Stop Oil Drilling Near Samui Islanders Tell Govt

[webfact]

OIL EXPLORATION NEAR SAMUI

Stop the drilling, islanders tell govt

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY

'Operations too risky for vital tourist trade'

A conservation group yesterday threatened to lodge a complaint with the Administrative Court if the government fails to put the brakes on petroleum exploration and drilling in the Gulf of Thailand by Thursday.

Oil operations were threatening not just the ecological system but also tourism in popular destinations like Koh Samui and the Pha-ngan islands, the network said.

Thousands of people yesterday lined along a road around Samui to show their opposition to the government's awarding a concession for petroleum exploration and drilling to a private company.

"The government must review the issue," Praphan Diewwanich said, as he joined the show of protest, "What if an oil leak happens?"

He is from the village of Moo 1, tambon Koh Pha-ngan, Surat Thani.

Praphan said the main income for locals came from tourism. If the flow of tourists faltered, local people would suffer badly.

The Network for the Gulf of Thailand Conservation arranged yesterday's activity.

The network's chairman, Ramnet Jaikwang, who is also the mayor of Muang Koh Samui Municipality, yesterday said he would give Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva until Thursday to put the exploration and drilling on hold.

"We want to see proper environmental impact assessments (EIA) and public hearings conducted first," Ramnet said.

On July 20, he submitted a letter to Abhisit informing the premier about the network's concern and demands.

Although the concessionaire, NuCoastal (Thailand), had already conducted public hearings and its EIA successfully won a green light, the network felt there might have been irregularities.

Surat Thani Chamber of Commerce chairman Thirakij Wangmutitakul said his agency had joined the network's efforts against petroleum drilling near Samui Island because it believed the operations could harm the local environment.

Chaweng Conservation Group chairman Thanongsak Somwong said locals in the fishery and tourism sector would suffer if petroleum exploration and drilling in the Gulf of Thailand expanded.

"If one company can go ahead with this kind of operation, many more companies will conduct petroleum exploration and drilling around here too," he said.

An American tourist, Zak Magh, 42, joined the protest yesterday because he wanted to see Samui remain a tropical paradise.

"The petroleum operation could spoil the mood for tourism," he said.

As opponents to its operations staged their protest on Samui Island, NuCoastal organised a press tour of its facilities in the sea off Songkhla to show its readiness to conduct business without causing harm to the environment.

The company's EIA won approval from the authorities two and a half years ago.

NuCoastal started producing petroleum from areas covered by its concession in February last year.

-- The Nation 2010-08-01

[screamingeagle]

Their is a thread about this on the Koh Samui forum. Concensus of opinion is that its a waste of time and local government would do much better in trying to improve the local infrastrucure on the island

[ESB7]

Where there is oil there is money and no stopping it whatever...lets face it, Samui is an over developed mound of concrete now with very little to offer anymore, thats proven with the amount of tourists that visit(dont visit anymore).....

[Ricardo]

How are these tourists supposed to arrive on Koh Samui, currently by plane or bus/ferry & train/ferry, without using fuel. And where is that oil going to come from, if not by drilling for it in those places where it occurs ? Time for a little clarity-of-thinking here.

Or perhaps the oil-companies might drill only at night, so the tourists don't see it, and continue to live in their dream-world ?

[H2oDunc]

Thousands of people yesterday lined along a road around Samui to show their opposition to the government's awarding a concession for petroleum exploration and drilling to a private company.

They must have all been wearing camouflage jackets then as all I saw on my travels yesterday was a couple of pick ups driving round blaring out something in Thai ?

So much for the hands around the island protest.

[robsamui]

Where there is oil there is money and no stopping it whatever...lets face it, Samui is an over developed mound of concrete now with very little to offer anymore, thats proven with the amount of tourists that visit(dont visit anymore).....

ERM - "overdeveloped mound of concrete"? Other than the 7 kilometre coastal strip of Chaweng (a ribbon development) Samui has hardly any development other than a ribbon on the sealine that occupies less than 50% of the coastal perimeter. Only around 0.3% of its surface area is covered by any sort of construction. Just take a look at Google Earth. Perhaps you are confusing Samui with Pattaya or Phuket?

R

[dom samui]

Oil in Samui ? Very good news ! At least we'll have the company s staff as guest!

Will they have to report to imigration every time they go drilling and everytime they go resting?

