tap water on the island from an average of over 70 baht per cubic meter to around 55 baht for residents, while commercial users would be charged approximately 70 baht per cubic meter, helping to ease living costs and reduce business operating expenses. Officials noted that the project is currently in the TOR drafting stage and will be submitted for legal review by the Attorney General’s Office to ensure fairness for both public and private stakeholders before implementation. Poramet said Koh Larn currently requires around 1,000–1,500 cubic meters of water per day, depending on tourism flow and seasonal demand, meaning existing production capacity is insufficient. He expressed confidence that once the project is completed, supply will be sufficient to meet long-term demand and support tourism growth. He added that the project would also require expansion of the island’s water distribution network to reach all communities. Poramet said water management would remain a key priority over the next four years, describing it as a long-term structural issue requiring sustainable solutions. He also highlighted previous infrastructure improvements on Koh Larn, including the construction of a roof structure at Bali Hai Pier, installation of CCTV systems, establishment of a police service point, road upgrades, wastewater treatment development, and waste incineration facilities. He said these projects collectively aim to improve living standards for residents and enhance Koh Larn’s readiness to accommodate increasing tourism demand in the future.