Community Protest Against Drilling In The Gulf Of Siam

[Gatorade]

I asked about visibility from Samui simply because if it is possible to see those oil rigs from Samui (Lamai, Chaweng?), Laem Set - then resorts, hotels and those exclusive hillside rental villas will loose, as no tourists would like to spend their cash enjoying the view to the oil rigs. It will also affect Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, as Samui is really a hub for other islands. You will not need any spill to seriously damage tourism at these three islands, you just need the view to the rigs.

Yes, how true. The 27 rigs of the coast of California keep all the tourists away from the Southern California beaches. Such a shame....

Oh, and there is this:

"Removal of the rigs would be a death sentence for creatures that call the rigs home."

Can oil rigs help sustain marine life?

Yeah i've seen some of these creatures moping around Samui's bars lost for want of an oil rig. Sad really.

Smokie, have you been following me?

[smokie36]

Smokie, have you been following me?

My eyes and ears are everywhere Gator.

So when the new rig opens up will you be taking a speedboat commute to Koh Tao on a daily basis?.......Best of both worlds if you can get the rig close enough.....

[H2oDunc]

According to Google earth and a sat nav bearing I am 465 feet above sea level and even on the clearest of days I cannot see the rigs South of here even with binoculars. Maybe the protesters so concerned about the spoilt view could have stopped the eyesore of a wind turbine they have desecrated Koh Tao with ? Or is it like most enviro loonies there are good and bad eyesores.

Wind turbine blighting the landscape of a tropical island and producing very little electricity = Good

Oil rig providing jobs and badly needed revenue = Bad ?

Just my two pence worth

[Gatorade]

According to Google earth and a sat nav bearing I am 465 feet above sea level and even on the clearest of days I cannot see the rigs South of here even with binoculars. Maybe the protesters so concerned about the spoilt view could have stopped the eyesore of a wind turbine they have desecrated Koh Tao with ? Or is it like most enviro loonies there are good and bad eyesores.

Wind turbine blighting the landscape of a tropical island and producing very little electricity = Good

Oil rig providing jobs and badly needed revenue = Bad ?

Just my two pence worth

Although I have some reservations regarding the rigs I'm in full agreement that the wind turbines are a blight.Besides the ugliness

of the structures there is also the noise and the impact on birdlife.

Was there ever a public discussion regarding the turbines? Who owns them? Was there an Environmental impact study? and so on and on.

In my opinion there is no cost benefit case whatsoever, they cannot replace existing power supplies since they can't operate when there is no wind.

Perhaps they should re-locate them on the oil rigs

[LeoLeoKhm]

Oil Drilling rigs are ugly but wind farms are beautiful. Just ask Ted Kennedy.

Get over it.

We drill & then we leave.

When will you leave the area next to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao?

[LeoLeoKhm]

Now he will not, and will try to sell the land for whatever money you can get for land with the view to an oil rig.

Have I understood this correctly? The view to an oil rig 42km away is making him sell his now worthless land??

42km??? What kind of eyesight does this person have? ONE oil rig, hidden perhaps behind Koh Tao, or several jestskis, or a low flying plane. I cannot believe I would be able to see something that far away. I can't see the SeaTran ferry after about half way to KPP.

No, the oil rig I asked about will not be hidden behind Koh Tao, it is currently planned to be located south west direction 42 km from Samui. Please have a look at the map, I published it in this forum earlier.

About the visibility, this was all I was asking initially, will it be possible to see it from anywhere on Samui, and if yes, from where. I have only vague idea how tall the rig will be. A friend who worked with off shore drilling locally, told me it will be up to 40-50 m above the sea level. However, it is of of course a very unconfirmed piece of data, since his experience may be out-of-date. Anyone has more exact and more proven info?

