Oil slick worries Hua Hin

HUA HIN Oil slicks made landfall, Thursday, polluting the popular beach resort of Hua Hin on the Gulf of Thailand.
Local officials told Thai PBS, a TV news channel, that the slicks swept ashore during Thursday and teams had been deployed to clean beaches.
Oil slicks are a major concern for the resort’s hotels. They rely heavily on tourism and this is now the peak season for travel.
The navy used a spotter plane to patrol the sea off Prachuab Khiri Khan, Wednesday, at the request of the provincial administration and the flight reported several oil slicks heading to shore.
inside no 3One slick was estimated to extend for 4 kilometres increasing fears that beaches throughout Hua Hin district could face a serious environmental crisis yet again.
The disaster relief centre under the first region’s naval fleet said it was confident it could contain and reduce the impact on beaches while officials said teams had been recruited to clean up beaches.
According to the TV channel Hua Hin’s mayor lodged a complaint with police without identifying the source of the oil slick claiming it would cause havoc to the environment.
Police say they are not able to pinpoint who was responsible for the slick, although freighters ply the sea and may have discharged bilge oil.
It could also have originated at off shore oil platforms, but it would take weeks to confirm the source of the slicks.
The thick oil sludge solidifies with the sand and is very difficult to remove from clothing shoes or the skin.

sourced:ttrweekly.com