For at least three days now there has been a giant gas flare burning over Klong Toey port. We live miles away and it's clearly visible day and night. We don't remember seeing it before and it is quite noticeable. Does anyone know what it is?

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For at least three days now there has been a giant gas flare burning over Klong Toey port. We live miles away and it's clearly visible day and night. We don't remember seeing it before and it is quite noticeable. Does anyone know what it is?

That's the Bangchak oil refinery.  Quite common to see the flare.

I've lived in sight of that flare for 15+ years.  It's intensity fluctuates regularly, sometimes as bright as the OP describes, sometimes barely visible.

2 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

That's the Bangchak oil refinery.  Quite common to see the flare.

Flaring banned of course in many countries.

16 hours ago, Excel said:

Flaring banned of course in many countries.

Not in the UK as it’s still done near Southampton, at Fawley oil refinery. 

On 4/14/2021 at 11:48 AM, josephbloggs said:

That's the Bangchak oil refinery.  Quite common to see the flare.

Oil refined right in the capital--<deleted>! What does this add to BK's pollution index???

8 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Oil refined right in the capital--<deleted>! What does this add to BK's pollution index???

The refinery was built 60-65 years ago when that location was way outside the city and pretty much uninhabited.  I don't think anyone back then could have seen what Bangkok would become today, and now the city has enveloped it.

 

There has been talk of moving it out of the city for years and years but I guess it is easier said than done.

15 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

There has been talk of moving it out of the city for years and years but I guess it is easier said than done.

Like pretty much everything else here! No political will, no backbone! (And who owns PTT???)

27 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Like pretty much everything else here! No political will, no backbone! (And who owns PTT???)

What has PTT got to do with this?  Or you just felt like a little rant?

It is Bangchak Refinery, it is a publicly listed company and is not state owned.  But yeah, I am sure moving a privately owned facility of that size and complexity is as simple as pie.

Do I wish it would be moved?  Yes, I don't think something like that should be where it is.  But I also understand you can't just click your fingers and make it happen.

Edited April 15, 20215 yr by josephbloggs
Typo

On 4/14/2021 at 6:48 AM, josephbloggs said:

That's the Bangchak oil refinery.  Quite common to see the flare.

It would not be common for a refinery. Flares only show when something goes wrong in proces, it's an emergency situation.

As well a flare is shown mostly in cases of start up or shut down.

I can see it from my condo and it has been there for at least a year now..

 

It's normal

Edited April 16, 20215 yr by Kalorymetr

On 4/15/2021 at 2:24 PM, josephbloggs said:

What has PTT got to do with this?  Or you just felt like a little rant?

It is Bangchak Refinery, it is a publicly listed company and is not state owned.  But yeah, I am sure moving a privately owned facility of that size and complexity is as simple as pie.

Do I wish it would be moved?  Yes, I don't think something like that should be where it is.  But I also understand you can't just click your fingers and make it happen.

If you consider that the State social security Office, The Ministry of Finance and the Vayupak Fund are state organisations which combined adds up to around 35% ownership then yes you are correct it is not state owned only that the state has a large share ownership

The Bangkok port has signalled that they intend to move out and redevelop the area into residential area, if that happened anytime, Bangchak refinery would do well to move out too, all those area riverside within reach of the skytrain and Sukhumvit