So far, with help of Catador, he was perhaps the only one so far who responded with data, not with some strange opinion like 'wind turbines are bad, oil rigs are good' , and with the help of this link http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2138577/posts, I arrived to the number of 100m above the sea level. It means that oil rig will be visible from anywhere on Samui with unobstructed south-west view to an abserver who is at and above 100m above sea level.

However, I did not take into account two important things here: the height of the rig, and the eyepower, since I have no idea how to do it. Perhaps anyone on this forum could help out?

I will appreciate information, not so much opinions, in your replies. I will be very happy if the bloody things are impossible to see from any of the three islands.

[LeoLeoKhm]

According to Google earth and a sat nav bearing I am 465 feet above sea level and even on the clearest of days I cannot see the rigs South of here even with binoculars. Maybe the protesters so concerned about the spoilt view could have stopped the eyesore of a wind turbine they have desecrated Koh Tao with ? Or is it like most enviro loonies there are good and bad eyesores.

Wind turbine blighting the landscape of a tropical island and producing very little electricity = Good

Oil rig providing jobs and badly needed revenue = Bad ?

Just my two pence worth

How far from you are the rigs you are talking about?

And, not being envuiro loonie at all (this protest was my life's first ), I cannot pass your wonderful logic. Lets develop it further: nuclear power station will produce many more jobs and much more electricity. Want it on Koh Tao? :)

[LeoLeoKhm]

According to Google earth and a sat nav bearing I am 465 feet above sea level and even on the clearest of days I cannot see the rigs South of here even with binoculars. Maybe the protesters so concerned about the spoilt view could have stopped the eyesore of a wind turbine they have desecrated Koh Tao with ? Or is it like most enviro loonies there are good and bad eyesores.

Wind turbine blighting the landscape of a tropical island and producing very little electricity = Good

Oil rig providing jobs and badly needed revenue = Bad ?

Just my two pence worth

Although I have some reservations regarding the rigs I'm in full agreement that the wind turbines are a blight.Besides the ugliness

of the structures there is also the noise and the impact on birdlife.

Was there ever a public discussion regarding the turbines? Who owns them? Was there an Environmental impact study? and so on and on.

In my opinion there is no cost benefit case whatsoever, they cannot replace existing power supplies since they can't operate when there is no wind.

I haven't been on Koh Tao for ages, and funny enough cannot find find pictures of the wind turbine you so much despise. If you know of a link, could you post it here, the forum rules allow it, or PM to me?

Most of your other questions are answered here, in the Feasibility Study for this turbine http://www.thaiscience.info/Article%20for%20ThaiScience/Article/3/Ts-3%20feasibility%20analysis%20on%20the%20installation%20of%20a%20wind%20turbine%20in%20small%20island%20of%20thailand.pdf

[nocturn]

According to Google earth and a sat nav bearing I am 465 feet above sea level and even on the clearest of days I cannot see the rigs South of here even with binoculars. Maybe the protesters so concerned about the spoilt view could have stopped the eyesore of a wind turbine they have desecrated Koh Tao with ? Or is it like most enviro loonies there are good and bad eyesores.

Wind turbine blighting the landscape of a tropical island and producing very little electricity = Good

Oil rig providing jobs and badly needed revenue = Bad ?

Just my two pence worth

Although I have some reservations regarding the rigs I'm in full agreement that the wind turbines are a blight.Besides the ugliness

of the structures there is also the noise and the impact on birdlife.

Was there ever a public discussion regarding the turbines? Who owns them? Was there an Environmental impact study? and so on and on.

In my opinion there is no cost benefit case whatsoever, they cannot replace existing power supplies since they can't operate when there is no wind.

Perhaps they should re-locate them on the oil rigs

can anyone direct me to a pic of the turbines?

edit:sorry didn't see above request

Edited August 21, 2010 by nocturn

[itishothere]

OK. I am bored and may have got this totally wrong. But here goes ….

