All-out efforts being made to stop oil spill reaching Rayong shore

Judging from the wind’s direction, it was likely the leaked crude oil was heading towards Mae Rampueng and Khao Laemya beaches, Rayong Governor Channa Iamsaeng said on the phone.

He added that the spill was about three kilometres from the shoreline.

A barrier line called “beach boom” was placed in the sea to block the approaching spill, the governor said. The work was being executed by officials from the Khao Laemya National Park, IRPC, and Star Petroleum Refining, which owns the undersea pipeline that leaked several thousands of crude oil.

Local authorities were convinced the spill would not flow to Rayong’s popular Koh Samet resort, but they were keeping a watchful eye on it.

Meanwhile marine expert Thon Thamrongnawasawat expected balls of tar to head towards the shore after the “first wave” of oil spill was cleaned up. He said this was what had happened in 2013 after an oil spill in the same area.

“The second wave of tar balls came in succession for many days. Given the 2013 experience, the second must follow for one to three weeks,” Thon wrote in his Facebook post.

“I still cannot gauge the potential impact. It depends on where the spill reaches the shore.”

Thon wrote that he hoped only the smallest possible amount of oil spill would reach the shore, as the relevant officials were attempting to contain it.

(Photo credit: Thon Thamrongnawasawat’s Facebook page)