Oil Pollution Causes Fewer Tourists to Visit Koh Samed

October 22, 2013

In a recent case, the tourism business entrepreneurs on Koh Samed (Island) have complained about the problem of a leaking oil stain, that has led to the decreasing volume of tourists by more than 50%, when compared within the same period of time during last year. The numbers of foreign tourists decreased by more than 80%, which has made all tourism business entrepreneurs suffer heavy impacts from this event.

RAYONG – October 21, 2013 [PDN]; At 2.30 p.m. Mr. Yarnyon Aroonwessaset, the administrator of Nuanthip port which is the biggest full-circuit port at Tambon Phay, within the Amphur Meuang district in Rayong Province, revealed that after the incident, the oil spill by PTT Global Chemical (Public) Co. Ltd. Had leaked around Koh Samed (Island) area. It has caused a heavy impact to all tourism business entrepreneurs from small to large businesses, which is a situation that has never happened before and has led to the decreasing of tourists when compared with last year.

Nuanthip Port has had to shoulder the burden of losing money totalling many thousands of THB (Thai baht), to pay the compensation for the ‘express boats, as the boats now don’t have a full load of passengers; – (normally 20-people per boat). Most of the boats provide employment to local fishermen, who turn to the work of crewing or servicing the boats and the boats of Nuanthip Port usually depart from the port every hour from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. every day. This totals going back and forth about 20-times per day, but after the oil pollution incident occurred, it caused some boats to have no more than 10-passengers per trip. ). In the joint agreement Nuanthip Port has had to pay compensation costs for the usage of gasoline for each boat. The ongoing problem is that Nuanthip Port has had to shoulder burden of loss for almost 2-months with the decreasing numbers of tourists and there is indication that it will get better in the near future.

The paying of indemnity by the guilty company appears to be already closed for informing many of the entrepreneurs that face this problem in different areas. Nuanthip Port didn’t inform the guilty company at first, because they wanted to wait to see whether there would be a large impact, but now it appears that they cannot bear the full burden of loss, so now they have presented evidence against PTT Global Co. Ltd to Tambon Phay Municipal Office. This includes complete details, documents and the identity cards of employees plus the total number of ‘express boats’ and the details of this condition of loss. However, an official has told them that he informed the company too late, after which the officer made a phone call to tell them that the company would only pay an indemnity of only 15,000 THB. If he didn’t consent to receiving for this amount of money, they will not give any further money at all. An official asked for all of the evidence back and didn’t accept money, because he thought that it is not a fair settlement for a large port that has almost 100-employees, working with the big boas, and more than 10-‘express boats.’

Mr. Yarnyon continued to say that the guilty company didn’t pay for the amounts of money, which some ports received; (namely 30,000 THB; 24,000 THB; 9,000 THB; and 7,000 THB). At first the guilty company had promised to pay for 30,000 THB plus 15,000 THB to each of the entrepreneurs so Mr. Yarnyon wants the top executive to inspect (in detail), the exact cost of damages. Moreover, he wants the company and its passengers to use service not only with the entrepreneurs on Phrao Bay, but also to use services with the other entrepreneurs on Koh Samed and Baan Phay that have suffered the same adverse impacts, as well.

A journalist reported in addition to this, every port in Tambon Phay have very few tourists, so the markets and sea food restaurants are very quiet, resulting in most of the vendors closing their shops, so the tourist industry in the Tambon (Municipality) is not so exciting, with many less Thai and foreign tourists than is usual.