Documentation and Analysis of the Rayong Oil Spill Characterizing the Health, Economic, and Social Impacts of the Incident and Response
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Documentation and Analysis of the Rayong Oil Spill Characterizing the health, economic, and social impacts of the incident and response Athena Casarotto Wongsathorn Jiraphanvanich Amy Kampa Waranya Limpiwattakee Pimchaya Luangaramvej James Whyte Cody Woodard-Wallace i Documentation and Analysis of the Rayong Oil Spill Characterizing the Health, Economic, and Social Impacts of the Incident and Response An Interactive Qualifying Project Report Submitted to the Faculty of WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE and CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in cooperation with The School of Global Studies at Thammasat University Submitted on 7 March 2014 Submitted By: Submitted To: Athena Casarotto Dr. Nuntavarn Vichit-Vadakan, School of Global Studies Wongsathorn Jiraphanvanich Thammasat University Amy Kampa Waranya Limpiwattakee Project Advisors: Pimchaya Luangaramvej Prof. Creighton Peet, WPI Cody Wallace James Whyte Prof. Gary Pollice, WPI Dr. Parichatr Vanalabhpatana, Chulalongkorn This report represents the work of four WPI undergraduate students and three Chulalongkorn University students is submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its ii website without editorial or peer review. For more information about the projects program at WPI, please see http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Projects Abstract Our goal was to identify the key characteristics associated with a decrease in trust or increase in perceived risk between local businesses and the company at fault for the Rayong Oil Spill. We found that the fishing and tourism industries experienced negative economic impacts. The company's lack of corporate transparency and inconsistent monetary compensation led to decreased trust and increased risk associated with long-term impacts. Future researchers can expand our research to improved oil spill response protocols in the future. i Acknowledgements We would like to take this opportunity to express our best regards to our sponsor, Dr. Nuntavarn Vichit-Vadakan, for her guidance and support throughout the project. We also thank her for dedicating her time to meet with us in order to make sure our project was progressing in the right direction. We would also like to thank Dr. Gunyapanwisit Unaprom (Dr. Petch) who provided our team with an NGO contact, Dr. Watana Bunternsook, who dedicated her time during our trip to Rayong in trying to find a useful source of oil spill-related information for our team. Special thanks are given to Mr. Trirath (Toh), a friendly Rayong local, for his help in arranging effective interviews with government officers and representatives from fishermen villages during our second trip to Rayong. We would also like to thank the following people: Mr. Pongpakorn, Vice President of the Ban Phe subdistrict; Mr. Puchong Saritdeechaikul, Director of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Center 1; Mr. Bamroonsak Chatananthawej, Director of Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center The Eastern Gulf of Thailand; Head of Thong Gra Cher Fisheries; Fisherman Village Leader of Par Kun & Hin Dum; Head of the Pak Nam Baan Rao Fisheries and Marine Coastal Patroller; Representative of Small Fisheries; Mr. Chairat Trirattanajarasporn, Owner of Tamnanpar Restaurant and President of Rayong Tourism Association; Member of Department of Marine Coastal Resources; President of Eastern Coastal Fisheries; Mr. Sumet Saithong, Director of the Kao Laem Ya Moo Koh Samet National Park; and Rayong Member of Parliament Satit Pitutacha for generously dedicating their time to allow us to interview them about Rayong Oil Spill impacts. We would like to give appreciation to the residents of Rayong province who dedicated their time to kindly cooperate during the interviews and provide us with useful information. Finally, our project and report would not be accomplished without the support from our Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Chulalongkorn University advisors: Professor Gary Pollice, Professor Creighton Peet, Dr. Parichatr Vanalabhpatana, and Assistant Professor M.L. Siripastr Jayanta for their productive guidance and persistent help throughout the project. Additionally, we would like to thank the multitude of Ajarns who worked tirelessly to find the WPI students new housing twice during the term. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all who contributed to the success of this project. Thank you! ii Authorship Page Athena Casarotto, Wongsathorn Jiraphanvanich, Amy Kampa, Waranya Limpiwattakee, Pimchaya Luangaramvej, James Whyte, and Cody Woodard-Wallace all participated in the outlining, writing, and editing of each section in this final report. The following breakdown lists the primary authors and editors of each section. The authors drafted most of the text in each corresponding section and the editors contributed with revisions of grammar, voice, content, and formatting. Abstract: Author – James Whyte Editors – Waranya Limpiwattakee, Cody Woodard-Wallace Executive Summary: Authors – Athena Casarotto, Pimchaya Luangaramvej Editors – Wongsathorn Jiraphanvanich, James Whyte Introduction: Authors – Wongsathorn Jiraphanvanich, Cody Woodard-Wallace Editors – Athena Casarotto, Amy Kampa Literature Review: Authors – Wongsathorn Jiraphanvanich, Amy Kampa, James Whyte Editors – Waranya Limpiwattakee, Pimchaya Luangaramvej Methodology: Authors – Pimchaya Luangaramvej, Cody Woodard-Wallace Editors – Amy Kampa, James Whyte Results and Analysis: Authors – Athena Casarotto, Waranya Limpiwattakee Editors – Pimchaya Luangaramvej, Cody Woodard-Wallace Conclusions: Authors – Amy Kampa, Waranya Limpiwattakee Editors – Athena Casarotto, Wongsathorn Jiraphanvanich iii Table of Contents Abstract........................................................................................................................................ i Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... ii Authorship Page ........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... iv Table of Figures ....................................................................................................................... viii Table of Tables ........................................................................................................................... x Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... xi Background .......................................................................................................................... xi Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................................... xii Methodology ....................................................................................................................... xii Findings and Conclusions .................................................................................................. xiii Recommendations ............................................................................................................. xiv Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Oil Spills as a Global Problem ......................................................................................... 4 2.2 Responding to Oil Spills .................................................................................................. 5 2.2.1 Creating and Maintaining Contingency Plans ......................................................... 5 2.2.2 Response Procedures ............................................................................................ 6 2.2.2.1 Internationally Outlined Response Procedure ................................................ 6 2.2.2.2 Role of Non-Government Organizations ...................................................... 12 2.3 Impacts of Oil Spills ....................................................................................................... 13 2.3.1 Environmental Impacts from Marine Oil Spills ....................................................... 13 2.3.1.1 Effect on Flora and Fauna ............................................................................ 13 2.3.1.2 Impacts of Dispersant Use ........................................................................... 15 2.3.3 Human Impacts .................................................................................................... 17 2.3.2.1 Economic Impacts ........................................................................................ 19 2.3.2.2 Health Impacts ............................................................................................. 20 2.3.2.3 Social Impacts ............................................................................................. 20 2.4 Rayong .......................................................................................................................... 21 2.4.1 Oil Spill Incident ...................................................................................................