Locals on Phi Phi Island have not had enough fresh water for their needs for over two months, leading to the consideration of temporary closures of some business operations if the dry spell continues.

The island is facing another freshwater shortage after similar incidents during the tourist high season over the past several years.

The Krabi Tourism Association said that the private company that provides tap water for households, businesses, restaurants, hotels and resorts on the island had stopped supplying freshwater since April 23 as the water reserve in its five-rai area was running out.

Some business operators on the island had been forced to buy raw water from downtown areas in Krabi.

A local source also revealed that even large hotels, resorts and businesses on the islands were reportedly nearly out of water reserved in their own wells. Some considered temporarily shutting their businesses down if the situation did not improve.

Krabi's provincial authority had requested that the Third Navy Region supply 100,000 litres of fresh water from its base in Phuket.

On Krabi's mainland side, a source said that many areas had suffered a similar drought as the resort island.

Despite the local authority's attempts to use raw water in reservoirs and a request for artificial rain, the source said that water levels in those reservoirs are now very low.

The water shortage is also affecting tourist attractions in Pattaya and Koh Chang.