Chon Buri oil spill sparks swift cleanup effort
Strong winds snapped mooring rope, shifting ship and breaking pipeline
An oil spill off Chon Buri’s coast triggered an urgent response, but officials say there’s no danger to Pattaya or Bang Saen.
Thai authorities have sprung into action following a minor oil spill involving approximately 8,000 litres of Murban crude oil from the MT Phoenix Jamnagar, a massive 160,000-tonne VLCC tanker.
The leak occurred around 1am yesterday, June 6, at a Tier 1 buoy located about 6 kilometres offshore from Si Racha, Chon Buri. Strong winds exceeding 50 nautical miles per hour snapped a mooring rope while the vessel was offloading oil, causing the ship to shift and disconnect the transfer pipe. Despite emergency valves activating immediately, residual oil inside the pipe spilled into the sea.
Kritphet Chaichu, Director-General of the Marine Department, explained, “About 3,000 litres were contained within the safety boom already in place, but roughly 5,000 litres spread out in a thin film across an 8-kilometre radius, drifting northward.”
A high-level command centre has been established at Thai Oil Public Company Limited’s engineering operations building. Chaired by Chon Buri Governor Thawatchai Srithong, the meeting included key officials and marine safety experts, as well as representatives from the Maritime National Interest Protection Centre.
Thirteen vessels—both state and privately operated by Sri Racha Tugboat Co., Ltd.—have been deployed for containment and cleanup. Chemical dispersants and additional containment booms are being used, with aerial spraying by Navy aircraft scheduled to treat the slick near Koh Si Chang.
Governor Thawatchai assured the public the situation is firmly under control. “Compared to a previous 60,000-litre spill that was successfully handled, this is a relatively minor incident,” he said. “We expect to eliminate all visible traces of the oil by the end of the day.”
The governor also addressed growing concerns online over a greenish tint seen in local waters, particularly in tourist zones, reported The Pattaya News.
“This is caused by a natural plankton bloom, not oil contamination. Residents and tourists should not be alarmed.”
Authorities have confirmed that no oil is expected to reach popular tourist destinations such as Pattaya or Bang Saen, helping to calm fears of environmental or tourism-related fallout.
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