40,000 Litre Of Oil Threatens Phuket Coast As Thai Ship Capsizes

[meelousee]

The vast majority of oil spills in bodies of water (whether it be number of them, or quantity of fossil fuel spilled) go unreported or under-reported. Same with trash dumpings (illegal or otherwise) on land, and toxic emissions in the air. It's like walking in to a large house which serves as a day-care center for kids. You open the door and see crayon scribbled on the wall by the door. Do you declare that that's all the mess there is in the entire house? from loud underwater sonar (mostly military generated). We only hear of the very few of the largest animals which are adversely affected (usually beached) - we don't hear about the countless other animals which are likely harmed/killed by such acts of man.

The message here is; don't just look at the surface (the crayon on the wall by the door) - take a stretch of thinking and realize the harm could likely extend much farther.

Another example: The tens of millions of Thais who don't take care of their dogs barking. If a neighbor complains (it would be a farang, of course), the offending dog owner would assume it's just that one neighbor who is tormented by the dog barking all night. He/She couldn't grasp the fact that it's probably the whole neighborhood which is suffering.

a bit long winded but true.

[Xonax]

Depends a fair bit on what the actual "Oil" is.

If it is diesel or petrol then it eveporates quickly and shouldnt cause any problems.

The rough seas will help with this and of course the warm temp's here.

Heavy fuel oil and crude are another thing.

But crude oil is a natural occuring substance and the envirnment can handle it in small quantities.

Big lots like the recent BP thing are another matter.

Yes I have been involved with an oil spill clean up.

Should be diesel for their generators!

[apetley]

Cant blame that one on the foreigners!!!

I bet they can..? If the foreigners didn't want to visit Koh Racha, they wouldn't need oil for their generators etc..!

.....yeah, and Thais don't build boats that capsize, only farang.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Fuel boat sinks off Phuket: 40,000-liter spill feared

The PTT tank farm at Cape Panwa in Wichit. File photo.

PHUKET: -- A boat carrying 40,000 liters of oil sank in heavy seas off Phuket yesterday, prompting fears of environmental damage if the vessel could not be salvaged in time.

Phuket Marine Police deputy commander Prasert Srikhunrat received a distress call from the crew of Choke Thavorn 6 at about 11am.

The vessel was delivering the oil from a tank farm in Phuket's Wichit district to Koh Racha Yai, about 25 kilometers south of Phuket.

The vessel was foundering in four-meter-high seas about 10 nautical miles south of Rawai village, at the southern tip of Phuket island.

Marine Police vessel Khun Pum (Tor 814) responded to the call.

By the time it arrived, Choke Tavorn 8, a sister vessel of Choke Thavorn 6, had already rescued the four crew members. However nothing could be done to save the vessel, which sank with its 40,000 liters of oil in water estimated to be 30 meters deep.

Officers say they are monitoring the situation and trying to detect signs of leakage, but it is a difficult task given the sea conditions and darkness.

Fishermen are advised to stay in port until the rough offshore conditions improve, Lt Col Prasert said.

The Meteorological Department’s forecast for the 24-hour period starting at 4pm does not auger well for a salvage effort. The report calls for “fairly widespread” rain covering 70% of the province, with isolated heavy rain and Southwesterly winds of 20kmh to 35kmh.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-09-05

[Gobbledoc]

Depends a fair bit on what the actual "Oil" is.

If it is diesel or petrol then it eveporates quickly and shouldnt cause any problems.

The rough seas will help with this and of course the warm temp's here.

Heavy fuel oil and crude are another thing.

But crude oil is a natural occuring substance and the envirnment can handle it in small quantities.

Big lots like the recent BP thing are another matter.

Yes I have been involved with an oil spill clean up.

Another bit of mis-information in pathetic Thai media. If you are going to use English words writing in English why the hel_l can't these idiots use English definitions. Robby NZ above is correct.

The destination is meant to be a hotel, I am presuming for a Gen set, What the heck would they want heavy Oil for, mean Crude or WTI ? More likely petrol which is light and will evaporate and most likely diesel that above mentioned. Not an ideal situation at all and prob more damage will be done by Fox and CNN to Thailand if they pick it up than some light fuel evaporating in the sea, no spill is good, there should be some specialist pumping gear in the region that could get most of it anyway in the tanks if they are up to international standards, but I spose, TIT.

