Rayong’s main beach is back open again after a 10-day operation to clear oil spill contamination caused by a pipeline leak in the Gulf of Thailand. Declared a disaster zone on Jan 29, Mae Ram Phueng Beach is now preparing to welcome back visitors with the Feb 12-14 “Rayong in Love” festival for Valentine’s Day.
Several kilometres of the beach were tarred after an underwater pipeline owned by Star Petroleum Refining leaked on Jan 25, releasing oil into the sea 20km southeast of Map Ta Phut Industrial Port on the eastern seaboard. Local fisheries were ordered to halt operations for at least a month.
