As the floodwaters recede, Hatyai City has entered the recovery phase. People have started cleaning their homes and shops, discarding damaged items, which are now piled into small mountains awaiting further processing and destruction.
According to the 'Thailand National News', on December 2, the Hatyai city authorities deployed more than 100 garbage trucks to clean up the waste, aiming to open roads as soon as possible and alleviate inconvenience for the public. However, the amount of accumulated rubbish is enormous, and many expect the cleanup efforts will take more than a week to complete.
Drone footage shows that the garbage pile covers at least 4 acres, stacked at a temporary dump point at the Hatyai Phetkasem Road Black Bridge intersection, before being transported to the city's main landfill for processing.
This trash includes destroyed household items, such as wooden furniture, plastic debris, mattresses, clothes, electronics, and local businesses’ goods.
The health department emergency health network warns that the main concern is public health, as bad odors can spread to surrounding communities. The temporary garbage collection site has already been disinfected and deodorized.
Health officials explained that prolonged piling of garbage not only produces a strong stench but also emits hydrogen sulfide gas, causing discomfort to residents and drivers. To reduce the impact, relevant departments are using microbial solutions and regularly spraying water to accelerate decomposition and minimize odors.