Sticky tar-like mess on the Koh Larn and Jomtien beaches today

[bkkmfj2648]

Oil-Like Material Washes Ashore on Koh Larn Beaches, Coating Some Swimmers

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HqJWF41fj/

There are many black, sticky tar-like oil deposits along Jomtien Beach. They stick to people’s feet. It looks like oil pollution or tar balls.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HDPRGTtwG/

[floridarob]

@Olddaddy were you out that way?

[Olddaddy]

25 minutes ago, floridarob said:

@Olddaddy were you out that way?

Did this happen this morning?

I was out there all night ,just got back to the hotel room , it was a hell of a night in Koh larn 🕺💃🍹🥃🍺🍻

I know toilets were hard to find 

[macaroni21]

2 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

I know toilets were hard to find 

Is that why there are "tar" balls on Jomtien beach today? 🤓

[BjornAgain]

12 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Oil-Like Material Washes Ashore on Koh Larn Beaches, Coating Some Swimmers

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HqJWF41fj/

There are many black, sticky tar-like oil deposits along Jomtien Beach. They stick to people’s feet. It looks like oil pollution or tar balls.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HDPRGTtwG/

Classic illegal case of flushing the tanks.

[bkkmfj2648]

19 minutes ago, BjornAgain said:

Classic illegal case of flushing the tanks.

yes I agree.  Many of the people here at the local Jomtien beaches are thinking that it originated from Pattaya city.

I disagree, because the way these oil deposits, tar balls found their way was that they FIRST hit the Western shore of Koh Larn on Tien Beach and nearby Samae Beach and then AFTERWARDS the tar balls started showing up on the Jomtien beaches.

And the HUGE industrial ships are the ones that pass to the West of Koh Larn in the main waterway channels of the Gulf of Thailand.

Consequently, I would venture to say that the "illegal case of flushing the tanks" occured in this area - as indicated in the below impromptu map:

Would you agree? 

[BjornAgain]

4 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

...

Would you agree? 

A quick bit of maritime forensic investigation could pin-point the guilty party or parties. Date / Time of first reported incident, plus any follow-up incidents in neighbouring beaches / shore line (gives indication of discharge direction). Understanding of quantity and to a degree the quality of 'tar-balls' ie to gauge if sludge tanks or bilge tanks have been discharged. Also quality will give an indication of multi-ship discharge. Sludge is heavier than bilge.  Knowledge of local tides plus recent weather conditions will give you an area of concern. Then cross reference with the Marine Traffic satellite/ GPS Apps (The maritime equivalent of FlightTracker24) and you might have a couple of suspects. Also records from local ports of your suspect ships that have used ship-to-shore discharge facilities, or not!

Prosecution on the other hand will be the big issue.

For those that have not seen what MarrineTraffic.com can report, snapshot of Kao Larn as of Monday 19th Aug at 17:10. Have hi-lited the nearest big ship for reference.

[Keithambrose]

On 8/10/2026 at 11:27 AM, BjornAgain said:

A quick bit of maritime forensic investigation could pin-point the guilty party or parties. Date / Time of first reported incident, plus any follow-up incidents in neighbouring beaches / shore line (gives indication of discharge direction). Understanding of quantity and to a degree the quality of 'tar-balls' ie to gauge if sludge tanks or bilge tanks have been discharged. Also quality will give an indication of multi-ship discharge. Sludge is heavier than bilge.  Knowledge of local tides plus recent weather conditions will give you an area of concern. Then cross reference with the Marine Traffic satellite/ GPS Apps (The maritime equivalent of FlightTracker24) and you might have a couple of suspects. Also records from local ports of your suspect ships that have used ship-to-shore discharge facilities, or not!

Prosecution on the other hand will be the big issue.

For those that have not seen what MarrineTraffic.com can report, snapshot of Kao Larn as of Monday 19th Aug at 17:10. Have hi-lited the nearest big ship for reference.

Impressive!

[PeterRS2]

Before I came to Asia, I remember going to the beach in Nice. Found much the same oil-like substance hidden under the sand covering my feet. No doubt from all the private yachts that plague that part of the Mediterranean.

[BjornAgain]

8 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

Impressive!

Misspent youth as a cabin boy. You soon pickup the tricks of the trade!

[BjornAgain]

4 hours ago, PeterRS2 said:

Before I came to Asia, I remember going to the beach in Nice. Found much the same oil-like substance hidden under the sand covering my feet. No doubt from all the private yachts that plague that part of the Mediterranean.

Dubai is worst,  beach hotels have tar-ball cleaning stations as you come off the beach. Was 15 years ago.

[PeterRS2]

I had gone to the beach with friends to kill time before getting a late afternoon flight back to the UK. Trying to get that gunge off your feet when you are already on sand is almost impossible.

[Keithambrose]

1 hour ago, BjornAgain said:

Misspent youth as a cabin boy. You soon pickup the tricks of the trade!

Funnily enough, this was an issue i deakt with quite a lot, especially in the USA where pollution laws are very strict, high fines and prison possible. Some Chief Engineers were very creative with their Oil Record book! Ship Owners' insurers won't cover the fines.

 

Things are much better than they were, due to more strict regulations. In America, OPA 90. When I was a kid on the South Coast of England,  tar balls every tide, as ships flushed out their tanks as they went through the english channel.

[floridarob]

1 hour ago, BjornAgain said:

Dubai is worst,  beach hotels have tar-ball cleaning stations as you come off the beach. Was 15 years ago.

Jewish boys get a bris. In Dubai, apparently you get your balls tarred and cleaned. 😂