Oil spill firm was at fault but govt panel let them off
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A committee set up by Energy Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal found PTT Global Chemical correctly handled the oil leak off Rayong last month, but bad weather and customs delays were responsible for the spill's severe impact.
To me, blaming the weather and customs procedures is saying the obvious, like a captain saying that ship sunk because too much water entered the boat – it doesn’t get to the root cause, and is an attempt to brush aside accountability.
The booms used to contain the spill didn’t work well due to strong winds and currents – but during a rainy season, strong winds are the norm, and the currents have been there for ages. Why didn’t PTTGC take these into account?
Yes, it took two hours for the airplane from Singapore to clear customs, but why didn’t PTTGC plan for such formalities beforehand? To me, it sounds as if PTTGC was caught with its pants down, and was deficient in its duties.
The investigation committee should have been impartial and called a spade a spade, not have tried to whitewash the firm, for “The judge is condemned when the guilty is acquitted” (Publius Syrus).
Burin Kantabutra
Bangkok
