Thailand beach declared disaster area after massive oil spill, aerial images show extent of damage

A beach on Thailand's east coast has been declared a disaster area by the authorities after an underwater oil pipe leak. 

In the aftermath, oil has been washing up on a beach, blackening the sand. It is causing damage to marine life. 

Authorities have revealed that the leak from the pipeline, owned by Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited (SPRC), started late on Tuesday (January 25). SPRC said it was trying to minimise oil reaching the shoreline using booms. 

It was brought under control a day later after spilling an estimated 50,000 litres of oil into the ocean 20 km from the country's industrialised eastern seaboard. 

Thailand's navy and pollution experts have begun cleaning up a spill in the Gulf of Thailand. Photos and videos from the region showed crews in yellow plastic protective suits at Mae Ram Phueng Beach on Saturday afternoon cleaning up the oil slick. 

Mae Ram Phueng Beach is about two and a half hours from Bangkok, a popular tourist place as local hospitality businesses said that the oil washing up on the beach could be the "nail in the coffin" for pandemic-hit hotels and restaurants.  

Aerial shots filmed on January 29 showed the extent of damage and local media reported that satellite imagery on Friday showed a pollution zone of 47 square kilometres. 

Marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat said the oil slick is expected to continue to wash up on shore over the coming days due to stronger wind. 

A dozen ships are spraying dispersant chemicals and so far more than 80,000 litres has been doused over the affected area, the Royal Thai Navy said Saturday.

Star Petroleum said divers had found a failure in a flexible hose that formed part of the undersea equipment around a single point mooring - a floating buoy used to offload oil from tankers.