Rough weather in the Gulf of Thailand is thwarting attempts to re-float an oil tanker that ran aground near the port of Sonkhla as long ago as January 9, 2014, according to 'The Nation' newspaper. A sand-suction dredger was deployed to create a water channel on the beach to allow the oil tanker Orapin 4 to move back to sea off Songkhla; however, the operation came to a temporary halt as the dredger was forced to take shelter at Nu Island amid strong winds. The Meteorological Department has forecast rough seas in the area until Sunday, February 23, 2014, reports 'The Nation'.