The leak from a pipeline owned by Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited (SPRC) started late on Tuesday (January 25) . It was brought under control a day later after spilling an estimated 50,000 liters (13,209 gallons) of oil into the ocean, 20 km (12 miles) from the country's industrialized eastern seaboard.
Some oil reached the shoreline at the Mae Ramphueng Beach in Rayong province late on Friday (January 28) after spreading over 47 square km (18 square miles) of the sea in the gulf.
The navy is working with SPRC to contain the leak and said the central oil mass was still offshore, with only a small amount washing up on at least two spots along the 12-km-long Mae Ramphueng.
The navy said that about 150 SPRC workers and 200 navy personnel had been deployed to clean up the beach and oil boom barriers had been set up. Twelve navy ships and three civilian ships along with a number of aircraft were also working to contain the spill at sea with booms and dispersant spray.
