Authorities gear up to collect garbage patch in Gulf of Thailand

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, Feb 11 (TNA) - Officials are speeding in collecting a large amount of trash found floating in the Gulf of Thailand while those sunk could pose dangerous to marine animals, said a senior officer of Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. Weighing several hundreds of tonne, the garbage was spotted off the coast in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan and Thap Sakae districts. It is believed that the garbage is swept from the massive flood which hit southern provinces last month, the officer said, adding that the garbage in the sea is expected to move northeast later. As the massive garbage has scattered on the sea surface, covering tens of square kilometres, the officer said it would take more than 10 days to complete the job. A group of conservationists have volunteered to dive and collect the garbage under the sea with an objective to protect marine environment and animals. (TNA)