Edited September 5, 2010 by Gobbledoc

[Gerryasia]

great! another year, another tourism problem..

I think (and hope) that your concern will be a little ill founded. Not only is it a relatively small spill that should quickly disperse, but you will also find that the microbes that are natural habitants of the sea will do their natural bit in converting it to harmless sea waste. Once the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was capped it was quickly dispersed naturally in a matter of days. There were even articles about reporters who went out a couple of days after it was capped having difficulty finding oil slicks to photo/film.

But.....who knows what lurks beneath the surface in the Gulf?

Speculation is rampant about vast plumes as yet undiscovered.

And also, the dispersants used CAN cause the oil to be more toxic than the natural state of the petroleum.

They are still finding oil in Prince William (Valdez) sound 20 years later.

And the Salmon NEVER came back.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Update: Phuket oil spill

PHUKET: -- As feared 40,000 liters of diesel fuel is leaking from the wreck of Choke Thavorn 6, a small tanker that sunk about 10 kilometers south of Phuket yesterday morning.

The state-run Thai News Agency reported at 1am today that Navy helicopters confirmed a large and growing contamination plume above the site of the wreck, which now sits about 30 meters below the surface.

Prevailing currents appear to be taking the fuel slick out into international waters, it was reported.

More information about the oil slick will be available later this morning when helicopters and patrol vessels will be better able to monitor the situation.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-09-05

[webfact]

Oil spill from sunken ship off Phuket starts spreading to Phi Phi island /MCOT

[stevenl]

Cant blame that one on the foreigners!!!

do YOU know who ownes the resort the oil was for? I dont :jap:

I do, 100% Thai

[Xonax]

Oil spill from sunken ship off Phuket starts spreading to Phi Phi island /MCOT

Yeah right! Basically this relatively small amount of oil, will spread to everywhere and just disappear.

[snamos]

Depends a fair bit on what the actual "Oil" is.

If it is diesel or petrol then it eveporates quickly and shouldnt cause any problems.

The rough seas will help with this and of course the warm temp's here.

Heavy fuel oil and crude are another thing.

But crude oil is a natural occuring substance and the envirnment can handle it in small quantities.

Big lots like the recent BP thing are another matter.

Yes I have been involved with an oil spill clean up.

Should be diesel for their generators!

Just from the facts I have read. 40 tonnes would be the amount of bunkers for a small size cargo ship that would require refueling in Phuket. The port looks like it can handle ships of up to 120- 150 meters long (just guessing from the ships i have seen at anchor there) Larger cruise ships also enter the deep sea port but I think they would require more than 40 tonnes of fuel for their long voyages.

The type of fuel that cargo ships use is fuel oil. Which is basically the left overs from the refinery....Its very cheap which is why ships use it. It is also very stick and very nasty to clean up. This is probably worse than oil straight out of the ground. No cargo ships of the size that Phuket port accomodates would use deisel...its simply too expensive. So unless vessel that sunk was transporting diesel for the yacht clubs I would believe that it would be fuel oil......(btw these are all educated guesses!!!)

A concerned merchant seaman

I just read more and i stand corrected......it is deisel

Edited September 5, 2010 by snamos

[SamuiRep]

I don't know, why people getting that mad here..,

40.000 liters are seriously not that much. Of course, its not good, but i believe, there are getting more drain water, chemicals & other very bad fluids into the sea by hotels & factory's.

Just the media will blow this story up and will hit the tourism in that region. I have a 80.000 liter swimmingpool and thats not a to big amount on water.

I'd suggest, don't fight here for nothing & be polite...

[Gwindarr]

I don't know, why people getting that mad here..,

40.000 liters are seriously not that much. Of course, its not good, but i believe, there are getting more drain water, chemicals & other very bad fluids into the sea by hotels & factory's.

Just the media will blow this story up and will hit the tourism in that region. I have a 80.000 liter swimmingpool and thats not a to big amount on water.

I'd suggest, don't fight here for nothing & be polite...

So if somebody dumped say 1/2 a liter of crude oil into your pool, would you be ok swimming in it?

[ableguy]

great! another year, another tourism problem..

