Oil residue detected in drainage pipes in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district has remained stable, with authorities continuing to monitor the area and investigate where the contamination came from.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the amount of oil found in the drainage system had not increased significantly, easing concerns that a major new leak was continuing to contaminate the area.
Oil residue remains under control
The contamination was discovered in drainage pipes along Chuea Phloeng Road near the Rama III elevated road, close to the boundary between Klong Toey and Yan Nawa districts.
Residents initially reported a strong oil-like smell in the area, prompting Bangkok authorities and relevant agencies to launch an emergency response.
Officials blocked sections of the drainage system and pumped out contaminated water to prevent the oil from spreading.
Around 20,000 litres of contaminated water and oil had been removed, with officials estimating that roughly 4,000 litres of the recovered mixture could be oil.
Source of contamination still unclear
Authorities are continuing to investigate the source of the oil.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration plans to analyse samples taken from the drainage system and compare their composition with oil from possible sources in the surrounding area.
The investigation is particularly important because inspections of nearby underground fuel pipelines have not conclusively identified an active leak.
Bangkok officials are working with the Energy Ministry, Department of Energy Business and private oil companies to determine how the contamination entered the drainage network.
Pipeline inspections find no obvious leak
Bangkok Fuel Pipeline and Logistics, a Bangchak Group company that operates the relevant pipeline system, reported that inspections had not detected a leak.
A pressure test was conducted on the underground pipeline, with pressure raised to its normal operating level and maintained for an extended period.
The test reportedly showed no abnormal pressure drop or visible seepage.
Further technical inspections are planned, including the use of specialised equipment capable of examining the inside of the pipeline.
The results could help authorities determine whether the pipeline is connected to the contamination or whether the oil originated elsewhere.
Old oil underground considered a possibility
One possibility being investigated is that the contamination may not have come from a fresh pipeline leak.
Officials have suggested that rainwater could have pushed old oil trapped in underground cavities into the drainage system.
However, this remains only a preliminary explanation and has not been confirmed.
Laboratory analysis of the recovered oil is expected to provide more clues about its composition and possible source.
Fire risk remains a concern
Although the amount of oil residue has stabilised, authorities continue to monitor the area because petroleum products can create flammable vapours.
Officials have maintained controls around the affected drainage system and are monitoring vapour levels as a precaution.
Residents have been warned not to smoke, light fires or create sparks near affected drainage openings.
Authorities have also said evacuation is not currently necessary for nearby communities.
Cleanup and monitoring continue
Crews have continued removing contaminated material and monitoring the drainage system to prevent further spread.
The recovered mixture is being handled and treated according to safety procedures.
Officials are also coordinating with relevant agencies and infrastructure operators before carrying out further excavation or pipeline inspections.
The goal is to identify the source of the contamination, remove the remaining residue and ensure that the oil does not enter public waterways.
Investigation could take time
The stable level of oil residue provides some reassurance, but authorities have not yet declared the incident fully resolved.
The central question remains where the oil came from.
With pipeline tests showing no obvious leak and the possibility of older underground contamination still being examined, officials are relying on laboratory testing and further inspections to establish the cause.
For residents of Klong Toey and nearby areas, the immediate priority is keeping the affected drainage system contained while authorities work to determine the source and prevent the contamination from returning.
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