Island Wrap #88: Thai tourism 'in the doldrums', a major coastal border crossing with Cambodia closed, Ko Surin in the news a bunch, and more
A free monthly spin around the most intriguing and consequential news and other media from Thailand's islands and coastal areas.
Greetings island lovers and welcome to your free monthly news review from Thailand’s islands and coastal areas — and sometimes beyond.
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Catch of the month
Recently from Thai Island Quest…
Mainland capes: The most notable and extraordinary in Thailand (Part I)
Counting down the most extraordinary spots in coastal Thailand
Weather and shipwrecks
Annual monsoons lashed much of Thailand last month, with downpours temporarily flooding parts of Phuket and Surat Thani as waves capped above two meters throughout much of the Thai Andaman Sea. Flood warnings were also issued for low-lying areas in 11 provinces along the Chao Phraya River in Central Thailand on May 29th, though lighter rain is expected to ease the risk this week.
The only shipwreck reported was a 100-ton Myanmar-flagged vessel, the MV Ayar Linn, that departed with consumer goods from Ranong Port before taking on water through an apparent leak below deck and eventually sank near Ao Jak in Mu Ko Surin National Park. All seven crew were rescued. No fuel spill was reported, but DNP and Navy divers descended to assess the wreck and impacts on coral reefs in the vicinity. This area is popular for scuba diving and, while I don’t like to speculate, I wouldn’t be too surprised to see the ship become a new wreck dive site.
This is also a good time to remind readers that many of Thailand’s Andaman marine parks — such as Mu Ko Surin, Mu Ko Similan and Mu Ko Tarutao — are now officially closed for rainy season. They reopen in October or November.
Travel and food
These secret Thai islands are the Southeast Asian paradises we’ve been searching for (Condé Nast Traveller with a slick peek at the islands of Mu Ko Surin, which I wouldn’t call “secret” but certainly do qualify as “paradise,” as well as Khao Lak and Khao Sok over in mainland Phang Nga province.)
Why Mu Ko Surin isn’t linked to Surin province (The Nation continues with a Ko Surin theme this month by recounting how the island was named after a leading Thai Naval official, Phraya Surinracha, who was tasked with surveying Thailand’s islands and coastlines in the early 20th century. As for Surin province in Northeast Thailand, “The duplication in names is purely coincidental, though it continues to confuse tourists and even some Thais to this day.”)
10 movies to watch if you miss traveling in Thailand (Time Out with a reasonable list, although I’d add Brokedown Palace and, of course, The Meg.)
Koh Sukorn watermelon listed as new Thai GI product (Thai PBS on how the delicious fruit from this sleepy island in Trang is getting the nod as a new “Thai Geographical Indication product.” Well deserved recognition!)
Tourism
Tourism in the doldrums (Bangkok Post interviews tourism industry insiders concerned about a 30% decline in tourist arrivals from China compared to the first half of 2024, which is prompting downgrades in projected total 2025 inbounds from over 39 million to between 36 and 38 million. Those numbers would still beat 2024 or any previous years other than 2018-19, but the slowing tourism growth coupled with US tariffs and a shaky domestic economy have sparked much anxiety among government officials, economists, hoteliers and others. The Chinese decline also has Phuket facing “its first true low season in several years.”)
Islands in Thailand’s Trat become top beach destinations (Bangkok Post on how an overall tourism decline is not felt on Ko Mak and Ko Kut, where lodgings have been fully booked as these islands in Mu Ko Chang have become “among the most-searched destinations in Thailand on many online platforms.”)
Thailand positions itself as key player in rainbow economy to drive economic growth (TTW on how a much-publicized Pride Month in June, with parades and festivities nationwide, is one factor offsetting the economic gloom.)
Thailand given top-10 safety rating for female solo travellers (Bangkok Post with the results of a survey from a US-based insurance company that included only Thailand and Japan in the top 10 among Asian countries.)
Transport
Thailand to close 16 checkpoints along border with Cambodia (Thai PBS on closures that will hopefully be temporary, including the Hat Lek - Koh Kong crossing on the Gulf coast near Mu Ko Chang. The move comes “in the aftermath of a recent clash between Thai and Cambodian forces at Chong Bok border pass in Ubon Ratchathani province, which left at least one Cambodian soldier dead.”)
