Three-day blackout ends on Thai islands

A three-day power outage has finally come to an end on the popular Thai islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, after engineers successfully restored power at 4am this morning.

Surat Thani Governor Chatpong Chatphut yesterday declared the two islands a disaster zone as it endured a second day without power.

Some parts of the islands had been without power since Tuesday morning after a section of an underground high-voltage cable which provides electricity from mainland directly to the two islands, ruptured.

Many larger hotels were able to cope, maintaining basic services through private generators. State agencies also dispatched mobile generators to the affected areas, and PTT shipped in an additional 200,000 litres of fuel to five petrol stations on Koh Samui to ease the fuel shortages.

Flights to and from the island were not disrupted, providing escape for many disgruntled tourists. Relying on backup generators, Samui International Airport has been operating normally with no impact from the power outage, continuing to operate 36 flights a day, reports Bangkok Airways.

By Mark Elliott, 7 December 2012, Friday 3:13 AM