Travel agents to be taken to site of Thai oil spill
Thai authorities say only a small amount of oil remains off the coast of Ko Samet following a leak from an off-shore pipe last month.
They said a satellite image taken on August 4 showed the oil spill had almost totally cleared up.
Sample tests of water, sand, air, marine life and corals in the sea off Rayong have not indicated any dangerous chemical residues, it said.
Nevertheless, the environment and ecological system in the area of oil slick will be monitored for at least 12 months, according to a natural resources and environment minister Vichet Kasemthongsri, who made a personal inspection at Phrao Bay on Ko Samet yesterday
A big clean-up day will be held on Ko Samet Ilsand on August 10 in a bid to regain tourist confidenc and a group of 25 agents and media will be taken to the area to see progress for themselves, but none are believed to be from the UK.
However, the Tourism Authority of Thailand will be taking an agents fam trip in mid-September.
About 20 beaches on located on the east coast of Samet have been unaffected by the oil spill.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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