The curvature of the earth means that things disappear over the horizon. How far you can see is in the equation: distance = square root of height x 1.15

So at the beach, a 6 foot man can see 2.8 miles. If his eyes were at 1,000 ft he would see 36 miles etc.

Lets say the rig is big. Very big at 230 ft (70m). And that our rig is 42km (26 miles) away.

For that to disappear, at sea level, it would not be visible if it were 17 miles away. The earth would curve and it would just vanish. As you climb the mountain for it not to be seen 26 miles away, you would have to be below 830 feet high. Or put another way, it would just come into view after you have climbed about 500 feet.

Of course another issue is perspective. Koh Tao is about 60km from where I am now sitting. And I should have a view of it. I can't see a dam_n thing, and bear in mind this island is about 2km wide and about 380m high. Slight larger than the oil rig, but yes, a bit farther away.

Or lets say I was in Nathon. Don Sak is less than 40km away. I don't think I have seen any of it. Or if I have, maybe I have just about made out a 5 mile strip of land, which to me looks like a blur. On it's own without the other land, it might look like a ship, or a rock, or the statue of liberty for all I know.

The last issue is eyesight. Even if you could actually define this dot 42km away, are our eyes good enough? I am dam_n sure mine aren't. I can hardly make out the bl##dy letters on this keyboard sometimes!

Only trying to help. And confuse. And pass the time.

[itishothere]

dam_n ... can't find the edit button.

But that paragraph about how high you have to be to see the rig, well it wasn' too clear!!

At 500 feet you would see the very tip of it. So at about 830 feet you should be able to see all of it. Or as much as the eye can make out at any rate.

Sorry!:jap:

[crusty]

OK. I am bored and may have got this totally wrong. But here goes ….

The curvature of the earth means that things disappear over the horizon. How far you can see is in the equation: distance = square root of height x 1.15

So at the beach, a 6 foot man can see 2.8 miles. If his eyes were at 1,000 ft he would see 36 miles etc.

Lets say the rig is big. Very big at 230 ft (70m). And that our rig is 42km (26 miles) away.

For that to disappear, at sea level, it would not be visible if it were 17 miles away. The earth would curve and it would just vanish. As you climb the mountain for it not to be seen 26 miles away, you would have to be below 830 feet high. Or put another way, it would just come into view after you have climbed about 500 feet.

Of course another issue is perspective. Koh Tao is about 60km from where I am now sitting. And I should have a view of it. I can't see a dam_n thing, and bear in mind this island is about 2km wide and about 380m high. Slight larger than the oil rig, but yes, a bit farther away.

Or lets say I was in Nathon. Don Sak is less than 40km away. I don't think I have seen any of it. Or if I have, maybe I have just about made out a 5 mile strip of land, which to me looks like a blur. On it's own without the other land, it might look like a ship, or a rock, or the statue of liberty for all I know.

The last issue is eyesight. Even if you could actually define this dot 42km away, are our eyes good enough? I am dam_n sure mine aren't. I can hardly make out the bl##dy letters on this keyboard sometimes!

Only trying to help. And confuse. And pass the time.

Koh Tao is 32 n.m. from Samui and on clear days I can easily see it from Ban Thai / Ban Bo. Atmospherics have a lot to do with viewing range too as I used to regularly flash mirror signals to my girlfriend there until C.A.T arrested me.

[KTD]

Does anyone know aprox water depth at G5/50 plot for NuCoastal?

[KTD]

I just dug around quickly but if my info is correct the rig that was contracted to NuCoastal before ( for 90,000usd per day)

was a Jack up with 300' rated water depth. Hull length would be aprox 238', Breadth 213', Max leg length 410'

and has woolslayer derrick aprox 160'.

56 onshore blocks and nine offshore blocks in the Gulf of Thailand spanning 235,606 square kilometers were offered in the the 2007 concession bidding round.

[LeoLeoKhm]

dam_n ... can't find the edit button.

But that paragraph about how high you have to be to see the rig, well it wasn' too clear!!

