Sand added to Chalatas beach to cope with monsoon erosion

SONGKHLA, Sept 17 – Officials of the Marine Department are adding sand to reclaim the Chalatas-Samila Beach before seasonal monsoon erosion begins. The 360-million-baht project is aimed at maintaining the beauty of the tourist beach in Muang district ahead of the upcoming monsoon as the beach erosion has continued for longer than a decade. Thapakorn Boonkerd, the marine chief of Songkhla, said officials were sucking sand from the nearby Son On headland and transporting it by boats to the Chalatas-Samila Beach as strong sea was expected in a few days because the monsoon against the eastern coast of the South was about to begin. Mr Thapakorn said the project had undergone public hearings and most stakeholders preferred the sand supply to the construction of a wave-breaking barrier with rocks that would affect views. (TNA)