Swimmers fled the water at normally clean Hua Hin beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan province on Tuesday as oil and oil coated garbage washed ashore there for the first time.
Large quantities of greasy garbage and balls of oil blackened sections of the shoreline along several kilometres of the popular sandy beach. The oil coated rubbish included leaves, wood and coconut shells.
Thai and foreign tourists quickly left the water to avoid being coated in the black gunk.
Hua Hin mayor Nopporn Wuthikul then closed the beach and ordered local health and environmental officials to clean it up and collect samples for testing.
Hua Hin deputy mayor Pailin Kongphan said it was the first time oil had washed up on Hua Hin beach. The navy had been asked to track down the source, he said.
(Photo by Chaiwat Satyaem)
พบคราบน้ำมันบริเวณชายหาดหัวหินถึงชายหาดเขาตะเกียบระยะทางประมาณ3กม.ผู้บริหารเทศบาลกำลังตรวจสอบ cr.ปภ.ประจวบฯ pic.twitter.com/BKaP916bmI
— Nalinee Siriked (@Nalinee_PLE) October 27, 2015