We reported recently of oil pollution affecting Jomtien Beach. These deposits although small covered an extensive 1-2km stretch of the beach.
Now reports are coming in of similar pollution affecting beaches in Sattahip District. With locals and tourists naturally reticent to enter the water for fears to their health and just sitting or walking on polluted beaches can end up with difficult to move and annoying oils smears to the body and clothing.
Thai Royal Naval Assets based in Sattahip have been tasked to investigate any oil slicks in the Gulf of Thailand and try to determine their origin. Fishing boats cleaning fuel tanks and dumping their contents illegally at sea are the usual culprits however at the moment the blame is being pointed at an oil tanker that capsized in the port of Mahachon in Samut Sakhon Province south of Bangkok on the 7th of April.
Environmental agencies are very concerned as any reports of polluted beaches could have a seriously negative effect especially during the Songkran Festival period.