At 500 feet you would see the very tip of it. So at about 830 feet you should be able to see all of it. Or as much as the eye can make out at any rate.

Sorry!:jap:

thank you very much, itishothere, it is much clearer now. So, in meters (sorry ), you can theoretically see the rig from 150m above the sea level at Samui, and all of it perhaps at some 300m.. At the sea level you wond me able to see it at all, which is good news - most tourists rearly go much above the sea level , I will hope Of course, some bastard will surely make pictures of a tropical pearl, Koh Samui with an oil rig at the horison to post at Tripadvisor etc, but that's another matter...

As to how much one can see, I am now at the east coast of Koh Phangan, just an hour ago, that is before sunset, and oncoming of a huge stormy cloud, I could quite well see from here both Koh Tao (37 km away, according to Google Earth) and Marine Park (some 30km away, same source). Now, of course the rig is much smaller the above mentioned objects (I hope )

again, thank you for the calculation.

[livinthailandos]

since most of us don't seem to really care about a ton of oil rigs around samui, phangan, I say lets also go ahead and build that nuclear power plant near suratthani to while were at it. After all who needs greedy tourism, darn it we need electricity, cheap land, especially since our currencies and pensions are becoming worthless.

Just to note I'm being sarcastic

[Gatorade]

According to Google earth and a sat nav bearing I am 465 feet above sea level and even on the clearest of days I cannot see the rigs South of here even with binoculars. Maybe the protesters so concerned about the spoilt view could have stopped the eyesore of a wind turbine they have desecrated Koh Tao with ? Or is it like most enviro loonies there are good and bad eyesores.

Wind turbine blighting the landscape of a tropical island and producing very little electricity = Good

Oil rig providing jobs and badly needed revenue = Bad ?

Just my two pence worth

Although I have some reservations regarding the rigs I'm in full agreement that the wind turbines are a blight.Besides the ugliness

of the structures there is also the noise and the impact on birdlife.

Was there ever a public discussion regarding the turbines? Who owns them? Was there an Environmental impact study? and so on and on.

In my opinion there is no cost benefit case whatsoever, they cannot replace existing power supplies since they can't operate when there is no wind.

I haven't been on Koh Tao for ages, and funny enough cannot find find pictures of the wind turbine you so much despise. If you know of a link, could you post it here, the forum rules allow it, or PM to me?

Most of your other questions are answered here, in the Feasibility Study for this turbine http://www.thaiscience.info/Article%20for%20ThaiScience/Article/3/Ts-3%20feasibility%20analysis%20on%20the%20installation%20of%20a%20wind%20turbine%20in%20small%20island%20of%20thailand.pdf

Leo, many thanks for the feasibility study it is most interesting. I guess this thread has diversified from oil rigs but I suppose that there is a commonality in that both wind turbines and oil rigs have an impact on the landscape.

The study concludes that after installation of the turbine(s) on Tao there should be an analysis on the impact on environmental issues: sound, height, visibility, wildlife, public safety, land use and erosion. Has this analysis been completed? and is it available to the public?

The turbine also requires that diesel generators have to be constantly available to supply power when there is insufficient wind i.e. most of April. So there is still a requirement for all the diesel infrastructure, fuel, batteries, transport, maintenance etc. In fact a doubling up.

The study doesn't make a comprehensive cost benefit case and in my opinion it would be difficult to make one which would stand up, particularly when factors such as landscape destruction on a very beautiful island are brought into play.

I am only an interested observer and not living on Tao but it would be interesting to know how the residents feel and if the arrival of the turbine has improved things.

[Tracer Round]

Thanks, itishothere for a cogent post on what has become a side issue. I don't think that "seeing the rigs" was ever a concern of any rational person opposed to oil and gas exploration near Samui/KP/KT, but then there is the case for the "smell of the smelly oil," so maybe visibility is one of their "valid" concerns.

