Your free weekly newspaper since 2008 Page 3
issue 3 52 6 November 2015
Classifieds English Corner Sudoku Chelsea IS What?
slick operation
beach re-opened but should it be?
hua hin, THAILAND The official line on whether it is now safe to go ‘back in the water’ after last week’s oil spill from various authorities has been that it is, although with the proviso that some oil will still be encountered in places. While we are loathe to report something that would be damaging to either tourism or the image of the area, we don’t agree that either the cleanup is complete nor that it can be certain it is safe for everyone to use the beach and ocean as normal, particularly children. We have spoken to regular users of the beach, and along with other anecdotal stories, we believe that there is still a problem with the oil that has seeped into the beach and the sand beneath the sea, with many people reporting returning from the beach and sea with their feet covered in a mixture of sand and oil. Some areas are better than others though, and the situation will gradually improve naturally as the remaining oil is broken down and dispersed by the sea, but we understand how long this process will take does depend on exactly what type of oil is involved, something that is still to be identified, along with who exactly was responsible. One possible silver lining to this event is that the Marine Department and related agencies have been asked to step up inspections at sea and examine the logbook of ships, as part of measures to stop ships dumping fuel. Ministry permanent secretary Kasemsant Jinnawaso said there had been discussions with the Marine, Pollution Control, and Marine and Coastal Resources departments and that the first action would be to let the Marine Department inspect the sea more than 12 nautical miles from the shoreline to search and prevent ships from dumping oil into the sea. Meanwhile Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Tawee Naritsirikul said that Hua Hin City Municipality, Provincial Marine Office and Pranburi National Forest Park had sent reports to the police to press charges over the oil leak.
Victor’s
open 24/7
Wide range of rooms in the heart of Hua Hin
a/c, lcd tv, dvd player, fridge, free premium wifi, cable TV
victorguesthouse@gmail.com 032 511564 60 Naresdamri Road, Hua Hin
GET RACING FROM ONLY 400 BAHT! OPEN EVERYDAY 10.30AM - 7PM, LATE NIGHT BY APPOINTMENT Call 032 547 199 (Office) or 081 817 3000 (Mobile) Soi 2, Phetchkasem Road opposite Hua Hin Airport
www.gokarthuahin.com