Pattaya, Chonburi Province, August 24th – Tourists enjoying the waters at Jomtien Beach were met with an unpleasant surprise as oil stains covered the beach, sticking to their bodies and clothes.
Reporters visited Yinyom Beach in Pattaya City after receiving complaints from tourists about persistent oil stains that could not be washed off.
The investigation revealed oil stains scattered across Yinyom Beach and floating in the seawater. The contamination extended from Yinyom Beach to Dongtan Beach and stretched several kilometers from Jomtien Beach to Soi 7-8. There have also been reports of oil stains elsewhere in the ocean near Jomtien that is still under investigation by relevant officials however inspections yesterday did not specifically find issues or problems.
Sergeant Major Wikan Ketkaew, a lecturer at the Royal Volunteer School 904 in Bang Khen District, recounted his experience at Dongtan Beach. He arrived early in the morning to enjoy the scenery and began a live broadcast. However, he soon discovered oil stains on the beach after stepping on them. Realizing the potential hazard, he warned tourists planning to swim and contacted the Pattaya Tourist Police to alert the relevant authorities.
Sergeant Major Wikan condemned the actions of those responsible, highlighting the negative impact on Pattaya’s reputation as a tourist destination. “The person who did this has no conscience and is not responsible for their actions,” he stated. The incident occurred on a weekend, attracting many tourists to the beach.
In response, Pattaya City deployed over 20 officers and staff to clean the affected areas and remove the oil stains from the beach and assured tourists and residents the issue was a top priority and would be immediately resolved. The authorities are working to identify the source of the contamination and prevent future incidents.