This isn't a tourism proble. It's a very minor oil spill in one area of Thailand. Not sure how that translates into a tourism problem. Maybe you are like the many others on here who just love to see the negative in everything. Tourists love Thailand.

Most tourist s never see the real Thailand, the underbelly which is not a country of happy smiling natives.

[koto]

It's to bad, most Farangs just sit back, do nothing, but watch and talk the talk, (Bitch) The Pollution Solution Group sees this daily on Jomtien Beach, now and again (seldom) a Farang will reach out and help in the removing dangers from the beach, (Bless them) most just sidestep the dangers, doing their exercise, thinking only about themselves, caring less about Earth, or sit back and look on, one would think that their upbringing would have taught them differently. When people were growing up, back in the 40's and 50's, we were taught to clean up where we lived and vacationed, clean up when arrived and when we were leaving, we called it "Leaving only footprints behind" Today most people are lazy, give nothing back to Mother Nature, to make it safe for the voiceless to follow, children, wildlife and waterways, most say, not my mess, a Thai did it, it was here when we got here, I'm to proud to pick up after others.

We find more Thai people, reach out to help, or we ask and many join in.

Most people today are uncaring and don't care what dangers are left behind, that a unknowing child could ingest become ill or die, killing wildlife, contaminating our water, most just think that someone else will take care, or they are to above it, to pick up the dangers left by others, being a human of late is nothing to be proud of.

We all need to look around and see things that need to be done and do what we can, like a little Waster-Sizing, bending at the waist to pick up some waste, one random act of kindness at a time, get with the program Farangs.

Edited September 5, 2010 by koto

[ableguy]

According to Phuketwan Marine Police believe that the 40,000 of fuel are still sealed inside the vessel and only the fuel from the engines has leaked so far.

Somebody will have to try and pump as much as possible out of the containers, before they start leaking. Not the easiest task from a depth of about 30m, but for sure possible. Let's hope the containers are at least of a half decent standard...

Oil spill numbers (liters / gallons) are notoriously under-reported - particularly when news first hits. It happened with the recent BP spill, and it's happened with nearly every spill prior. Ask yourself, how honest will initial reports issued from authorities - who will do and say anything to try and limit the concern from the general public - and the possibilities of being sued by those affected (fishermen, beachside tourist venues, etc).

Something we rarely hear about, but which happens wherever ships (powered by fossil fuels) dock: They clean out

storage tanks, and all that fouled water goes right back in to the sea. Of course, they do it at night, when it's less evident. I've been on tourist boats where large bags of garbage are thrown overboard. People who use the waters ought to have at least a smidgen of concern for water quality. If it takes large fines and sequestering of boats - in order to get the message across, then so be it.

I don't foul the waters (or air or land) around me, and I take offense of those who do. No excuses.

they cant even put bloody crash helmets on to look after their own body, do you think they care about the sea ?

[Gobbledoc]

Of course, nt good news, but the good news is it is not crude as post #72 was explaining what ships use.

[Mitker]

The vast majority of oil spills in bodies of water (whether it be number of them, or quantity of fossil fuel spilled) go unreported or under-reported. Same with trash dumpings (illegal or otherwise) on land, and toxic emissions in the air.

As for talking about size and/or # of liters; A small amount of fossil fuel in water spreads far and wide. We only see the macroscopic effects such as oil on beaches, or oil-covered wildlife. We don't see the hidden effects, as it kills zooplankton and photoplankton and many plants and animals that are far from prying eyes of humans.

Another example: The tens of millions of Thais who don't take care of their dogs barking. If a neighbor complains (it would be a farang, of course), the offending dog owner would assume it's just that one neighbor who is tormented by the dog barking all night. He/She couldn't grasp the fact that it's probably the whole neighborhood which is suffering.

I do agree totally.

As for the dogs, I posted my own letter 3 days ago with exactly the same thoughts.

[NormanW]

This is nothing, wait until the first (if it hasn't already happened) nuclear incident gets out, then we'll have a few problems for a few hundred years to come!

[asiawatcher]

The fact the wreck is now leaking is the issue. Not the comeuppance between bloggers/forum members. No point in trying to raise it in foul weather but trying to seal it up in 30M is not such a difficult act if you talk to many divers.

