KOH MATSUM An eco-tourism island in the making

By CHAT ANUPAN

IN the south of Koh Samui is an archipelago of six small islands that are mostly uninhabited.

One of these islands is Koh Matsum, which is about half an hour’s ride from Samui by long- tail boat.

With a long sandy beach, Koh Matsum is a favorite among Thai tourists going on day picnics. There are often groups of students camping on the beach. At night they would build campfires and gather and sing around them.

The appeal of the island lies not only in its fine beaches but also its unspoiled, verdant forests. The island is also a favorite of snorkelers because of its rich marine life dominated by colorful soft corals and fishes fit for aquariums. As well, it is one of the better dive sites around Samui since black tip reef sharks are reportedly seen there oc- casionally.

Because of its proximity to Samui (it is only 3.5 kilometers away, opposite the beaches by the Laem Sor pagoda), local officials have realized this island’s high potential as a tourism magnet. In fact, it has been reported that tourists visiting Koh Matsum are continually increasing.

Since there is no existing plan or regulations to guide the future develop- ment of the island in the face of a grow- ing tourism, the Department of Public Works and the city and country planning office of Suratthani province organized a conference on Sept. 4 to discuss with

other concerned agencies and parties a project to draw up a tourism plan for Koh Matsum. The plan will cover the administration and management of the island with the view to preventing prob- lems that may arise when it becomes developed as a destination.

During the meeting, it was agreed that land owners on Koh Matsum should be involved in the island’s sustainable development.

Among others, they should coor- dinate with the concerned government offices when putting up facilities so that the island’s ecosystem is protected from possible destruction. Concerned agencies, led by the Public Works Department, are set to propose the necessary regulations to be enforced by the municipality effec- tive sometime this month (September).

Koh Samui Mayor Ramnet Jaikwang says that while the tourists’ convenience is important in the development of Matsum island, it should not under- mine the preservation of nature and environment. “If we have to build a pier but in the process it would be det- rimental to the environment, then we shouldn’t allow this convenience to destroy the nature here,” Mr. Ramnet explains.

The head of the Thai Hotel As- sociation (South-East Seashore), Ruengnam Jaikwang, prefers that Koh Matsum remain a destination for day tours. “It does not need to have ac- commodation like Koh Samui because of the close distance between these two islands. Tourists can stay on Koh Samui where there is an oversupply of resorts and hotels.”

Mr. Ruengnam believes that Koh Matsum should be developed and pro-. moted as an eco-tourism destination.


From : Samui Express .