Will they wear reds or yellow working jackets?

In case of oil leaking,what will happen to the full moon party, blackoilmoon party?

Samui new hub of oilparty, spaoiltreatment,doctor oilfish,Bangkok-oil-spital, coco-oil property, seaoil ferry,and oilmassage !

[ESB7]

Where there is oil there is money and no stopping it whatever...lets face it, Samui is an over developed mound of concrete now with very little to offer anymore, thats proven with the amount of tourists that visit(dont visit anymore).....

ERM - "overdeveloped mound of concrete"? Other than the 7 kilometre coastal strip of Chaweng (a ribbon development) Samui has hardly any development other than a ribbon on the sealine that occupies less than 50% of the coastal perimeter. Only around 0.3% of its surface area is covered by any sort of construction. Just take a look at Google Earth. Perhaps you are confusing Samui with Pattaya or Phuket?

R

And the ring road and hillside at Chaweng is tropical fawna??? or is it shophouses , Tesco, Makro, etc and mountainside houses....Choeng mon, Lamai, Maenam to name are tropical paradise with no construction in the past 7 years........come on......I like Samui, Paradiese it isnt though

[NanLaew]

What a difference a disaster can make; wakes all the NIMBY's up.

I worked out of Samui last year on exploration projects for one of the principals at the center of this 'news' story and the fishermen were the most cooperative we have seen for a while. Hugely successful project thanks to the cooperation from the local Governors offices and local community liaison people that had been working with my Clients team, taking almost 10 months to draw up the Environmental Impact Assessment that was approved by the relevant department of the Thai government.

Apart from the excellent chaps at Thai Immigration that helped expedite our offshore crew changes so efficiently or the check-in staff at Bangkok Airways, how many of the participants in this 'protest', or Chaweng beach jet-skiers or Koh Phangan stoners Full Mooners noted our presence last autumn? Anyone.... anyone...???

[Johpa]

We would not want any oil spillage to negatively impact the long dead reefs along the windward side of Samui (east side). Nor would anyone want the hint of petroleum to be added to the delicate aroma of a cesspool that wafts around Chaweng night and day whenever the sea winds quiet down.

[Tropicalevo]

I am sorry, but I am in full agreement with the concept of no drilling around Koh Samui. (Or anywhere else for that matter.)

Then the Taxi mafia boys would stop , and the private 'minibus Schumachers' would stop racing around the island and trying to drive me off the road!

OK Bankok Ripoff (sorry Airways) would have to buy gliders, but there would be NO fuel surcharges!

When the protesters stop protesting in their cars and trucks - I might have more sympathy for them, but whilst it is only "Not In My Backyard" so where do they drill? Phuket? Pattaya? Koh Chang?

[difos57]

"An American tourist, Zak Magh, 42, joined the protest yesterday because he wanted to see Samui remain a tropical paradise."

Don't worry. Hopefully they won't be employing any Americans, so it should be safe.

[chantorn]

I don't care if the PM is Thaksin or Mark or Korn or Chalem.

I don't care how many die during the crackdown.

I don't care if PAD is charged for the airport protest or not.

BUT

Oil companies be warned.

Don't you dare to mess up the environment in Thailand.

I, for one, will not allow you to conduct further exploration drilling.

[LaoPo]

I see the OP and I see posts, replying...but I don't see any map, from whatever source, explaining WHERE they are planning to drill for oil or gas.

Surely, if the local government granted drilling permissions there should be maps...anybody?

BTW, there are many drilling platforms/oil rigs already for decades in the Gulf off the coast near Songkhla, a few hundred km south of Surat Thani/Samui islands.

from:

http://www.oilonline...t-Songkhla.aspx

LaoPo

[dekestone]

Two interesting and relevant stories on the front page of the Bangkok Post this morning: one about Ayutthaya possibly losing its World Heritage status due to vendors and their garbage, the other about the poor quality of Thailand's beaches due to pollution caused by human activity. They've been drilling in the Gulf of Thailand since the late 1970's. Some of the fields are closer to Samui than to Songkhla, even though Songkhla is the logistics center.

Tell me honestly, which do you think has caused more environmental damage to Thailand in the last 30 years -- the oil industry or tourism?

[webfact]

Energy Minister Defends Plan to Drill in Gulf of Thailand

The Energy Minister has insisted that planned oil drilling in the Gulf of Thailand near Samui island complies with international safety standards.

