Caution urged over use of chemical dispersants

“When used in waters less than 20 metres deep, dispersants pose some risks,” Thon Thamrongnawasawat of Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Fisheries said.
He also called on authorities to release information on the chemicals and procedures used.
“Only then can local people get prepared for what’s coming,” he said.
The public should also be updated about the direction of the spill.
If it reaches the coast, the ecological damage will be enormous, he said.
Anond Snidvongs, director of the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, said the efficiency of the mitigation operations would determine the impact from the oil leak.
“Government agencies have already warned people and businesses that they need to stay away from or avoid using seawater in areas at risk,” he said.
Associate Professor Suchana Chavanit, a coral-reef expert at Chulalongkorn University, said the clean-up should take no more than one week.