The only ones capable of mobilising this are Thai's but best suited to solve the problem will most likely be available farang who handle offshore repairs so a joint effort if the Thai's will 'allow' the farang to co-operate! Time will tell.

[TheBarbarian]

It's to bad, most Farangs just sit back, do nothing, but watch and talk the talk, (Bitch) The Pollution Solution Group sees this daily on Jomtien Beach, now and again (seldom) a Farang will reach out and help in the removing dangers from the beach, (Bless them) most just sidestep the dangers, doing their exercise, thinking only about themselves, caring less about Earth, or sit back and look on, one would think that their upbringing would have taught them differently. When people were growing up, back in the 40's and 50's, we were taught to clean up where we lived and vacationed, clean up when arrived and when we were leaving, we called it "Leaving only footprints behind" Today most people are lazy, give nothing back to Mother Nature, to make it safe for the voiceless to follow, children, wildlife and waterways, most say, not my mess, a Thai did it, it was here when we got here, I'm to proud to pick up after others.

We find more Thai people, reach out to help, or we ask and many join in.

Most people today are uncaring and don't care what dangers are left behind, that a unknowing child could ingest become ill or die, killing wildlife, contaminating our water, most just think that someone else will take care, or they are to above it, to pick up the dangers left by others, being a human of late is nothing to be proud of.

We all need to look around and see things that need to be done and do what we can, like a little Waster-Sizing, bending at the waist to pick up some waste, one random act of kindness at a time, get with the program Farangs.

It is a very interested view. In my opinion Farangs are cleaning up their mess in great numbers. The Thai Hotel Federation though, should call for tough sanctions against their members who are too lazy and too inconsiderate to demand that their members clean their waste water and demand that the restaurants boats and other boats catering for tourists and Thai businesses alike do not throw waste overboard. Problem is that not the visitors to Thailand are sitting back and do nothing but the Thai people themselves. Ever visited a National park after a holiday or a Waterfall? Ever seen a Thai cleaning up after Songkran or New Year? Ever heard about a teacher demanding that their pupils throw paper in the baskets? No? Precisely nobody has heard, and if we hear it is the exception on the rule. One cannot expect more anyhow. GOvernments who plan dirty industries in Mataput which was a great place before and do not even enforce their own (military imposed) rules on pollution cannot ask from their citizens to clean up. newin's party gets all the help from the Democrat Party to destroy teak trees in Khao Yai the road must be build. Sanan is pushing for another dam that will destroy another ecosystem. The problem lays with the seldom tax paying rich who make the rules and who break the rules. Surely not by tourists paying a lot of money and who may expect that hotels and other busiensses will dispose their waste in an environmentally friendly matter.

[blundaman]

It's to bad, most Farangs just sit back, do nothing, but watch and talk the talk, (Bitch) The Pollution Solution Group sees this daily on Jomtien Beach, now and again (seldom) a Farang will reach out and help in the removing dangers from the beach, (Bless them) most just sidestep the dangers, doing their exercise, thinking only about themselves, caring less about Earth, or sit back and look on, one would think that their upbringing would have taught them differently. When people were growing up, back in the 40's and 50's, we were taught to clean up where we lived and vacationed, clean up when arrived and when we were leaving, we called it "Leaving only footprints behind" Today most people are lazy, give nothing back to Mother Nature, to make it safe for the voiceless to follow, children, wildlife and waterways, most say, not my mess, a Thai did it, it was here when we got here, I'm to proud to pick up after others.

We find more Thai people, reach out to help, or we ask and many join in.

Most people today are uncaring and don't care what dangers are left behind, that a unknowing child could ingest become ill or die, killing wildlife, contaminating our water, most just think that someone else will take care, or they are to above it, to pick up the dangers left by others, being a human of late is nothing to be proud of.

We all need to look around and see things that need to be done and do what we can, like a little Waster-Sizing, bending at the waist to pick up some waste, one random act of kindness at a time, get with the program Farangs.

...actually some are getting quite imaginative at it http://smokingmirror...into-fires.html

:jap:

[koto]

This is nothing, wait until the first (if it hasn't already happened) nuclear incident gets out, then we'll have a few problems for a few hundred years to come!