CAAT, 106 airlines align on new passenger rights rules effective May 20 (The Nation on new rules for all carriers using Thailand’s airports. For example, “for international flight delays exceeding five hours, airlines are required to pay compensation of 1,500 baht in cash to affected passengers, arrange overnight accommodation with transport if required, and offer passengers the option to either receive a full refund or a credit shell for future travel.”
Thap Put - Krabi Railway: Connecting Krabi and Krabi Airport to Phuket and Bangkok by train (Future Southeast Asia reviews a proposal for a new railway that would enhance connectivity for a popular Central Andaman area that’s currently accessible only by sea, air and road.)
Environment
Oil spill off Koh Si Chang prompts swimming ban; cleanup efforts underway (The Nation explains how a “leak from a large vessel” on May 10th affected fisheries and tourism around this historical island in Chonburi province.)
Koh Racha cleanup nets 1.4 tonnes of trash (The Phuket News on an effort involving 70 volunteers, including several divers who cleaned up the reefs around the stunning Racha islands south of Phuket.)
Wildlife
DMCR officials report that only 17 Irrawaddy dolphins are left in Songkhla Lake, putting them “on the verge of extinction.”
Another DMCR survey found over 30 dugongs around Ko Libong, offering some hope that these gentle “sea cows” are returning to their traditional seagrass feeding grounds off the shores of this island in Trang province — even if two of the dugongs were found with severe lacerations on their tales “due to rope entanglement.” A little further north in Krabi province, a young dugong that reportedly died from “an internal infection” washed up on Ko Si Boya, while two newcomer dugongs appeared in Ao Nammao near Railay.
Three teams of rescue divers set out to assist a whale shark found near Mu Ko Surin with its tale “entangled in discarded fishing net,” but sadly they haven’t been able to locate the distressed shark since then. In other news about sharks that are generally harmless to humans, a new initiative based in Phuket aims to “restore populations of the Indo-Pacific leopard shark.”
SCMP has a report (shared here via Bangkok Post) on some of the elephants that have formed strong bonds with one another while enjoying life at Samui Elephant Sanctuary after decades of hard work in tourism. Meanwhile, police in Prachuap Khiri Khan are trying to find out who shot an elephant that died from bullet wound infections in Kui Buri National Park. And in some lighter news, an elephant named Plai Biang Lek has gone viral online after rummaging through a convenience store in the Pak Chong area just north of Khao Yai National Park.
Lastly in wildlife news, a camera trap in Yala province’s Bang Lang National Park revealed images of an extremely rare, critically endangered Malayan tiger making its second appearance on camera in the last two years.
Society
US scholar leaves Thailand after charges of insulting monarchy are dropped (ABC News reports that although the case against Paul Chambers is officially dropped, “An appeal of the revocation of Chambers' Thai visa, and another contesting his firing by Naresuan University are still pending.”)
“Cannabis should be in the same space as coffee.” Chokwan ‘Kitty’ Chopaka (Dateline Bangkok with a video interview of a leading Thai cannabis advocate who, towards the end of her comments, does not sound the least bit convinced that the Health Minister’s recent calls for new rules that would allow cannabis only for medical use will amount to much of anything.)
Thai heritage deserves betters laws (Bangkok Post with an opinion piece declaring: “We tear down vintage cinemas that enshrine important Thai modernist architecture. We redevelop traditional shophouse districts into shiny commercial spaces disconnected from the local way of life. Week after week, we lose buildings that could enrich our quality of life, enhance our prosperity and strengthen our identity as Thais.”
In other news
Complaints of kickback demands for oyster farming permits in Surat Thani (Thai PBS on the latest conflict in Ao Ban Don’s aquaculture industry.)
Swiss man who kicked doctor in Phuket given a month in jail (Thai PBS on the case concerning an altercation on a beach in front of the expat’s house that drew massive attention last year. This ruling reverses an earlier dismissal of charges, but now the perpetrator is reportedly nowhere to be found.)
Seven Russian tourists hospitalized after eating wild fruit in Surat Thani (The Phuket Express)
Giant dinosaur found in Phu Wiang valley may be new species (The Nation with an exciting find from fossil-rich Khon Kaen. In related news, Jurassic-period fossils of “various bivalves and gastropods” were unearthed in Surat Thani.)
Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya receives world record certification as largest wooden museum (The Pattaya News)
Thai film A Useful Ghost wins top prize at Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week (CNA with a highlight from a fabulous showing for Thai filmmakers in Cannes.)
Suchata Chuangsri becomes Thailand’s first-ever Miss World (SCMP on the Phuket native who is better known locally as “Opal”.) 🌴
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