Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD) has advised against swimming in the sea or playing on the sand at three spots on Mae Ram Phueng beach in Rayong province, after high levels of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) were detected.

PCD Director-General Attapol Charoenchansa said today that inspectors had discovered that TPH in the sea at three locations at Hin Khao of Mae Ram Phueng beach exceeds the standard level by 1.5 times.

He said the department has asked the governor of Rayong to fly red flags at the three locations and to close the area to swimming and beach activities, adding that officials will monitor the situation until the level of TPH drops.

He also said that substances from the oil spill are still being found in the sea off the Rayong coast.

Mae Ram Phueng was the hardest hit area by the January 25^th oil spill, when about 47,000 litres of crude oil leaked into the sea from the ruptured pipeline at the offshore mooring platform of SPRC. A second spill of about 5,000 litres of crude oil occurred at the same spot on February 10^th.