True, But doing our part before the shit hits the fan, whenever that will be, makes one sleep, look and feel better about themselves, nothing worse then leaving Earth, knowing that we gave nothing back and could be going someplace else, with that on your track record. I have been at the bedside of many, that were dieing, for one reason or another and crying because they never did much good, for anything, but themselves and were scared they would not be accepted if there is any place out there, after here.

We are only as good as our last performance, make it a good one daily, cha,cha,cha...

Edited September 5, 2010 by koto

[Mitker]

Surely, Asking a Thai, gets much more help, then asking a Farang, we prove it daily.

I join you in that average Thai people enjoy giving a helping hand (I experienced it many times on the road or at work). I think they truly take pride in making foreigners enjoy the country and its people.

As for the farangs you mention, I guess they are tourists in Pattaya, right? In this case, I wouldn't say they lack of response is ok, but I may understand that after paying for a trip, renting a room and spending in local businesses, some will consider that having to collect other people rubbish would be like having to work as free maids during their holidays. Now, if you're talking about local residents, not tourists, that something else.

More globally, the origin of the problem is the behavior of those who litter in the first place. And there I think all nationals are equals in poor record. Thais are no exception.

To see a change in the situation, it will take a serious change of mentality together with actions like yours that I totally support.

[george]

Update:

Officials finding ways to solve oil spill in southern Thailand

PHUKET, Sept 5 - Thai navy officers early Sunday flew around the site where a ship carrying more than 40,000 litres of oil sank during a fierce storm off this southern province as they consider ways to resolve the problem of the resultant oil spill.

No casualties were reported when the Choke Thaworn 6 capsized and sank Saturday about 10 nautical miles from Phuket town.

Naval officers aboard an aircraft surveyed the are shortly after the ship sank, finding an oil spill covering a large area. A meeting was held later by concerned officials to find measures to rectify the oil spill problem.

Director Wannakiat Taptimsaeng of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources’ Phuket Marine Biological Centre said before the meeting that the authorities will find a way to resolve the problem.

One way is to close the oil valve which could be difficult due to the strong wind while another method is to spray the oil spill area, he said.

Water tainted with oil is now moving eastward and heading for tourist-oriented Phi Phi island in nearby Krabi province.

-- TNA 2010-09-05

[koto]

Surely, Asking a Thai, gets much more help, then asking a Farang, we prove it daily.

I join you in that average Thai people enjoy giving a helping hand (I experienced it many times on the road or at work). I think they truly take pride in making foreigners enjoy the country and its people.

As for the farangs you mention, I guess they are tourists in Pattaya, right? In this case, I wouldn't say they lack of response is ok, but I may understand that after paying for a trip, renting a room and spending in local businesses, some will consider that having to collect other people rubbish would be like having to work as free maids during their holidays. Now, if you're talking about local residents, not tourists, that something else.

More globally, the origin of the problem is the behavior of those who litter in the first place. And there I think all nationals are equals in poor record. Thais are no exception.

To see a change in the situation, it will take a serious change of mentality together with actions like yours that I totally support.

Mahalo for that.

I only wish that there was a way to share with people, the rewards, one gets after removing dangers from any area, beach, lake, park, neighborhood, wherever, first looking at the man made trash, left behind by others, then cleaning that area and looking back, no matter how big or small, the Inner-Wealth rewards are priceless, if you only might have saved, one child a wildlife or a waterway, from ingesting dangers, such as toxic cigarette butts, bottle caps, camera batteries, plastic, used lighters, what one has removed is one less thing to be found by a unknowing voiceless priceless children, wildlife and waterways.

Edited September 5, 2010 by koto

[george]

Update:

Phuket Oil Spill: diesel slick drifting toward Phi Phi Islands

PHUKET: -- A large plume of diesel fuel emanating from the wreck of the Choke Thavorn 6 fuel tanker that sunk in heavy seas off Phuket yesterday is heading in the general direction of the Phi Phi Islands in Phuket's neighboring province Krabi.

Crew aboard Royal Thai Navy helicopters monitoring the situation told a reporter from the state-run MCOT news agency this morning that the slick is now moving westward.

An earlier report had the plume of pollution moving in a more southerly direction, toward international waters.

