Table of contents & how to use the Thai Island & Coastal Directory

Read this and off you go -- into the T.I.C.D.

David Luekens

Jan 3, 2023

Welcome to the working Table of Contents for the Thai Island & Coastal Directory, a book-in-progress covering 800+ islands (at least) and hundreds of mainland coastal areas. Also on this page is a primer on how to use the T.I.C.D.

For access to the entire T.I.C.D. as it’s being published and much more from Thai Island Quest, welcome aboard for $5 USD per month.

The contents below are updated with a link to each section shortly after publication. Links to all previously released sections of the T.I.C.D. can also be found on the welcome page.

Note: The order in which the chapters are listed below does not correspond to the order in which they are being released. The first chapter to be released, the Eastern Gulf, is actually found down at the bottom of the Table of Contents. I’ll keep you guessing about which chapter is next up for release.

This Table of Contents is subject to change:

Intro to the Thai Island & Coastal Directory

Chapter 1: Overview of Thailand's islands and shorelines

Making sense of ALL the Thai islands
The many shapes and sizes of Thailand’s islands
Charting Thailand’s mainland coasts
Environmental concerns of coastal Thailand
Staying safe in Thai islands and coastal areas
Geographical terms and trivia

Chapter 2: The Northern Thai Andaman Sea

Intro to the Northern Andaman
Mu Ko Ranong & Mu Ko Laem Son
Ranong coast & offshore islands
Mu Ko Surin & Mu Ko Similan
Phang Nga coast & offshore islands (Part II: Mu Ko Phra Thong & Khuraburi)
Phang Nga coast & offshore islands (Part I: Takua Pa, Khao Lak & Thai Mueang)

Chapter 3: The Central Thai Andaman Sea

Intro to the Central Andaman
Ao Phang Nga (Part I: Coast & estuary islands)
Ao Phang Nga (Part II: Ko Panyi & upper islands)
Ao Phang Nga (Part III: Mu Ko Yao & Mu Ko Hong)
Mu Ko Phuket (Part I: Ko Phuket)
Mu Ko Phuket (Part II: Ko Racha, Ko Hey & other islands)
Mu Ko Phi Phi & Mu Ko Poda
Mu Ko Lanta & Ko Haa
Krabi coast & offshore islands (Part I: Mueang Krabi, Railay, Ao Nang & Khlong Mueang)
Krabi coast & offshore islands (Part II: Mu Ko Si Boya, Nuea Khlong & Khlong Thom)

Chapter 4: The Southern Thai Andaman Sea

Chapter 5: The Deep Southern Gulf of Thailand

Intro to the Deep Southern Gulf
Songkhla Lake, Phatthalung & Sathing Phra
Songkhla lower coast & Hat Yai
Pattani coast & islands
Narathiwat coast & Yala

Chapter 6: The Mid Southern Gulf of Thailand

Intro to the Mid Southern Gulf
Mu Ko Chumphon
Chumphon coast & offshore islands (Part I)
Chumphon coast & offshore islands (Part II)
Mu Ko Samui (Part I: Ko Tao & Ko Phangan)
Mu Ko Samui (Part II: Ko Samui & Ko Taen)
Mu Ko Ang Thong
Surat Thani coast & offshore islands
Nakhon Si Thammarat coast & islands

Chapter 7: The Upper Gulf of Thailand (Bay of Bangkok)

Chapter 8: The Eastern Gulf of Thailand

How to use this guide

My hope with the T.I.C.D. is that you’ll be able to glance at the entry for a given island or mainland area and almost effortlessly surmise, based on your own interests and preferences, whether it might be worth a look — or if it can be given a pass.

How is that achieved? Via the careful deployment of hundreds of descriptive “tag” words or phrases, each conveying vital info ranging from the factual (“Provincial bus stop” for ex.) to the subjective (“Alternative”). Others include “Primarily day visits,” “Campground,” “Mass tourism” and “Coffee by the river.”

Think of each tag as strokes of a brush creating a basic picture of what each island / area is like without burying you in paragraph after paragraph.

Joining the tags are often parentheses containing more specifics about an island or area. So beside the tag “Waterfalls,” you might see the names of all the waterfalls (Namtok Khlong Yai for ex.) found on a given island. Or, for “Loud beach parties,” you’ll learn which beaches might host them, in case thumping techno at 2:00 a.m. is just what you’re after — or exactly what you want to avoid.

As promised, the Thai Island & Coastal Directory includes every Thai island that I know of. The names of all islands that contain at least some facilities (toilets and perhaps a homestay and/or national park station at minimum) are in bold font. Mid- to high-level popularity islands / areas, for their part, are in a larger font.

Islands with no facilities are listed in plain, unbolded font. Don’t ignore all of them, though, especially if you’re into diving, snorkeling or kayaking.

Twin and triplet islands are often presented in a single entry via the use of slash marks (/), a format used often for islands that have the words nai (‘inner’), klang (‘middle’) and/or nok (‘outer’); as well as yai (large), noi / lek (small); or nuea (north) and tai (south). (Examples: Ko Rok Nai / Nok, or Ko Lidi Yai / Lek.) If you see a plus sign (+), it indicates an islet or speck that accompanies an island.

A few abbreviations are also used, namely A for amphoe (district), NP for national park, WLS for wildlife sanctuary, FP for forest park, and N, S, E, W, SW, NW, SE, NW for location info.

As you browse the entries, you’ll pick up vital info about a whole bunch of islands and coastal areas quickly. Over time, as more chapters are released, you’ll grasp the big picture of coastal Thailand as 800+ islands come into view in a single guide. Particularly if you’re into seeing what coastal Thailand has in store beyond the major tourism areas, I reckon the T.I.C.D. will come in mighty handy.

Thank you for reading the Thai Island & Coastal Directory from Thai Island Quest, an independent e-newsletter sharing the beauty, challenges and distinctive identities of Thailand’s islands and shorelines. Yes, all of them.