Koh Tao wants new infrastructure

THE head of the Koh Tao District Administration Organization, Prayuth Thongnaul, has requested the government to fund the development of new infrastructure on Koh Tao.

Koh Tao is a part of Koh Phangan district and is an important destination for tourists snorkel and scuba.

However, the expansion undertaken by many business establishments engaged in tourism, including hotels and resorts, has resulted in higher demand for utilities like fresh water and electricity. The current infrastructure has also started to deteriorate. In particular, the pier can no longer accommodate the ever-increasing number of tourist arrivals.

Prayuth said many projects to develop Koh Tao have been put on hold because of their environmental impacts. Among them are proposals to construct a new bridge and expand the pier. A plan to use undersea cables to facilitate communication has also been set aside over worries that they might damage corals.—Kik Sodsai