Idyllic Thai island Koh Tachai closed indefinitely due to damage from tourism

Thai authorities have closed a popular island in the Andaman Sea to visitors, blaming high tourist numbers for damaging its ecosystem.

Known for its idyllic white beaches and excellent diving, Koh Tachai is the northernmost of the Similan Islands archipelago, a national park in southern Thailand.

Tunya Nethithammakul, director general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, told CNN Tuesday that the island had been closed to visitors “indefinitely,” due to the severe deterioration of its ecosystem.

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The problems included litter and food waste, gasoline from tour boats leaching into the water and damage to coral, he said, adding that overwhelming numbers of tourists were to blame.

Tourists eat lunch at a picnic area on Koh Tachai.

“This is such a small island, I would say it could accommodate just a few hundred tourists a day,” he said.

“But it turned out that at certain points there were almost 2,000 tourists visiting the island (daily).”

Snaphappy St. Barts tourist grazed by plane

Situated about 137 kilometers (85 miles) northwest of the tourist hub of Phuket, Koh Tachai has no hotels, and the majority of visitors stay only for the day, eating lunch on the island.

Tourist boats are blamed for leaching gasoline into the island's waters.

Some tourism operators have offered overnight trips where guests stay in tents.

The island is marketed by local tour operators as the “Maldives of Thailand.”

Nethithammakul said that many of the islands in Similan National Park would have been closed soon anyway due to the monsoon season, along with other national parks in coastal areas.

Long-tail boats of southern Thailand

Local workhorse —

Riding the waves at a top speed of around 15 knots, long-tail boats can carry up to 20 passengers. Not a luxurious mode of transport, they're still seaworthy and give a surprisingly smooth ride, even in rough weather.

Agricultural design —

While long-tail boats of all descriptions ply the waters of the Andaman Sea today, they share one common characteristic -- a propeller fixed to the end of a long pole, driven by a huge, noisy engine (typically transplanted from some kind of agricultural or four wheel drive vehicle). This "tail," lifted and lowered by a strong-armed boatman, propels and steers the craft.

Down at the yard —

Krong Rua village lies at the heart of Krabi's long-tail boat building industry. Here, about 30 kilometers southeast of Krabi Town, small teams labor in palm-fringed, goat-filled yards and impromptu workshops. Away from the Andaman's tourist-filled beaches and bustling harbors, their handiwork is seen by few but used by thousands each day.

Master craftsman —

Bundit Kunpoh has a reputation for producing some of the finest long-tails in the Krabi region. "I started learning to make boats from my father when I was 10 years old," he says. "I took a bachelor's degree in community development in Phuket but decided I wanted to use the skills he gave me to keep the traditional boat-building industry alive. Seeing my finished work on the water makes me proud. Proud to be my father's son and proud to be Thai."

Time-honored design —

Across Southeast Asia, traditional boat building can be traced back to the days when Arabian and Indian merchants would ply the region's coastal waters. The building process usually begins with the keel, followed by the bow, the stern and then the outer planks. This framework is held together by string and wire, before the "ribs" of the boat are added last. Everything is then fixed together with nails, nuts, bolts and epoxy glue.

Wooden wonder —

A boat such as this will typically take up to two months to build if worked on by three or four people. When it comes to long-tail construction the hardwoods of choice are merawan and meranti.

'We don't make mistakes' —

Today all long-tails are still constructed from wood, by hand. Skills are learned largely on the job. "Nobody here uses plans," explains 55-year-old Bang Bao, owner of the largest yard in Krong Rua. "Everything is done by eye. My father taught me everything I know. Plans are not really much use when most people can't read. We don't make many mistakes, but if we do, they're always fixable."

Finishing touches —

The last step in long-tail construction is caulking, which makes the seams watertight. "This is usually done by soaking cotton string in the resin of the breadfruit tree and then driving it into the seams," explains Chulabhong Srisawasdi. "The boat is then varnished or painted and it's ready to take to the water."

Family business —

Bundit Kunpoh currently gives lessons in woodcraft to his younger sister and three cousins, all of whom are training to be builders themselves. Apprenticeships typically last three to four years.

Double act —

In and around Krabi, tourism and fishing are two industries that often intersect. "Using their long-tails fishermen will often carry tourists out on fishing trips, or between the mainland and various islands if they aren't catching much," explains Chulabhong Srisawasdi. "And when they do have a good catch the fish often ends up on the table of the tourist. As a tool the long-tail supports many local livelihoods."

Spiritual satisfaction —

Most of the long-tails in Krabi have prows adorned with colored sashes and lotus flowers. While the particular combination of colors on each boat are the choice of the owner, the decoration is intended to pay respect to Mae Ya Nang, a female spirit said to live in the body of the boat. "Thai fishermen call Mae Ya Nang the 'Grandmother of Boats'," explains Chulabhong Srisawasdi.

Boating bliss —

The Andaman Sea off Krabi is a huge aquatic playground. While numerous companies offer tours to famous sunbathing and snorkeling hangouts, those who charter their own long-tail get to choose when and where to drop anchor, guaranteeing seclusion and an undisturbed marine environment.

Cultured craft: Krabi's long-tail boat builders

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