Clean-up of oil slick in Rayong to be finished Sunday

RAYONG, Thailand, August 4 (TNA) - An ongoing clean-up operation of oil slick on Ao Phrao bay in the eastern resort of Rayong which is continuing for the third day Sunday has made a sharp progress as most of the oil tainted wastes is transported and destroyed. Volunteers and army officials helped put the wastes, most of them hard articles, into big bags and transported them from the bay. They said there were only liquid articles contained in large-sized drums left at the bay and they would be taken out for destroy later in the day. Officials from several agencies Sunday inspected the area so that rehabilitation measures could be offered to those affected from the oil leak accident. The accident occurred on July 27 when, 50,000 litres of crude oil leaked from a pipeline into the sea at Ao Phrao bay and dirtied water and the beach. The accident had forced hotel room cancellations while fishermen complained that their catches dwindled. Rayong officials have set up a tripartite committee assigned for receiving complaints from those who have been affected from the accident. About 1,000 restaurant proprietors, fishermen and people living in the area have registered themselves and sought for compensation from the company. The tripartite committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting Monday. The Energy Ministry has also appointed experts to probe on the cause of the accident. Results are expected to be known later this week. (TNA)