Wannarat Charnnukul Thailand's Energy Minister said the planned petroleum drilling in the Gulf of Thailand near Samui, Pa-ngan and Tao islands is in accordance with international standards and urged the public not to worry about its condition.

He said the drilling is not cause for concern and that it would not lead to an incident like that of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

He said Thai drilling is done in shallow water, about 30 to 40 meters below, while the BP drilling was done in a deep-sea area, where it is more difficult to control a leak.

Kurujit Nakorntap, director-general of Mineral Fuels Department, said the survey and production of petroleum in Thailand, especially in the Gulf of Thailand, is different from that in the Gulf of Mexico.

Drilling in the Gulf of Thailand takes place between 40 an 100 kilometers off shore at a depth of 30 to 80 meters below.

He pointed out the differences between drilling in the Gulf of Thailand and the Gulf of Mexico, adding that most of sources in the Gulf of Thailand are natural gas, while crude oil is what is being drilled for in the Gulf of Mexico. Installing a drilling system in the Gulf of Mexico is more complicated.

The Mineral Fuels Department director-general stated that petroleum surveys regarding production in Thailand are done to ensure energy security for the country and that the industry heeds citizens' suggestions and takes the concerns of the people into account.

He said petroleum operators must first submit an environmental impact assessment to an expert panel from the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning for approval.

He gave assurances that every step in petroleum survey and production process must pass all legal protocols and be in compliance with high standards to limit the impact on the environment.

The response by the Energy Ministry stemmed from a protest by people and tourists on Samui island who are against the ministry's plan to drill in the Gulf of Thailand, as they fear a incident like the BP oil spill would destroy their residence and tourist attraction.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-02

[animatic]

BP said it complied with international standards too....

But that does NOT mean

anyone wants it this close to ANY of the islands.

The minister can go jump in the bay, he might learn something.

And regardless if Bangkok Air is bleeding the island dry of tourists,

this is still a lovely place to stay, even with it's problems, as ALL locations have problems,

and throwing derricks so close off Samui, Phangan and Tao is not going to improve things.

Edited August 2, 2010 by animatic

[SamritT]

BP said it complied with international standards too.... and still it leaks.

[webfact]

UPDATE

SamuI Residents up in arms

By Chularat Saengpassa

Watcharapong Thongrung

THE NATION

Protesters threaten to approach court if oil-exploration projects are not scrapped; Locals fear any offshore mishap could have a long-term impact on environment and tourism

There seems to be no end in sight for the conflict between the residents of Koh Samui and oil exploration companies, as the protesters plan to take their concerns to the Administrative Court if all drilling projects are not terminated.

The residents, with backing from non-governmental organisations and local authorities, fear devastation of the resort island's tourism industry from the drilling activities, following British Petroleum's oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

The energy industry is accusing them of stirring up public resistance as a pretext to extract financial aid. They also claim that ever since exploration was allowed in the Gulf of Thailand, there has been no occurrence of accidental leakage. Every day, 2.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas, 78,000 barrels of condensate and 130,000 barrels of crude oil are pumped up from 28 oil fields in the Gulf.

"We want no compensation or fund. We don't want oil rigs near Koh Samui as possible damage like what we experienced from the Gulf of Mexico is difficult to be undone. You earn a lump sum from oil drilling, but earnings from tourism are forever. Over 150,000 people come here to work in the tourism business and send money home. Where does the oil money go?" asked Bannasat Ruangjan, president of the Koh Samui Tourism Association.

The locals submitted a complaint to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on July 20, demanding that all drilling operators complete an environmental impact assessment with the participation of all parties including the community and tourism businesses.

Samui Mayor Ramnet Jaikwang, who leads the Gulf of Thailand protectors network, earlier said that if there were no satisfactory result on Thursday, the locals would appeal for an injunction from the Administrative Court.

Since the nearest oil rig is only 42 kilometres off the island, which is designated as a tourist destination, it is impossible to promote eco-tourism and oil exploration, he said.

Srisuwan Janya, president of the Stop Global Warming Association, who successfully sought an injunction against 76 industrial projects in Map Ta Phut, was the adviser of this group.

"We'll definitely take the case to court," Srisuwan said.

