Reports of death of tourism on island premature

Having visited the area myself, I just wanted to update on the recent post regarding the Ko Samet oil slick in the Gulf of Thailand. Yes, there is no doubt that nature in the area was horribly affected, as countess photos of blackened sand, birds and fish have shown. However, the locals say it was largely in one particular bay, on the western side, a beach called Ao Prao.

We were sorry to hear about Ao Prao and its traumatic experience, not least for purely selfish reasons: because its the best spot on the island to watch the sunset, as we have on several balmy evenings, supping cocktails at the Lima Coco bar and resort. Nobody was doing that this summer.

Nevertheless we were delighted to see our favourite strip on the opposite side – Silver Sands and Jeb’s resorts – seemingly unaffected by the environmental disaster. The only noticeable result of the event on July 27th was the quieter than usual beaches and shopping areas. The fishing industry seemed to be alive and well, and we saw the usual array of fish, birds and butterflies.

With its proximity to Bangkok, Ko Samed is a great – and relatively unspoilt – weekend beach destination. It seems as though the oil slick may have done less damage than was originally feared. A blessed relief to many. for all sorts of reasons.