BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin has ordered intensive environmental monitoring in Phuket following the sinking of the SEALLOYD ARC vessel and reports of black wastewater discharging into the sea at Nai Yang Beach.
The Minister emphasized that recovery and cleanup efforts should be transparent and science-based. The Environmental and Pollution Control Office 15 (EPCO 15) is working with the Royal Thai Navy (3rd Fleet), the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, and local municipalities to address the aftermath of the SEALLOYD ARC shipwreck on February 6.
Inspections at Koh He (Coral Island) on February 26 found small tar balls on the beach and in nearby waters. Cleanup teams have removed debris and collected seawater and sediment samples for laboratory analysis. The Navy has used oil dispersants near Koh Racha Yai to address thin oil films. Surveys at Rawai, Nai Harn, and Yanui beaches confirmed that local authorities have cleared initial tar ball deposits.
Investigations into the black water incident at Nai Yang Beach determined that sediment-laden runoff from a local canal reached the shore. The Wastewater Management Organization is expediting construction of a new 1,500-cubic-meter community treatment system, expected to be completed in one year. In the meantime, authorities are installing barriers at the canal mouth to trap sediment and applying bio-microbes to improve water quality and reduce environmental impact. (NNT)
