Koh Samet To Become Special Tourism Zone

[george]

Koh Samet to be transformed into special tourism zone

RAYONG: -- Thailand's popular eastern resort island of Koh Samet in Rayong Province is to be turned into a special zone for sustainable tourism, Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop announced yesterday.

Visiting the island yesterday, the deputy prime minister described Koh Samet as an important tourism destination which attracted over 200,000 visitors each year.

While pledging to develop the island into a special tourism zone, he acknowledged that the island currently suffers from infrastructure problems afflicting its road system, piped water, wastewater management, refuse management and electricity system.

Mr. Suwat insisted that any new development have to be in moderation, and have to be conducted in such a way as to accommodate tourist numbers.

He also warned that any development had to take environmental consequences into account; otherwise it might quickly become degraded.

Next year the Organization for the Development of Special Zones for Sustainable Tourism will allocate initial funding of Bt77.2 million for the development of the island, with a focus on allowing public participation in the development work.

Mr. Suwat expressed confidence that with careful planning, Koh Samet could be turned into a world-class tourism destination.

--TNA 2004-11-15

[bartender100]

They don't really have to do anything to Samet,only put all the effort into keeping it clean,and sewage treatment.

No more hotels or resort,there are plenty for an island that small.

I was pleasantly suprised when I went back recently how much improved it already is from a few years ago.

[RDN]

........ the island currently suffers from infrastructure problems afflicting its road system, piped water, wastewater management, refuse management and electricity system....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is he talking about Phuket?

....any development had to take environmental consequences into account; otherwise it might quickly become degraded.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, too late - already happened to Phuket

....Koh Samet could be turned into a world-class tourism destination.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The tourism hub of east Thailand

[astral]

There is no hospital either!!

[wrksysact]

Staid at Jeps Bungalows there earlier this year (just the coldest air conditioning!) really enjoyed this little paradise...hope it remains a kept secret from other Farang!...."Mr. Suwat expressed confidence that with careful planning, Koh Samet could be turned into a world-class tourism destination"...oh dear! Nooooo!

[Pattayaguy1999]

Staid at Jeps Bungalows there earlier this year (just the coldest air conditioning!) really enjoyed this little paradise...hope it remains a kept secret from other Farang!...."Mr. Suwat expressed confidence that with careful planning, Koh Samet could be turned into a world-class tourism destination"...oh dear! Nooooo!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It will go the way of Phuket and Samui if they want a 'world class tourist destination'. They will rip out most of the low end bungalows and put up real hotels with much higher room prices. The backpack set will have to go elsewhere.

[RDN]

There is no hospital either!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where do they take the bleeding motorcyclists? (I mean the ones that have just had an accident and hurt themselves).

[medicinebox]

I bet Pizza Hut, Mc Dees and Burger King already have their eyes on it.

[NedKelly]

I am not convinced by this apparent show from the deputy prime Minister.......from what I undersatnd Samet is a filthy place already with no planning and squabbles over garbage collection.......they could not organise a root in a brothel these idiots.

Now I ask you......will the idiots do the same thing in Koh Chang........wait until it is destroyed and collapsing under mountains of rotting garbage, before they decide they need some planning. WAKE UP, ......IT IS ALREADY TOO LATE... ...YOU ARE DESTROYING YOUR COUNTRY !!

Any visitor to Koh Chang over the past few years will tell yo uthat the place has changed already......remarkably......and there is little planning if any. I was there last year and ran into a supposed University inspectionteam who were to report on the environment and tourism planning issues......As I have an advanced degree in this area I asked to discuss the issues with them........they smiled and walked away !!!

Oh my Buddha !!

[bartender100]

I am not convinced by this apparent show from the deputy prime Minister.......from what I understand Samet is a filthy place already with no planning and squabbles over garbage collection.......they could not organise a root in a brothel these idiots. 

Now I ask you......will the idiots do the same thing in Koh Chang........wait until it is destroyed and collapsing under mountains of rotting garbage, before they decide they need some planning. WAKE UP, ......IT IS ALREADY TOO LATE... ...YOU ARE DESTROYING YOUR COUNTRY !! 

Any visitor to Koh Chang over the past few years will tell yo uthat the place has changed already......remarkably......and there is little planning if any.  I was there last year and ran into a supposed University inspectionteam who were to report on the environment and tourism planning issues......As I have an advanced degree in this area I asked to discuss the issues with them........they smiled and walked away !!!

Oh my Buddha !!

No its not dirty anymore,lt looks like they have made a real effort to clean the place up,the sand were I stayed was spotless,and I walked along several other beaches and they all were the same.Plenty of rubbish bins ever where,and notices to keep the environment clean.

Friendly people at the restaurants,could not understand however how a farang guy was working behind the bar serving drinks in his own place,have not seen that for a long time.

The are a few noisy bars on the beach at night,but I think they all closed dead on 1am

[BillyZ]

Samet's still alright in a small island (and the usual problems that go with it) kind of way. I've been twice, once about 8 years ago and again about 8 months ago. It really hadn't seemed to change much in that time.

As far as the 'clean' beaches that I've been hearing about recently...yeah, the first main beach (I can't remember the name) was fairly clean the day we got there last time. But during the next two days, MOUNTAINS of garbage floated in on the tide. I mean it was so bad that it just surrounded you in the water. Wood, plastic bags, string & rope and who knows what else?!

This might have just been a freak tide during the weekend that I was there. And it looked like it was all (mostly?) trash from elsewhere. But on both of the mornings after, no one was out cleaning the stuff up off of the beach. They just waited for the tide to come back in and take it back out. Giving me the impression that it didn't travel far everyday...

It may be trashed in some places (or at some times of the day) like Phi Phi Island. But if you can look past that, I've found that these Islands are still very relaxing and usually fun to visit.

[ProfessorFart]

As a frequent visitor to Samet and Ko Chang I'll bung in my 2 cents worth.

My first point is that when people use terms like 'Tourism Zone' people tend to break out in a sweat and fear the worst. In reality though it never turns out to be as bad as feared.

Although Ko Chang has changed in the past few years, the changes have not been as drastic as many feared and the development on Ko Chang is more a natural development to support increasing numbers than down to any major governmental policy. Sure theres a couple of 7-11s but for me thats a good thing as its forced the hand of the greedy store owners (one of whom used to charge 70B for a Chang) to bring their own prices into check. I think Ned Kelly's panic is (at this stage) a bit premature.

The main beach on Ko Samet (Hat Sai Kaew), which has side by side resorts tends to get all of the daytrippers as well tends to be dirty and has a litter problem.

Once away from that it seems to get a lot cleaner. For me Samet has some of the nicest beaches in the country.

I think this talk is just hot air as Samet simply isn't big enough for major development. The infrastructure is improving slowly but there is still a garbage problem which needs sorting out.

As for major resorts, well the Rayong mainland coast is litterd with them already. I can't see them all of a sudden coming to Samet.

As for a lack of a hopsital, there is a medical centre staffed by 2 doctors and 3 nurses who seem to cope well with most accidents on the island. Emergencies are taken to the mainland by speedboat.

The are a few noisy bars on the beach at night,but I think they all closed dead on 1am

If theres enough people around these places (at Silver Sands and Naga) can swing until the wee small hours.