Phuket: The provincial office is looking to consult with experts to survey a mountaintop area where 13 people, mostly foreign nationals, were killed by landslides last week.
Provincial governor Sophon Suwannarat said the office will write to the permanent secretary of natural resources and environment to request that experts be dispatched to investigate the cause of the landslides and prevent their recurrence.
The survey will be conducted over an area on top of the Nak Kerd mountain range in tambon Karon.
The landslides killed 13 people, including two Russians and nine Myanmar nationals, on Friday.
The authorities have been in contact with the local Russian Consular Office and Myanmar Embassy regarding the deaths. The landslides also injured 19 people. Of them, 14 have been discharged from hospital.
It was reported earlier that persistent heavy rain that began last Thursday morning in Karon caused flash floods and landslides.
The landslides also impacted nearby tambon Rawai and tambon Chalong.
The government said the topsoil came tumbling down the sides of the mountain, sending big boulders rolling down as well.
Widespread damage to communities and tourist accommodations was reported.
A local source said a temple had been built on the mountain range's highest peak, and a large principal Buddha image had been erected.
An aerial photo posted on a Facebook page that reports news about Phuket shows the land had subsided near the base of the Buddha image, which some have claimed triggered the slides.
Trin Sapmongkol, an official at the Thamon Karon municipal office, said the Buddha image required a large tract of land to be built on.
The project also involved clearing away trees, leaving the land denuded with nothing to hold the top oil.
"The local residents have feared that a disaster would take place for some time, and it finally happened," Mr Trin said.
He added plans called for a small Buddha image to be built 22 years ago. However, as time passed, the project continued without a completion date and was constantly expanding, Mr Trin said.
Chalong Loysamut, a resident, is petitioning deputy governor Sattha Thongkham and a local MP to investigate the cause of the landslides.