I have been able to see, quite clearly over the past days, a container ship on the horizon. It's ruining my life. When I happen to look in that direction (and at night they have the audacity to turn on lights!) and see the tiny outline of this metal beast, I burst into tears thinking of how many business owners are losing customers because of the unsightly sight.

I shutter to think how horrible it will be to see a tiny fleck in the distance -- if I get stronger prescription glasses -- and realize it's a smelly smelling oil derrick.

I think the nature of the protest was a knee-jerk reaction from the Gulf of Mexico accident. So possible spills are the focus, I believe, not visibility of the derricks. By the way, do I remember reading a post that said there were 5,000 wells drilled in and about this area in question without incident? What are the fearful fearing, anyway? A sample size of one -- completely unrelated in terms of drilling technology, between the Deep Water Horizon and drilling for gas of the coast of Thailand -- is hardly a compelling stance.

Yours truly, the posting poster.

[BasementCat]

The curvature of the earth means that things disappear over the horizon.

For that to disappear, at sea level, it would not be visible if it were 17 miles away. The earth would curve and it would just vanish.

...

The last issue is eyesight. Even if you could actually define this dot 42km away, are our eyes good enough?

Thanks for adding common sense to this thread Itishothere. You only forgot to mention that the air is not 100% transparent, thus things disappear even faster than the curvature of Earth allows for.

[itishothere]

You only forgot to mention that the air is not 100% transparent, thus things disappear even faster than the curvature of Earth allows for.

I think I have got to the extremes of my mathematical ability. And besides, I have absolutely no idea how to put that into the equation. Over to you Einstein ......

Shall we all agree that it could be a very long way away, and unlikely to be that visible? And if anyone is unhappy to agree to that, then I will stand on the deck of the bl##dy thing waving; if you can see me then I will buy you a beer.:jap:

[Piengrudee]

Why can't we have alternative energy like every country else?

[LeoLeoKhm]

Why can't we have alternative energy like every country else?

Because as this thread obviously shows people do not want it.

[LeoLeoKhm]

You only forgot to mention that the air is not 100% transparent, thus things disappear even faster than the curvature of Earth allows for.

I think I have got to the extremes of my mathematical ability. And besides, I have absolutely no idea how to put that into the equation. Over to you Einstein ......

Shall we all agree that it could be a very long way away, and unlikely to be that visible? And if anyone is unhappy to agree to that, then I will stand on the deck of the bl##dy thing waving; if you can see me then I will buy you a beer.:jap:

I do hope you are right, dear itisnothere. Because if you are not.. we'll end up drink coconut milk instead opf beer, but then it is ok with me as well

[LeoLeoKhm]

Thanks, itishothere for a cogent post on what has become a side issue. I don't think that "seeing the rigs" was ever a concern of any rational person opposed to oil and gas exploration near Samui/KP/KT, but then there is the case for the "smell of the smelly oil," so maybe visibility is one of their "valid" concerns.

I have been able to see, quite clearly over the past days, a container ship on the horizon. It's ruining my life. When I happen to look in that direction (and at night they have the audacity to turn on lights!) and see the tiny outline of this metal beast, I burst into tears thinking of how many business owners are losing customers because of the unsightly sight.

I shutter to think how horrible it will be to see a tiny fleck in the distance -- if I get stronger prescription glasses -- and realize it's a smelly smelling oil derrick.

I think the nature of the protest was a knee-jerk reaction from the Gulf of Mexico accident. So possible spills are the focus, I believe, not visibility of the derricks. By the way, do I remember reading a post that said there were 5,000 wells drilled in and about this area in question without incident? What are the fearful fearing, anyway? A sample size of one -- completely unrelated in terms of drilling technology, between the Deep Water Horizon and drilling for gas of the coast of Thailand -- is hardly a compelling stance.

Yours truly, the posting poster.

