THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Holiday makers and tourists visiting Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao are being invited to join local residents and environmentalists in a rally on July 31 against a proposal to carry out oil exploration close to the island of Koh Samui.

The “Kill the Drill” protest follows a protest last week (see: Samui Tourism Operators Rally in Opposition to Offshore Drilling Plan) that saw the abandonment of a public hearing into the plan by Thai company Nucoastal, a wholly owned subsidiary of UK publicly listed Coastal Energy Company (CEO), to carry out exploration and drilling about 42km (26 mi) off the resort island of Koh Samui.

Organized by the Siam Gulf Preservation Network Group (SGPNG), those opposed to the oil exploration concession are hoping more than 35,000 people will link hands in a human chain along Koh Samui’s 52km-long (32 mi) ring-road to send a message to the government that visitors and residents alike are opposed to the scheme.

Ramamanate Jaikwang, president of the SGPNG, said oil exploration and drilling in the territory of Kohl Sami, Kohl Pha-Ngan and Kohl Tao could have a disastrous impact on the entire region’s tourism and fishing industries, with possible knock-on effects being experienced in Suratthani, Nikon Sri Tamara and Chum porn, and even places as far a field as Puce, Kari and Phang-Nga.

The committee is calling for the government to withdraw its approval for the project and is requesting a meeting with the Department of Petroleum to discuss possible energy production alternatives which wouldn’t threaten the region’s thriving tourism industry.

Opposition to the proposed oil drilling program is gaining momentum, with industry groups such as the Tourism Association of Kohl Sami, the Thai Hotels Association (Southern Chapter, East Coast – Sami), the Tourism Association of Kohl Pha-Ngan and Kohl Tao, the Green Island foundation and various other local community groups represented.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for July 15, 2010