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# Koh Mak: Thailand's first low-carbon destination for tourists?

Koh Mak located 38 km from the mainland in the Gulf of Thailand. It became known to the tourist market of Thailand in 1974. However then it was an exotic destination covered with rubber and coconut plantations where people came with backpacks and tents. Since then dozens of resorts have been built there to accommodate the steadily growing number of travelers which in turn has left the island's environment vulnerable to waste. In 2022 the active implementation of the concept of a circular economy in waste management on Koh Mak began through their sorting and recycling - local waste is effectively disposed of with the support of various sectors of the island and recycled garbage is reused.

In June 2022 a number of government departments and the administration of Koh Mak signed a memorandum of cooperation regarding the further development of the island. The purpose of the arrangement is to become the main focus of the country with low carbon emissions. In addition as part of a three-year project the parties to the agreement agreed to work in the Thai Blue Carbon study program at seagrass area on Koh Mak and nearby Koh Kradat. The project also involves the development of the area into a sustainable tourism site. The seagrass area was found to be a source of high marine biodiversity.

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At the same time the Thai government is promoting Koh Mak as an eco-friendly tourist destination where the use of bicycles and electric vehicles is encouraged and food containers made of Styrofoam or other polluting materials are encouraged to be avoided. The authorities of the island are confident that it is able to generate income which is distributed among local residents while providing tourist facilities with everything necessary in terms of safety and comfort. It is noteworthy that there is no nightlife on Koh Mak - there are no karaoke clubs or noisy discos and all public and personal transport is gradually being electrified. Among the entertainment there are no jet ski rides, but there are relaxing boat trips with snorkeling, as well as Tie-dye.

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The main souvenir from the island that you can take with you is a fabric dyed with natural dyes created from plants, coconut husks and mud. The coloring procedure itself is very popular among foreign tourists and is called Tie-dye. The local art studio Roja invites everyone to learn how to create clothes with unique designs. Thanks to your own imagination or its absence a piece of matter can be folded as you like, then tied or clamped with improvised means and then immersed in a tank of paint. After a few minutes the fabric must be removed from the container, the paint squeezed out of it and left in this form for some time in the sun then straightened, dried, rinsed in water and finally dried, obtaining a unique pattern.

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For a long time the main visitors to the island or about 60% are Thais. Road to the island is not so easy - 50 minutes by plane from Bangkok to the city of Trat or 5 hours by car to the pier from where another 40 minutes by speedboat which runs several times a day. At the same time the total number of rooms in about 40 Koh Mak hotels allows to accommodate 500 people which is equivalent to the population of the island. The booking price in the hotels of the island varies from $15 to $1,500 per day. A number of restrictions set the tone for visiting Thailand's first low-carbon destination rather than being an insurmountable obstacle with the majority of travelers to Koh Mak being returning customers.

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Local residents of two villages – Ban Ao Nit and Ban Laem Son - are engaged in hospitality and a number of locals are engaged in fishing and the cultivation of rubber and fruits. Koh Mak is also rich in coconut plantations. Local authorities emphasize that the COVID-19 pandemic has had little effect on the work of the island's enterprises - most have restored their activities, new types of businesses are opening, mainly related to the rental of motorcycles. The plans for the development of the direction include the installation of solar panels but for now electricity is supplied via an underwater cable stretched from the mainland and not from the neighboring Koh Chang.

**Author: Zimenkov Grigory**


Koh Mak located 38 km from the mainland in the Gulf of Thailand. It became known to the tourist market of Thailand in 1974. However then it was an exotic destination covered with rubber and coconut plantations where people came with backpacks and tents.

Koh Mak: Thailand's first low-carbon destination for tourists?

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