Ranong:- The Ranong provincial administration and local governments are developing the Tonson pier to make it as a staging point for visiting islands and sightseeing spots in upper northern provinces and in Myanmar.

Ranong Governor Suriyan Kanchanasilp said he and the Ranong Administration Oraganization and Tambon Ngao Administrative Organization are upgrading the fishing pier to be a tourism pier.

In the future, it may be further upgraded into multi-purpose port, the governor added.

Suriyan said the Tonson pier has a potential to become a link to other tourist destinations in upper southern provinces and those on the Myanmar side.

Moreover, the tourism business on Ranong’s side has been growing so the port will be developed in line with the province’s strategy to use tourism to drive its economy, the governor said.

For the first phase of development which has been done, the Ranong Administrative Organization has allocated Bt6 million for upgrading the pier.

Currently, the pier is used by local people who live on islands to dock their boats when they visit the mainland. Local fishermen also use the Tonson pier to unload their catches.

The governor said the province now lacks enough tourism piers that are up to standard. He said the standard piers are crucial to make tourism businesses in the province sustainable.

He said the small islands off Ranong’s coast have been declared the Ranong National Park so more tourists are expected to visit the islands, including Koh Payam and Koh Chang Nok.

The governor said the development of the Tonson pier is divided into three phases. In the first phase, the waterways to the pier have been dredged. In the second phase, the wave embankment along the shoreline will be built and the port building will be built in the third phase.

Sounds like it could be a good plan.

Sounds like it could be a good plan.

Yes, I agree, who knows in ten years the pristine Mergui Islands could all be as successful, business wise and environmentally, as Koh Samui, Phangan, Tao, Samet, Chang etc etc. Only Thai know-how will help these undeveloped island wildernesses with a bright future.

Get in there before the dumb Burmese realize what has hit them.

Sounds like it could be a good plan.

Yes, I agree, who knows in ten years the pristine Mergui Islands could all be as successful, business wise and environmentally, as Koh Samui, Phangan, Tao, Samet, Chang etc etc. Only Thai know-how will help these undeveloped island wildernesses with a bright future.

Get in there before the dumb Burmese realize what has hit them.

Oh dear no, don't develop them beyond Koh Chang Noi, keep the condos and pollution out.

However they do need a new pier, where the boats now leave for Koh Chang, Phangan is pretty primitive.

Sounds like it could be a good plan.

Yes, I agree, who knows in ten years the pristine Mergui Islands could all be as successful, business wise and environmentally, as Koh Samui, Phangan, Tao, Samet, Chang etc etc. Only Thai know-how will help these undeveloped island wildernesses with a bright future.

Get in there before the dumb Burmese realize what has hit them.

Oh dear no, don't develop them beyond Koh Chang Noi, keep the condos and pollution out.

However they do need a new pier, where the boats now leave for Koh Chang, Phangan is pretty primitive.

I don't think you know what you are talking about.....possibly you have confused Ranong for Rayong....... boats do not leave Ranong for Koh Phangan or the Koh Chang near Pattaya. (There is another Koh Chang and Koh Phayam off Ranong )

So Ranong is in Central Thailand ? If so how far South does Central Thailand reach?

Win KhunFused

while it is a great idea, it will probably be the pits as all the local fisherman will use it as a place to tie up their boats and unload their catches, tourists will be lucky to get anywhere near it unfortunately. Ranong is an interesting place, when I was doing my visa runs through it I got to see it very well, will require a bit of a touch up to become a tourist town though