SPRC gets 15 days to respond as locals demand compensation for oil spill impact

Restaurant and beach bed operators from the Mae Ramphueng Beach and local fishermen held two separate meetings at Rayong Beach Hotel on Wednesday to draft their demand for compensation from the SPRC.

An undersea oil pipe of the SPRC has leaked three times – the first time on January 25, and twice this month – in the sea off the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong.

After the meeting of restaurant and beach bed operators, Prasert Sirimaha, head of the group of Mae Ramphueng restaurant operators, said the oil leaks had affected the beach and prompted the government to temporarily close the site to tourists. He said the closure and the oil leaks had affected the livelihood of local people in several professions.

Prasert said the group of restaurant operators on the Mae Ramphueng Beach in Tambon Tapong will wait 15 days for a response from the SPRC or the group would take further steps.

Prasert said the restaurant operators are demanding that the company pay each restaurant Bt350,000 for loss of revenue in January, February and March.

He said the operators of beach beds and swimming buoys are demanding a compensation of Bt2,000 a day for three months, a total of Bt180,000 to each operator.

The fishermen’s meeting was presided over by Rayong chief fishery officer Seree Ruanlar.

After the meeting, Seree said the local fishermen from 48 groups demanded a monthly compensation of Bt30,000 for a year for each group.

Seree said the demand would be submitted to the provincial committee mediating compensations to forward to the company.