Stricter Law for Protecting Environment on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao Is Imposed

The law will come into effect from July 2018 and is aimed at curbing environmentl damage due to excessive tourism on the islands of the Gulf.

Wastewater and garbage are now a great problem on Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. E.g. the only garbage incinerator on Koh Samui has been broken for over 8 years already. The new law puts a strick ban on wastewater dumping but the ways to resolve the problem are not yet clear. Though 'no smoking' and 'no littering' laws which have been introduced earlier this year are a great step towards the higher level of sustainability on the islands, the whole project still has a long way to go before it brings its first results.  

In order to let corals and marine life recover, it will be completely prohibited to feed the fish and walk on the seabed. The tour operators and local businesses have been informed about the ban on fishing and ancoring on coral reefs as well as of seaside construction. The law imposes stiff penalties on the violators – THB100,000 fine or/and one-year prison sentence. 

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