The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment ordered the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to urgently inspect the case of workers discharging "black wastewater" into the sea at Jomtien Beach, Chonburi Province, and to take immediate legal action.
On 3 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Dr. Raweewan Puridej, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, instructed the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to promptly investigate reports of black wastewater being released into the sea at Jomtien Beach, Pattaya City, Chonburi Province.
Dr. Pinsak Suraswadi, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, assigned the Marine and Coastal Resources Office 2, in collaboration with Pattaya City and the Pattaya branch of the Marine Department, to inspect the incident site at Jomtien Beach, Soi Jomtien 14, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.
The inspection found that during the landscape improvement project at Jomtien Beach, wastewater had accumulated in the drainage system, obstructing work. Workers then pumped this water directly into the sea, causing discoloration of the seawater visible on social media. Officials promptly ordered the cessation of this discharge until the seawater returned to normal color. They also coordinated with the Eastern Gulf Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center to thoroughly test water quality and assess the impact on marine resources in the area.
After interviewing the project manager and identifying the cause of the violation, officials filed a legal complaint for discharging waste or pollution into water or the sea under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's declaration on environmental protection zones in Bang Lamung and Sattahip Districts, Chonburi Province, B.E. 2563 (2020). This action is pursuant to the Enhancement and Conservation of Environmental Quality Act B.E. 2535 (1992) at Pattaya City Police Station, Chonburi Province, to pursue legal proceedings.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources affirmed its commitment to strictly protect marine and environmental resources and requested cooperation from all sectors. They urged the public to report any activities potentially harming the sea and coastline to help preserve the country's resources sustainably.
Information courtesy of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources' Facebook page.