SPRC CEO promises to speed up compensations for Rayong oil leak
The CEO of Star Petroleum Refining (SPRC) promised on Thursday to speed up payment of compensations for the oil leak off Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate.
SPRC CEO Robert Dobrik gave the assurance after a meeting of the committee coordinating compensation.
Rayong Governor Charnna Iamsaeng chaired the meeting. In attendance were deputy governor Yutthapol Ongart-itthichai, Rayong police chief Pol Maj-General Wara Wetchaphinan and Dobrik himself.
An underwater pipeline owned by SPRC leaked on January 25, releasing oil into the sea 20 kilometres southeast off Map Ta Phut on the eastern seaboard. Local fisheries were ordered to halt operations for at least a month until water conditions improved.
The governor said all sides must cooperate to ensure locals, who are low-income earners, receive the first amount of compensation as soon as possible.
Charnna said the tri-partite team has been coordinating between the affected people and the company to negotiate compensation that is satisfactory to both sides, and the rates would be based on a Rayong Court ruling in an oil leak case in 2013.
Dobrik said the SPRC would speed up compensation to all affected groups and would also hasten rehabilitation of the environment.
A special complaints centre, set up in the province after the oil leak, received 6,268 complaints from January 30 to February 9.
