At least 60 tonnes of oil spilled into the sea before the leak, which began on January 25 off Rayong province, was brought under control.
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The oil spill has just hit the Thai coast. The country’s navy is mobilized on Monday, January 31, to clean up tens of thousands of liters of oil spilled in the Gulf of Thailand, after the leak last week from an underwater pipeline belonging to Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited ( SPRC).
At least 60 tonnes of the oil spilled into the sea before the leak, which began on January 25 off Rayong province, was brought under control. The pollution zone extends over about fifty square kilometers, according to satellite images taken on Sunday. The oil slick started hitting the shoreline this weekend. Mae Ram Phueng beach was closed to swimmers, while teams in protective suits began cleaning operations, AFP journalists noted. A small bay on the tourist island of Koh Samet is also threatened.
Oil should continue to wash ashore in the coming days due to stronger winds. In the meantime, a dozen ships are spraying thousands of liters of chemicals over the affected area. These products, which break down the oil into small particles, sink to the bottom of the sea and contaminate the fauna and flora.