Cheer up, buddy :) the container ship will move away. The oil rig will not. Now, let's move away from your joking attitude to a slightly more serious approach - a normail, regular, ordinary Europeand tourist will have two options to his tropical vacation - one with a view to the oil rig (even a speckly on the horison), and one without it. Where will he he/she spend his/her money, do ya think?

[LeoLeoKhm]

Leo, many thanks for the feasibility study it is most interesting. I guess this thread has diversified from oil rigs but I suppose that there is a commonality in that both wind turbines and oil rigs have an impact on the landscape.

Since I come from a country that has plenty wind turbines, I would not agree with you. But then, it is really the matter of taste.

The study concludes that after installation of the turbine(s) on Tao there should be an analysis on the impact on environmental issues: sound, height, visibility, wildlife, public safety, land use and erosion. Has this analysis been completed? and is it available to the public?

I do not know. But I guess, you may ask abouth the EIA the gues who did the Feasibility Study, if they don't have it, they may surely point you to the right source. I know very little about this project, but since in general Thailand has a pretty well developed environmental legislation, I would imagine EIAs are available to the public. As for the wind turbine in Koh Tao (have you got a picture, by the way?), one of the companies who at least took part in the tender, was Annex Power. I do not know if they won it though.

The study doesn't make a comprehensive cost benefit case and in my opinion it would be difficult to make one which would stand up, particularly when factors such as landscape destruction on a very beautiful island are brought into play.

Wow, now I am really interested. Anyone got a picture of the Tao landscape destruction by the wind mill. Perhaps before and after?

I am only an interested observer and not living on Tao but it would be interesting to know how the residents feel and if the arrival of the turbine has improved things.

Ya, I'd join the request. Anyone from Koh Tao here? Has you electric bill gone down?

[H2oDunc]

Ya, I'd join the request. Anyone from Koh Tao here? Has you electric bill gone down? :cheesy:

You have just proved that you have never been to Tao or understand how it works there. Nothing, repeat nothing ever gets cheaper on Tao. The fact its supposed to be " Green " means the Thai's there can charge a premium. The fact it needs a disel back up to keep supplies going when there is no wind means they can charge more for the electric, The fact it is built half way up the mountain means they have to charge more as it was harder to build. get the picture yet. As for a picture of the horrid thing I have one somewhere I will dig it out. There is no link to it as they do not want this type of thing putting people off going there now do they. I used to take people from here to dive on Tao. As we approached I would let my customers know so they could get some nice pictures. Not any more. In all the times I have been to Tao since it was put up I have only seen it actually turning a couple of times and it was not as though there was no wind when it wasn't moving. There was a study done back in the UK that found these turbines were sited in the wrong location the majority of the time and the averaged generating electric at 16% of their capacity. They ran at such a low percentage yet each one was liable for 260,000 pounds in subsidies each year. It doesn't take a genius to figure the only reason they are there is simply for the subsidy they generate and nothing to do with seriously generating electricity.

I make my living from the sea. I am all for no pollution and keeping the seas clean and safe for future generations but spare me the eco, tree hugging lunacy from the greenies please.

A few weeks ago the spill in the Gulf of Mexico was going to poison the world and the Gulf was never going to recover. Now all of a sudden 99% of the oil seems to have gone and it seems the environmentalists have vastly over exaggerated things yet again !

Edited August 23, 2010 by H2oDunc

[LeoLeoKhm]

Ya, I'd join the request. Anyone from Koh Tao here? Has you electric bill gone down? :cheesy:

