Phuket Coast Cleanup

Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and one of the most visited destinations in South-East Asia. Its beaches are central to its identity and its economy, which makes their condition a matter of shared local interest. That same popularity, however, places real pressure on the coastline: high visitor numbers, dense seasonal activity and tidal deposition all contribute to waste accumulating on the shore.

We are focusing on Phuket precisely because there is an engaged local ecosystem — residents, businesses and authorities — with reasons to care about clean beaches. Environmental action tends to last when it aligns with local interests rather than working against them, and Phuket offers that alignment.

As with our Bali project, we name Phuket as the proposed area rather than announcing a specific beach. The exact site will be chosen with local stakeholders through a proper site-selection process, not decided in advance from Switzerland.

Tourism is not the enemy of a clean coastline, but unmanaged pressure is. Single-use plastics, food and drink packaging, and the sheer density of people at peak times can overwhelm local waste systems. Meanwhile, tides deposit marine debris that has travelled from well beyond the island. The result is a mixture of locally generated and ocean-borne waste that varies by season and location.

Understanding this mixture is part of doing the work well. A baseline waste assessment at the chosen site helps us and our partners understand what is actually there, which in turn shapes the equipment, the disposal plan and the realistic targets for the cleanup.

Rather than picking a beach for its photogenic qualities, we propose a site-selection process led with local stakeholders. This considers where a cleanup would do the most good, where access and safety are manageable, where permissions can be obtained, and where local partners are willing and able to sustain follow-up activity.

Engaging local authorities and partners early is essential. It ensures the project has the necessary permissions and environmental clearances, that it fits with any existing local efforts rather than duplicating them, and that responsible tourism and hospitality businesses can take part. This engagement is ongoing, and no site has yet been finalised.

The campaign target for the Phuket Coast Cleanup is CHF 10,000, matching the structure of our Bali project so the two can be compared directly. As before, we publish budget categories rather than invented precise figures, and we will publish actual spending against those categories once the project is delivered.

Expected budget categories include local coordination and permissions; waste-collection and safety equipment; responsible waste transport and disposal; volunteer provisions; local communications; documentation and reporting; payment-processing costs; and a contingency. Volunteer participation will be organised with the local partner and may involve residents, visitors and participating businesses, always subject to safety and any applicable requirements.

The same non-negotiable principle applies here as at Uluwatu: collected waste must have a responsible destination confirmed before collection begins. Where operationally possible, material will be sorted and transferred to responsible handlers, prioritising recycling and safe disposal. A cleanup that simply relocates waste is not a success.

Safety is planned, not assumed. A safety process — covering briefings, appropriate equipment, and awareness of tides, heat and terrain — will be established with the local partner before any activity. Volunteers will be briefed accordingly.

The principal risks are stated plainly: beach selection and permissions must be agreed with local authorities; seasonal weather can affect timing and participant safety; and responsible disposal routes must be confirmed in advance. These are the reasons the project remains in planning rather than being presented as a fixed event.