More than 560 want compensation after oil spill, minister says
The Pollution Control Department (PCD) will test the quality of seawater and air around Khao Laem Ya-Mu Koh Samet National Park for one year, after the oil leak in the Gulf last week.
More than 560 entrepreneurs and other people affected by the leak have sought compensation so far from Rayong provincial office. Energy Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal has said hotels will be first to be compensated.
PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) has promised to compensate all those affected.
Meanwhile, PTT board chairman Pranpree Bahiddha-Nukara said the group had decided to revise its overall risk management and use this incident as a lesson learned. Each board director has been tasked with drawing up a new risk-management plan that set higher standards for the group.
On July 27, about 50 tonnes of crude oil reportedly leaked from an offshore pipeline owned by the firm. The oil slick reached Koh Samet's Ao Phrao and affected nearby areas.
As of yesterday, PCD director-general Wichien Jungrungruang was convinced that the cleanup mission at Ao Phrao was more than 95 per cent complete.
A film of oil had disappeared from the sea surface. Divers who checked coral reefs at a spot north of Ao Phrao said no coral had died. Around Khao Laem Ya and Ao Phe, seagrass showed no signs of being affected.
However, Wichien said it was too soon to conclude that it was safe for people to use the affected area now.
"To the naked eye the situation may look fine, but we have to conduct further tests to be sure that things are really all right," Wichien said.
He said tests of seawater samples collected from Ao Phrao showed that the seawater did not have any contaminant.
"But we will conduct tests at 18 spots around Koh Samet too and the results will come out by August 13," Wichien said.
Starting from mid-August, the PCD will collect samples from affected beach and sea areas to determine whether they are contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
"These tests will continue for one year," he said.
He added that air-quality tests for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) would run around-the-clock until the end of this month.
Tourism and Environment Promotion Association president Sutta Hemasathon said several groups in Rayong were now preparing "Friends Help Friends" activities to help businesses hit hard by the oil spill.
"For example, we will hold the Big Cleaning Day and Seafood Party on all Rayong beaches," he said.
He said the oil spill had hit tourism operators, ferry operators, restaurant owners, fishermen and seafood-related entrepreneurs.
"Sales at my restaurant dropped by more than Bt10,000 from Bt40,000 a day," Nok Kaeo Seafood Shop owner Kanitta Sridongrak said.
On compensation, Pongsak said yesterday that hotels would be the first to be compensated, without having to wait for consideration by a compensation panel.
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They were directly hit by the oil spill and it was easiest to estimate their losses, he said.
Compensation for fishermen and others is pending approval by the compensation committee, which is chaired by the Rayong governor.
Pongsak said that a forensic team found a trace of exterior damage in the offshore pipeline's flexible hose, suggesting human error was to blame.
He also insisted that the volume of the oil leak was only 50,000 litres, based on a calculation of the hose’s diameter and pressure.
"Some based their estimate on the volume of dispersant used. At 33,000 litres, the dispersant can dissolve over 180,000 litres of oil.
Reference : nationmultimedia.com
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