You have just proved that you have never been to Tao or understand how it works there. Nothing, repeat nothing ever gets cheaper on Tao. The fact its supposed to be " Green " means the Thai's there can charge a premium. The fact it needs a disel back up to keep supplies going when there is no wind means they can charge more for the electric, The fact it is built half way up the mountain means they have to charge more as it was harder to build. get the picture yet. As for a picture of the horrid thing I have one somewhere I will dig it out. There is no link to it as they do not want this type of thing putting people off going there now do they. I used to take people from here to dive on Tao. As we approached I would let my customers know so they could get some nice pictures. Not any more. In all the times I have been to Tao since it was put up I have only seen it actually turning a couple of times and it was not as though there was no wind when it wasn't moving. There was a study done back in the UK that found these turbines were sited in the wrong location the majority of the time and the averaged generating electric at 16% of their capacity. They ran at such a low percentage yet each one was liable for 260,000 pounds in subsidies each year. It doesn't take a genius to figure the only reason they are there is simply for the subsidy they generate and nothing to do with seriously generating electricity.

I make my living from the sea. I am all for no pollution and keeping the seas clean and safe for future generations but spare me the eco, tree hugging lunacy from the greenies please.

A few weeks ago the spill in the Gulf of Mexico was going to poison the world and the Gulf was never going to recover. Now all of a sudden 99% of the oil seems to have gone and it seems the environmentalists have vastly over exaggerated things yet again !

A very emotional reply indeed. Can I ask you though for some info: how much is currently a unit of electricity (not sure how you call them at Koh Tao)? Is it true that there are two rates, one from a company that provides diesel-generated electricity, and another from the wind turbine? If yes, what's the difference?

Please, dear Scuba Guru, there is no need to speculate if I ever was at Koh Tao. I live at Koh Phangan, used to go for diving to Koh Tao some 10 years ago. Of course, I do not know how things function at Koh Tao, otherwise I wouldn't have asked. I do appreciate Thaivisa forums as useful source of information, emotions I can get offline, mostly positive

We can discuss the wind turbines in general, further - but perhaps somewhere else. (In Denmark where I am from they generate a significant part of the national power, like 20-30-40% or something, and are truly beautiful). But lets not get carried away from the topic, it will get Rooo onto us, and judging by the speed he locked my humble publication of the exact locations for the proposed oil rigs, he is a very good and efficient moderator.

[Gatorade]

We can discuss the wind turbines in general, further - but perhaps somewhere else. (In Denmark where I am from they generate a significant part of the national power, like 20-30-40% or something, and are truly beautiful). But lets not get carried away from the topic, it will get Rooo onto us, and judging by the speed he locked my humble publication of the exact locations for the proposed oil rigs, he is a very good and efficient moderator.

Truly Beautiful???????? By whose standards? I never before credited the Danes with such a well developed sense of humour!

[Tracer Round]

Why can't we have alternative energy like every country else?

Because as this thread obviously shows people do not want it.

Obviously. It's clear, do you want me to do the math for you too?

According to the clear intent of the posters on this thread, WE DON'T WANT ALTERNATIVE ENERGY!"

Or is the conclusion obviously crapola?

I want a cure for Alzheimer's too, but for now, we are dependent on petroleum-based products for the foreseeable future. Living with that reality does not preclude that we long for a better, cleaner energy future, however.

If oil and gas exploration in the areas around Samui/KP/KT really was posing a risk, I would be out there in the front lines. However, it just so happens that I know an intimate thing or two about the oil business and this whole charade is just a Jerry Springfield sort of "important issue," that is in fact pretty much irrelevant.

If you want to call for increased safety, by all means do...but to pillory the industry in the archipelago against a wall of lies and misinformation is absurd. Treat it as such.

By the way, I'd think this thread dead, but for the fact that there are at least two huge billboard-sized posters hanging in plain tourist view (one at Chaweng Lake) saying to stop oil drilling. The hand-holding thing that these banners advertise flopped and was over long ago. Take the rubbish down. Just another source of the very pollution they want to prevent. What a bloody eyesore!

Hypocrites.

[sbk]

Its clear that the vociferous members of this forum insist that everyone agrees with them and belittle and name call anyone who doesn't. Quite a fair amount of bullying going on in this thread and one I am finding is starting to fall under that inflammatory baiting rule.