Oil pollutes Phuket beach
Black oil, believed to be from a large ship, was found on a beach at Ao Makham in Wichit on Sunday.
Phuket vice governor Tanyawat Chanpinit, along with other officials, inspected the beach after the oil was found on the sands along Tang Ken Bay.
Tanyawat said: “Oil has been found polluting 315 metres of the beach, with a strong smell. It is believed that this oil is from a big ship.”
The sand stained with the oil is being removed from the shoreline, whilst buoys have been put out to soak up some of the black oil from the water.
Officials believe that it will take about two days to remove all the oil pollution along the beach.
Nattawan Jamlongkard, chief of the Phuket Natural Resources and Environment Office, said on Monday: “We have checked the water quality and found that it hasn’t affected the environment at this stage [beyond the oil-stained beach]. We have collected oil samples for further checking to identify the kind of oil, and where it may have come from, in order to find the source.”
The acting chief of the Phuket Marine Office, Wiwat Chitcherdwong, said: “We will file a report to police in order to identify suspects who may have released this oil. They will face legal action.”
At this stage, officials believe that the washed-up oil is used oil that has been released into the sea from a vessel.
Source: thethaiger.com