Democrat Party Backs Energy Ministry's Oil Leak Investigation

On September 15, 2024, Democrat Party spokesperson Pongsakorn Khuanymuang revealed progress in the oil leak incident affecting Rama III Road and Fuel Road in Khlong Toei and Yanawa districts. He thanked Energy Ministry Secretary Titiphat Chotidetchachaiyanan for promptly leading a team to inspect underground cavities where oil was found seeping out.

The ministry's actions align with two of five key proposals the Democrat Party had previously submitted: accelerating the location and identification of the leak source to assess the volume, hold responsible parties accountable, and implement concrete remedies for residents; and conducting oil fingerprinting analysis to compare contaminated samples with samples from each company and identify the true source. The party requested the Energy Ministry expedite the release of lab results to the public to ensure transparency and public clarity.

The Democrat Party spokesperson posed critical questions to the Energy Ministry and relevant agencies about future inspection protocols, asking whether stricter technical standards will be applied to assure the public. Specifically, he questioned whether underground pipeline pressure testing will be extended from the preliminary one-hour test to 2–8 hours to detect micro-leaks that may be hidden underground.

"The Democrat Party thanks the Energy Ministry for responding to our initial proposal, but we must raise questions about deeper testing procedures," Pongsakorn said. "If the pressure measurement standard is not elevated to cover the full 2–8 hour window and underground temperature factors are not factored in, we may fail to detect the actual micro-leaks. This could become a hidden hazard causing long-term hardship for residents of Khlong Toei and Yanawa."