Much lighter than seawater, diesel fuel generally evaporates and disperses into water much more quickly than many other types of petrochemicals. Prevailing rough sea conditions will also aid in dispersal.

Diesel floats quickly to the surface, where it forms a thin sheen that may be increasingly difficult to detect over time, especially when seas are rough.

Diesel can be degraded by naturally occurring marine microbes over a course of months, but is among the most toxic oils to marine life that have direct exposure to it in an undiluted form. Fish, invertebrates and seaweed can all be quickly killed.

According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), however, small diesel spills in open water are so rapidly diluted that fish kills have never been reported.

However the NOAA defines a small spill as between about 2,000 and 20,000 liters.

The amount entering the sea off Phuket is reportedly about 40,000 liters.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-09-05

[surayu]

like a little Waster-Sizing, bending at the waist to pick up some waste, one random act of kindness at a time, get with the program Farangs.

Koto, did you realize in what country you are in yet? if you don't have a WORK PERMIT for the volounteering you are doing and be paying for it, then for the local law you are working illegally , yes this is being discussed to death on the forum i know, but still seems to be someone unaware of it, the thai jail are also very bad, so is it really worth? i would rather prefer to see this country submersed by it's own rubbish rather than put in serious troubles an unaware passer by, by ask him to join in the clear up, this country don't want it and they will get very heavily on you if someone is in the mood for it, be carefull there, this is not farangland !

[NormanW]

This is nothing, wait until the first (if it hasn't already happened) nuclear incident gets out, then we'll have a few problems for a few hundred years to come!

True, But doing our part before the shit hits the fan, whenever that will be, makes one sleep, look and feel better about themselves, nothing worse then leaving Earth, knowing that we gave nothing back and could be going someplace else, with that on your track record. I have been at the bedside of many, that were dieing, for one reason or another and crying because they never did much good, for anything, but themselves and were scared they would not be accepted if there is any place out there, after here.

We are only as good as our last performance, make it a good one daily, cha,cha,cha...

If only everyone (or the majority) thought like you we would ALL live in a great place with less problems.

[koto]

like a little Waster-Sizing, bending at the waist to pick up some waste, one random act of kindness at a time, get with the program Farangs.

Koto, did you realize in what country you are in yet? if you don't have a WORK PERMIT for the volounteering you are doing and be paying for it, then for the local law you are working illegally , yes this is being discussed to death on the forum i know, but still seems to be someone unaware of it, the thai jail are also very bad, so is it really worth? i would rather prefer to see this country submersed by it's own rubbish rather than put in serious troubles an unaware passer by, by ask him to join in the clear up, this country don't want it and they will get very heavily on you if someone is in the mood for it, be carefull there, this is not farangland !

Yo Surayu

Cleaning a beach, lake, river, stream, creek, park, neighborhood does not take a WORK PERMIT, It takes a caring person, It's not where one comes from, it's not where ones at, It's where we are coming from on the inside, that matters, don't try to tell me the reason many, not all, of the overweight lazy Farangs, have not been giving back, is because they don't have a WORK PERMIT, that excuse tops them all.

Surayu do you realize that we are all in this neighborhood together and cleaning an area, to remove dangers from children, wildlife and waterways, is an honor, not a problem, I only wish that was the reason, most Farangs sit on their back side, moving clouds and drinking their beers, giving nothing back except for some of the smokers, that flick their toxic cigarette butts, not thinking about the unknowing children, that might ingest one, that takes up to 12 years to decompose, not even considering the wildlife or waterways.

There is (NO WORK PERMIT NEEDED) For doing Tam Boon or in our language hearing the cry of Mother Nature and doing something about it. PS I'm not being paid "baht" for what I do, Pattaya City Hall makes many of my posters for me, laminates and supplies me with staples, garbage bags and dog food for the "harmless, homeless, dogs"The Inner-Wealth" fills my cup, plus a whole bunch of exercise, now that you know that no WORK PERMIT is needed, when can I start seeing you and your friends cleaning a beach, lake, park, your neighborhood, other then the one I clean, Remember every litter bit hurts and again we are only as good as our last performance. Carpe Diem.Hope to see you soon, Chok Dee

Edited September 5, 2010 by koto