- Australian tennis star Purcell provisionally suspended for doping
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate fears
- Luxury Western goods line Russian stores, three years into sanctions
- Wallace and Gromit return with comic warning about AI dystopia
- Philippine military says will acquire US Typhon missile system
- Afghan bread, the humble centrepiece of every meal
- Honda and Nissan expected to begin merger talks
- 'Draconian' Vietnam internet law heightens free speech fears
- Israeli women mobilise against ultra-Orthodox military exemptions
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate worries
- Tens of thousands protest in Serbian capital over fatal train station accident
- Trump vows to 'stop transgender lunacy' as a top priority
- Daniels throws five TDs as Commanders down Eagles, Lions and Vikings win
- 'Who's next?': Misinformation and online threats after US CEO slaying
- Only 12 trucks delivered food, water in North Gaza Governorate since October: Oxfam
- InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - December 23
- Melrose Group Publicly Files Complaint to the Ontario Securities Commission
- Langers edge Tiger and son Charlie in PNC Championship playoff
- Explosive batsman Jacobs gets New Zealand call-up for Sri Lanka series
- Holders PSG edge through on penalties in French Cup
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin to talk gas deliveries
- Daniels throw five TDs as Commanders down Eagles
- Atalanta fight back to take top spot in Serie A, Roma hit five
- Mancini admits regrets over leaving Italy for Saudi Arabia
- Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin
- Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 35
- 'Incredible' Liverpool must stay focused: Slot
- Maresca 'absolutely happy' as title-chasing Chelsea drop points in Everton draw
- Salah happy wherever career ends after inspiring Liverpool rout
- Three and easy as Dortmund move into Bundesliga top six
- Liverpool hit Spurs for six, Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth
- Netanyahu vows to act with 'force, determination' against Yemen's Huthis
- Mbappe back from 'bottom' as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Ali hat-trick helps champions Ahly crush Belouizdad
- France kept on tenterhooks over new government
- Salah stars as rampant Liverpool hit Spurs for six
- Syria's new leader says all weapons to come under 'state control'
- 'Sonic 3' zips to top of N.America box office
- Rome's Trevi Fountain reopens to limited crowds
- Mbappe strikes as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- 'Nervous' Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- Pope again condemns 'cruelty' of Israeli strikes on Gaza
- Lonely this Christmas: Vendee skippers in low-key celebrations on high seas
- Troubled Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- 2 US pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident: military
- Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth, Chelsea held at Everton
- France awaits fourth government of the year
- Germany pledges security inquest into Christmas market attack
- Death toll in Brazil bus crash rises to 41
Oil spill 'nail in the coffin' for Covid-hit Thai beach businesses
Oil washing up on a beach on Thailand's east coast could be the "nail in the coffin" for pandemic-hit hotels and restaurants, local hospitality businesses said Saturday.
The Thai navy and pollution experts are scrambling to clean up Tuesday night's spill in the Gulf of Thailand where at least 60 tonnes of crude leaked about 20 kilometres (12 miles) off the coast of Rayong province.
Crews in yellow plastic protective suits were seen at Mae Ram Phueng Beach -- about two and a half hours from Bangkok -- on Saturday afternoon cleaning up the oil slick which began washing up late the previous night.
Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited, the operator of the undersea pipeline that leaked, said it was trying to minimise oil reaching the shoreline using booms.
An aerial surveillance aircraft is monitoring the slick on the sea, and local media reported that satellite imagery on Friday showed a pollution zone of 47 square kilometres.
Marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat said the oil slick is expected to continue to wash up on shore over the coming days due to stronger wind.
People should "definitely avoid" swimming in affected areas, Thon said in a Facebook post.
For struggling resorts and tourism-dependent businesses at Mae Ram Phueng Beach and the surrounding area, the pollution and lack of swimmers could spell disaster for livelihoods.
"There have been fewer customers because of Covid-19 and the lethargic economy and now the oil spill is like a nail in the coffin," said Korn Thongpiijit, 45, who manages Barnsabhaisabai Resort which is situated right where authorities have set up a clean-up operation.
"We already reduced accommodation prices by 50 percent because of Covid-19 for survival."
Bhorn, the owner of a nearby seafood restaurant said most of her wild-caught produce came from local fishermen and already customers were phoning up worried about the situation.
"Our income has dwindled by more than 50 per cent since Covid-19 started," she told AFP, adding she is waiting to assess the impact.
A dozen ships are spraying dispersant chemicals and so far more than 80,000 litres has been doused over the affected area, the Royal Thai Navy said Saturday.
Star Petroleum said divers had found a failure in a flexible hose that formed part of the undersea equipment around a single point mooring -- a floating buoy used to offload oil from tankers.
A pipeline leak in the same area in 2013 led to a major slick that coated a beach on neabry Ko Samet.
There are fears a national park Ko Samet could be affected in this spill which could take more than a month to clean up.
B.Finley--AMWN