Thai province declares emergency as oil slick hits beach

BANGKOK (AP) — The governor of a province in eastern Thailand has declared a state of emergency after an oil slick washed up on a sand beach, shutting down restaurants and shops in a setback for the pandemic-hit tourism industry. Some 20-50 tons of oil are estimated to have leaked Tuesday night in the Gulf of Thailand from an undersea hose used to load tankers at an offshore mooring point. The Star Petroleum Refining Co. said the leak was stopped within hours but there are concerns a major part of the slick remains at sea. It reached the Rayong province beach on Saturday and threatens Koh Samet, a popular tourist island that’s just beginning to recover from the pandemic slump along with the rest of the country.