One month after a series of leaks from an undersea delivery pipeline, the oil spill in the waters off Rayong still ranks as a pressing concern.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-archa reassured the public early on that the spill had been contained, but the reality on the ground -- or in the sea, and later, on the beaches -- was quite different.
Three spills were reported on Jan 25, Feb 10 and again last week -- all from the same source. Polluting tar balls were later spotted on several beaches while state laboratory tests showed high concentrations of toxic chemical residue in the water, soil and even the urine of oil cleanup volunteers.
And while the affected villagers pray for compensation from the company responsible for the leaks, as promised, many people are fretting about the long-term impact on the local marine impact, economy and tourism.
This week, MPs from the Move Forward Party (MFP) launched a probe into the ministers responsible for handling this matter to determine if they were negligent in carrying out their duties in terms of controlling both the pollution and the activities of the private sector.
Today, activist firebrand Srisuwan Janya is scheduled to appear at the administrative court to press his suit against the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's Harbour Department as well as the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT).
He claims state officials may not have properly inspected the offshore oil delivery facilities of the company in question, Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited (SPRC), let alone ensured it adhered to good safety practices.
Mr Srisuwan is calling for a review of SPRC's permits and environmental impact assessment, to see if there is any basis to suspicions of wrongdoing in how the company was granted permission to operate the facility where the leaks later occurred.
Such moves are commendable, especially at a time when the responsible authority and politicians have gone eerily silent. A month has already elapsed and the cause of the leaks is still being investigated.
This case has also swung the spotlight back on the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong, the country's largest petrochemical complex, which has courted controversy and bad press due to its pollution management for almost two decades.
The recent leaks were also badly handled, with a lack of booms to contain the sheets of floating oil and overuse of chemical oil dispersants that wreak havoc on marine ecosystems. In fact, the ability to conduct such a clean-up operation has barely improved since the worst oil spill was recorded in that area in 2013.
At that time, the polluter was PTT Chemical Global (PTTCG). Tourism operators and villagers sued the company, demanding more compensation to offset the long-term impact on the local fishery and tourism industries. For over a decade, villagers in Rayong have reportedly suffered from respiratory and other ailments due to being exposed to air pollution and toxic chemicals.
The situation got so bad that in 2008 villagers sued the local authority. As a result, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) designated Map Ta Phut district as a "special pollution control zone" the following year. This raised morale but seems to have had little lasting legacy.
The government and most industrial companies have vowed to practice sustainable development. Now they need to walk the walk, not just spew out hot, polluted air.
