Oil workers come ashore as tropical depression heads for Gulf
In the wake of an approaching tropical depression, workers on offshore oilrigs in the Gulf of Thailand have evacuated to the mainland for the first time this year.
“This is in line with safety measures,” Wanchai Sak-udomchai said yesterday in his capacity as director of the Southern Meteorological Centre (East Coast) Songkhla.
He said the tropical depression was expected to enter the Gulf of Thailand between tomorrow and Sunday.
Wanchai said employees of oil firms like Chevron and PTT Exploration and Production have followed the precautions in leaving their offshore platforms and returning to the mainland.
Wanchai described the evacuation as a normal step in such circumstances.
“Last year, there were five such evacuations,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said yesterday if the tropical depression entered the upper part of the gulf, provinces from Phetchaburi down would feel its influence. If the tropical depression moved into the middle part of the gulf, the impact would be felt from Prachuap Khiri Khan down.
The Meteorological Department said the tropical depression was yesterday centred about 400 kilometres southeast of Ho Chi Minh City with a maximum sustained wind velocity of about 55km per hour.
Plodprasop urged people to follow weather forecasts issued by the department.
Wanchai said the tropical depression would likely increase rainfall in Thailand’s South and cause rough sea conditions between tomorrow and Sunday.
“The waves will likely be a few metres high between Phetchaburi and Surat Thani,” he said.
