At least three tonnes of oil, suspected to have originated from a ship, have been removed from Sirinan National Park and Koh Racha Yai after washing ashore. The oil spill is believed to have started in neighboring Phangnga province last Wednesday before reaching Koh Racha Yai in Phuket on Sunday.
Wastewater discharge on Koh Lan is identified as the primary cause of the plankton bloom that turned the sea smelly and green, according to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR). The situation was initially brought to attention when the Facebook page “We Love Pattaya” posted pictures of the unusually green seawater around Koh Lan, a popular island located 7 kilometers off the coast of Pattaya Beach.