YALA, July 4 (TNA) – Fish farmers in Betong District, Yala Province, have suffered heavy losses after thousands of their “Pla Nil Sai Nam Lai” (flowing water Nile tilapia) fish died for unknown reasons.
Officials from the Yala Provincial Fisheries Office have rushed to the area to investigate the cause.
The incident began on July 2when fish farmers noticed that their fish were dying without any apparent cause. The number of dead fish has since increased significantly, with estimates reaching into the tens of thousands.
Restaurant owner Santi Jongkiatkhajorn, also known as “Ko Ngiew,” and his workers are seen collecting the dead fish from the ponds. . Some of the workers are putting the dead fish into sacks to be fermented into fertilizer, while others are loading them into baskets and crates to be transported to a burial pit dug by a backhoe.
Ko Ngiew’s son, Samart Jongkiatkhajorn said that about 5,000 fish have already died. In about a week, they will know how many of the raised fish will die in total, but they estimate at least 10,000 to 20,000 fish.
The financial losses are estimated to be around 2-3 million baht. A similar incident occurred in May of last year during construction near the upstream water source and now it’s happening again with many fish dying.This time, the fish are dying again in large numbers.
He initially suspected that cement water or runoff from washing vehicles or equipment may have flowed into the stream, causing the fish to die.
The stream is used by three fish farmers for raising “Pla Nil Sai Nam Lai,” and two of them have already been affected. The third farmer, located downstream, is expected to be affected within the next day or two.
He is urging the relevant government agencies to urgently investigate the cause of the fish deaths. If such an incident happens again, he says he will have to stop raising fish and close his restaurant because he doesn’t know where to find more investment capital.
“Pla Nil Sai Nam Lai” is a high-quality product from Betong District, Yala Province. They are raised in a circulating water system with a constant flow of water from the Sankalakhiri mountain range. The water temperature is maintained below 24 degrees Celsius throughout the year. This system allows the fish to swim constantly, which promotes muscle development. The resulting fish are low in fat, firm, sweet, and most importantly, do not have a muddy or fishy odor. Some people even prefer to eat them raw. -819 (TNA)
