PHUKET, THAILAND – Thailand’s pollution authority confirmed that seawater at key tourist beaches on Phuket met safety standards for recreation after a cargo ship sank southwest of the island.
Intensive monitoring after cargo ship sinking
The Pollution Control Department (PCD) said seawater around major tourist beaches remained suitable for leisure activities despite the recent sinking of a Panama-flagged cargo vessel off Rawai. Director-General Surin Worakitthamrong stated that the regional Environmental and Pollution Control Office 15 in Phuket had been assigned to closely monitor conditions following the incident.
“The measures were aimed at detecting possible impacts of the ship accident on beaches and coastal waters at an early stage.”
said Surin Worakitthamrong, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department.
Tests at five popular beaches
During a second round of testing on 10 February, officials collected samples at five heavily visited beaches: Rawai, Nai Harn, Kata Noi, Kata Yai and Karon. According to the agency, no oil slicks were detected on the water surface or along the shoreline at any of the sampling points.
The PCD reported that all tested locations met the national Category-4 standard for coastal seawater, meaning the water was classified as suitable for recreational use. Key water quality parameters, including pH, dissolved oxygen and dissolved solids, remained within nationwide coastal limits at every site.
No visible oil at Rawai, Kata and Karon
At Rawai Beach, samples taken at two points in the northern and central sections showed normal seawater conditions with no visible contamination, and Nai Harn Beach produced similar results. Monitoring teams at Kata Noi and Kata Yai also found no signs of oil on the surface or along the coastline, while measured water values stayed within permitted thresholds.
At Karon Beach, both the southern and northern sections were examined without any oil slicks being detected. The department stated that seawater quality there fulfilled the requirements for recreational use.
Oil spread modelling points offshore
In addition to field measurements, the PCD used the Oil Map mathematical model to simulate how any potential oil film from the sunken ship might spread. The model indicated that possible pollution would drift southwest from the accident site into open sea and would not move toward the Thai coast.
“There are currently no impacts on beach safety or on seawater quality for local residents and visitors.”
said Surin Worakitthamrong, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department.
Ongoing precautionary checks along the coast
The authority stressed it would continue to monitor seawater conditions along Phuket’s coastline as a precaution to identify any changes at an early stage. At the time of the announcement, the PCD maintained that beachgoers and tourists could continue to use the island’s main beaches without additional restrictions.