What's up with the oil/tar? on Chaweng/Lamai beaches?

[Virt]

Didn't have a steady wifi while on vacation, so that's why i ask now after returning home from vacation on Samui.

Been there 5 times and never experienced the problem so bad before.

Walking down the beaches and ones feet was covered in what appeared to look like some kind of black oil/tar or something.

Experienced it on Chaweng and Lamai but not up at Maenam.

Chaweng had a lot more it that Lamai though.

Don't have my memorycards with pictures at me atm, but got some pictures of what it looked like, when going down to the beach in the morning looking at the sunrise.

Will post a few pictures when i get them later this weekend.

I noticed a lot of other tourist beeing covered in it aswell, and they didn't look very pleased about it.

Is it particular bad this year or are there just beeing dumped more into the sea from boats or something?

Also noticed the thaistaffs on the hotels scrabed it together in the morning, but instead of getting rid of it in bags etc, they just dug several 2 feet deep holes in the sand and dumped all of it in there and put sand on top of it again.

Rinse and repeat each morning.

Is that actually removing the problem or just hiding it?

[CaptainS]

The wind is coming from the East/Southeast right now, thats why this side of the island gets all the rubbish these days. In December we had it here in Bangrak. At least we didnt have any oil, just lotsa other garbage. Should change in a few weeks and then people in Nathon, Lipa Noi etc. can "enjoy" it.

[Mole]

I believe it has been discussed here already:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708411-brown-sea-in-lamai/

[pokerspiv]

Went for a swim in Lamai about 10 minutes ago just in front of Wanta and the water was perfect.

[saweden]

There's oil in Chaweng. I had it on me after swimming last week, nearly impossible to rub off.

I also have friends arrived from Sweden staying at Regent and they say their feet are covered in it after every swim.

Also there's a news post about it on Samui Times somewhere if I remember correctly.

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[kennypowers]

Was in Samui last week and the stuff was everywhere along Chaweng Beach, although I already mentioned this in the original post. Sad. I once lived in Samui purely for the beach...looks like even that has been ruined by stupid humans.

[wellred]

Is this a seasonal thing then with the winds?

[PoorSucker]

Crude oil found on beaches
The Sunday Nation

A Walailak University lab test found that a tar-like substance discovered on Nakhon Si Thammarat beaches and other parts of the south recently is most likely processed crude oil.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714979-crude-oil-found-on-beaches/

[Absolut]

So is there still an issue with oil on Chaweng beach?

I finally get back in a few weeks and don't mind a morning swim down the southern end.

[Virt]

Got my memorycards so here is a few.

This is what it looked like when i saw it in the early morning.

Those small patties looking like tar or something were soft and broke up easily on contact, so they got stuck to your feet,shoes etc.

Hopefully it's long gone by now.

But it was a nice sunrise that morning by the way

[saweden]

Beach walked for 40 mins and had a quick swim and my feet became covered in it on Sunday so it's still there. I didn't see anything though or I would have avoided it so it must have been tiny bits, but the stains on my feet won't even come off

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[wellred]

What are the local authorities doing to clear it up? This will surely be a disaster for tourism if it stays that into high season no?

[pokerspiv]

What are the local authorities doing to clear it up?

Best April Fool's joke I've seen so far today.

[wellred]

That wasn't a joke.

[riverchapel]

still there ;-(

[saweden]

Not far from Chaweng Regent, I took this photo a few days ago. Like swimming in mud.

Edited April 7, 2014 by saweden

[KernelPanic]

That looks like those algae

[kaveh]

end of the March in those beaches and I always have the time to swim for a long time in day time and I didn't see anything! I mean, it was perfect both in the Chaweng and Lamai! chaweng was a little bit stormy but no oil.

[samuijimmy]

end of the March in those beaches and I always have the time to swim for a long time in day time and I didn't see anything! I mean, it was perfect both in the Chaweng and Lamai! chaweng was a little bit stormy but no oil.

Same on north end and west side beaches of the island too ! which I've seen in the last few days!

[Tropicalevo]

If it was oil/tar it would still there until someone bagged it up and took it away.

False alarm maybe?

[Absolut]

Great to hear, I arrive on island in the morning and like to do a dip in the morning outside banana fan after a run.

[Virt]

If it was oil/tar it would still there until someone bagged it up and took it away.

False alarm maybe?

Wouldn't call it a false alarm since there was something at that time, but i'm glad to hear it's gone by now.

Wasn't that nice to get it on feets/sandals and later drag it up to the hotel, so the floortiles and stairs got covered in that black stuff.

We asked the Thai waitor at our usual hotel about it and he replied it was stuff dumped by boats/ships, so i assume it was something to do with diesel,oil,tar etc.

But it's nice to hear it's gone by now.

Hopefully it stays that way.

[Absolut]

Nothing on Chaweng beach today, I did a run from end to end and saw nothing. Nothing on my feet either.