March 14, 2025, 10:36 a.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Koh Samui is a popular holiday island in Thailand. Now there are plans to turn it into a new cruise hub for the region. Millions are being invested, land is being expropriated and an already popular and problem-plagued island is being made more accessible to the masses.
Koh Samui is an island jewel, a place of magical beaches and nature and one that attracts many travelers. Luxury travelers flock to Koh Samui for high-quality spas and resorts, yogis do their sun salutations in droves, downward-facing dogs etc. and backpackers get cheap clothes in the various shops and try out the various food and drinks on offer at stands. Koh Samui is a favorite island of many travelers to Thailand. And last but not least since the filming locations for the HBO series “White Lotus” became known, one that attracts a number of tourists every year.
Koh Samui is already on the list of travel destinations not to visit in 2025 due to its increasing tourist numbers, garbage and other problems (Sunnytrips reported). And soon there will probably be a few more – garbage, people and problems.
New cruise terminal planned on Koh Samui
Thailand plans to open a new cruise terminal in 2032 on the second or third largest Thai island (depending on the source), Koh Samui. Work on it is scheduled to begin in 2029. This is reported by the “Bangkok Post”, which cites a statement from the Thai government. The goals of the construction project: to stimulate tourism and thus the economy and “support growing international cruise traffic”. In addition, the government is determined to “improve the infrastructure in the southern region (…) and ensure sustainable resource management,” the newspaper quoted government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub as saying. Ultimately, Koh Samui will be installed as a leading international cruise destination, the report says. Although cruises to Koh Samui can currently be undertaken, the cruise ships anchor a short distance from the island.
Sustainability and climate protection are two terms that receive no further explanation in connection with the new cruise terminal on Koh Samui. However, it should be clear that the new project is more detrimental than beneficial to both. In the future, it is planned to handle two large cruise ships at the same time. This means up to 2,500 and 4,000 passengers per ship on an estimated 120 cruise routes every year. That sounds like masses that the 228.7 square kilometer island has to absorb. In addition, there are the influences on the environment of Koh Samui and the entire region by those cruise travelers, but above all by the ships themselves.
Koh Samui is to become a leading cruise destination with the help of land expropriations
Another issue outlined by the Bangkok Post in its report is the land expropriation of Thais living in the region where the new terminal is to be built. They live in the Laem Hin Khom area of Taling Ngam Municipality. "According to reports, most locals were in favor of relocation. Affected residents will receive compensation for the expropriated land," the report said. How high this compensation is is left open. Just like the question of what happens to those who don't want to be resettled.
The entire construction project is expected to cost the government 12,172 billion baht (the equivalent of more than 333 billion euros) and is scheduled to last 30 years. The government wants to generate at least 8 billion baht in sales (the equivalent of around 219 million euros) per year.
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