Mae Ramphueng beach in Thailand's Rayong province was declared a disaster area late last month as oil leaking from an underwater pipeline in the Gulf of Thailand continued to wash ashore and blacken the sand.
Bangkok (NNT/VNA) - Mae Ramphueng beach in Thailand's Rayong province was declared a disaster area late last month as oil leaking from an underwater pipeline in the Gulf of Thailandcontinued to wash ashore and blacken the sand.
The leak from the pipeline owned by Star Petroleum Refining Public CompanyLimited (SPRC) started late on January 25 and was brought under control aday later after spilling an estimated 50,000 litres of oil into the ocean 20 kmfrom the country's industrialised eastern seaboard.
Some of the oil reached the shoreline at Mae Ramphueng beach late on January 28 after spreading over 47 sq km of sea in the gulf.
The Thai navy is working with the company to contain the leak and said the main oil masswas still offshore with only a small amount washing up on at least two spotsalong the 12-km-long beach.
The force said about 150 SPRC workers and 200 navy personnel had been deployedto clean up the beach and oil boom barriers had been set up.
Twelve navy ships and threecivilian ships along with a number of aircraft were also working to contain thespill at sea with booms and dispersant spray./.
Thailand on January 26 mobilised its navy and other agencies to contain an oil spill after an estimated 160,000 litres leaked from an undersea pipeline about 20 km (12.4 miles) off its industrialised eastern seaboard.
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Source: //thainews.prd.go.th 