"The Stop Global Warming Association will be the first plaintiff and the locals the second, and the four companies will be named the defendants. Tourism and environment impacts will be the highlights of our case, with examples from the Gulf of Mexico."

According to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, under Article 67(2) of the Constitution, the four petroleum drilling projects are not required to complete health impact assessments, as they are not included on the list of activities deemed harmful to the environment.

Of the four controversial projects, NuCoastal's G5/50 block is 42km off Samui, Salamander's B8/38 is 78km away, Chevron's G4/50 95km and Pearl Oil's G6/48 110km.

Bannasat complained that NuCoastal's two public hearings did not take into account health or environmental issues. At the first public hearing, asked if drilling, at 9,000 feet, would cause turgidity and interfere with deep-sea diving, they insisted that their technology was perfect and that there would be no muddy water. They said they would avoid areas with coral reefs.

"This is possible? It's hardly possible. The second hearing (on July 7) thus failed to win our support," he said. He was also concerned that if oil is found, a jetty will be built to ship equipment.

The protest had been going on even before the BP disaster, but the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico helps paint a clearer picture of the possible impacts, he said. All parties in Samui joined the move, including the administrative bodies in Samui, Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Tao, the Surat Thani Chamber of Commerce, Thai Hotel Association and several tourist associations.

Despite the opposition, NuCoastal executives are still committed to proceeding with the project. NuCoastal held a media familiarisation trip to its block in Songkhla on July 30, which it started drilling on in February last year, to show its safety measures.

Chevron's executives yesterday also hosted a media discussion in Nakhon Si Thammarat, to unveil their study and plans to handle emergencies. They insisted that the study covered all angles, and Chevron promised the least impact and the best interest for locals. They also highlighted community and cultural plans for Samui.

Chevron's public hearing, part of its EIA, is slated for Thursday.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

[SamritT]

PTTEP mess up in Australian last year. no one mention about it.

Edited August 3, 2010 by SamritT

[Thai at Heart]

I don't care if the PM is Thaksin or Mark or Korn or Chalem.

I don't care how many die during the crackdown.

I don't care if PAD is charged for the airport protest or not.

BUT

Oil companies be warned.

Don't you dare to mess up the environment in Thailand.

I, for one, will not allow you to conduct further exploration drilling.

Not sure if PTT are listening.

[canuckamuck]

Bannasat complained that NuCoastal's two public hearings did not take into account health or environmental issues. At the first public hearing, asked if drilling, at 9,000 feet, would cause turgidity and interfere with deep-sea diving, they insisted that their technology was perfect and that there would be no muddy water. They said they would avoid areas with coral reefs.

9000 feet??? the max depth of the gulf is 250 feet?

[Payboy]

9000ft below seabed?

[slapout]

Bannasat comes across as a real top notch, far thinking, well informed, displaced street trout from some far removed village. Wonder what part of the existing scams, he is involved in? Local governments would not normally be involved in the offshore permits, leases etc. Just observing and reading, and hearing about the concerns of the majority of Thai's with real environmental issues, the 'what if issues' give rise to my skepticism.

[SamritT]

Own up, the foreign oil companies just want to earn money. Or is it the other way round? Not too sure myself.

[Soutpeel]

Bannasat complained that NuCoastal's two public hearings did not take into account health or environmental issues. At the first public hearing, asked if drilling, at 9,000 feet, would cause turgidity and interfere with deep-sea diving, they insisted that their technology was perfect and that there would be no muddy water. They said they would avoid areas with coral reefs.

9000 feet??? the max depth of the gulf is 250 feet?

Actually 275 feet...

9000 feet - below the seabed - actually pretty shallow, 10-12,000 feet more usual

[canuckamuck]

Bannasat complained that NuCoastal's two public hearings did not take into account health or environmental issues. At the first public hearing, asked if drilling, at 9,000 feet, would cause turgidity and interfere with deep-sea diving, they insisted that their technology was perfect and that there would be no muddy water. They said they would avoid areas with coral reefs.

9000 feet??? the max depth of the gulf is 250 feet?

Actually 275 feet...

9000 feet - below the seabed - actually pretty shallow, 10-12,000 feet more usual

I can't see an issue with how deep the well is drilled through the rock, The hazard is when there is deep water between the seabed and the platform. 250 to 275 feet is hardly a big deal.

Anyhow, the green police will use the BP spill for all they can get. Reality is inconvenient to work with.