Thai company blamed for oil spill

Rig concern may be banned from Australia waters after accident

CANBERRA, Australia - A Thai-owned oil rig operator could be banned from Australian waters after a government report on Wednesday blamed it and a lax regulator for Australia's worst ever oil spill that stained the coasts of Indonesia and East Timor last year.

Resources Minister Martin Ferguson told Parliament he is investigating whether deficiencies in procedures at the Montara oil field that was operated by a unit of Thailand's PTT Exploration & Production PLC reflected the company's "general performance as an operator".