Akanat orders Bangchak and BAFS units to cover Rama 3 oil spill costs
Bangchak and BAFS subsidiaries have been ordered to repair a leaking pipeline, restore affected areas and cover all damage from Bangkok’s Rama 3 oil spill.
Energy Minister Akanat Promphan on Wednesday ordered subsidiaries of Bangchak and Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services to urgently repair a leaking oil pipeline and take full responsibility for the resulting damage after an inspection identified the leak beneath Bangkok’s elevated Rama 3 Road.
Akanat visited the affected area on Chuea Phloeng Road, near the boundary between Khlong Toei and Yan Nawa districts, following reports of oil contamination in the city’s drainage system. Officials surveyed the area and traced the pipeline before excavation revealed the location of the leak.
Companies ordered to repair leak and inspect pipelines
The companies named in the instructions were Bangkok Fuel Pipeline and Logistics Co., Ltd., a Bangchak subsidiary, and BAFS Pipeline Transportation Limited, part of Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services Public Company Limited (BAFS).
Akanat instructed the two companies responsible for the pipeline system to urgently repair the leak and inspect the relevant sections to bring the situation under control and prevent oil from spreading into neighbouring areas.
Both companies must also conduct detailed assessments of the pipeline system’s structural integrity and safety to establish whether there are further vulnerabilities or damage. They must introduce measures to prevent a recurrence, carry out the work urgently and report progress to the relevant authorities.
Operators to fund restoration and compensation
Alongside the pipeline repairs, Akanat directed the operators to restore affected areas to their original condition and provide full compensation for the damage caused. The companies must bear the costs of the clean-up and restoration.
Identifying the leak is only the first stage of resolving the incident. Relevant agencies must now assess the extent of contamination, examine the effects on the drainage system and surrounding areas, and ensure repairs meet safety standards.
The Energy Ministry will closely monitor both companies’ work, from stopping the leak and repairing the pipeline to removing oil residue, restoring affected areas and compensating for damage, to ensure they take full responsibility for addressing the incident.
