On May 25, an oil slick that was visible floating on the surface disturbed the otherwise gleaming sea waters of Jomtien Beach. Beach umbrella providers immediately responded to this revelation and temporarily suspended their services while they awaited assistance from Pattaya city authorities.
A 62-year-old beach umbrella rental businessman named Madsa Ong-At reported smelling oil in the air at 7 a.m. that morning as he was getting ready for the day’s operations. He ventured to the retreating beach out of curiosity and discovered the oil slick floating on top of the ocean.
When he looked more closely, he discovered that the oil slick had ruined the sandy beach and extended 50 to 100 meters into the water. The surrounding region was covered in an oil slick, which gave off a strong, foul smell. Madsa and his other beach umbrella operators immediately pleaded with the authorities to take prompt action and rectify the issue because they were concerned about the possible effects on the ecosystem of the beach and the safety of the tourists.
They all agreed to stop providing beach umbrella services until the problem was fixed and the beach was declared safe for visitors once more.
Authorities believe an offshore oil tanker or large sea vessel may have leaked and caused the oil slick.
