Island Stress

Todd: So I’m here with Jerri and she is from Thailand, and we’re talking about islands. So these islands in Thailand get a lot of tourists.

Jerri: Yes, right.

Todd: Thailand probably gets more tourists to its islands than any other country in the world. Is there like any concerns about the environment or development on the islands?

Jerri: Yes, of course. Wherever there are people, there’s always an effect on the environment. And you see this a lot, especially on the most visited islands such as Phuket and Samoi with the development of condominiums, schools, malls, leads to deforestation, of course, and more pollution. You also see the effect more on the more vulnerable islands like the smaller islands such as, I think, Koh Phi Phi or Koh Lanta. All of the islands used to be full of trees and it used to be like national parks. And now with the people taking speed boats and everything, you really see the oils on the sea. The coral reefs are not as colorful as they should be. All the plastic that comes with, you know, getting food boxes, plastic straws. Yeah. And you really see the ecosystems in the sea are affected.

Todd: Yeah, that’s what I tell – that’s a problem that we have to solve everywhere in the world, it seems like, especially the plastic. Do you know about Easter Island in Chile? You know, with the big stone statues?

Jerri: No, not so much.

Todd: Yeah, that reminds me of Easter Island which is, you know, famous in Chile for its really large stone monuments like the stone faces. And they couldn’t figure out how the people disappeared or why they disappeared, and now they think it’s because they cut down all the trees.

Jerri: Oh, wow.

Todd: And after they cut down all the trees, that basically destroyed the environment, and the people couldn’t survive anymore so they had to leave the island. So islands really are vulnerable, especially with their trees, right?

Jerri: Right. Yeah, absolutely.

Todd: That’s one of the reasons I really like Koh Chang, because you can only develop on one side of the road, you know.

Jerri: Yeah.

Todd: So there’s a road around the island and if it’s on the beach side you can develop, but anything inland on the other side of the road, there’s pretty much no development.

Jerri: Yes. But there are also on the positive side you see, you know, when – there are things like bad things happening to environment, you see innovation, people actually coming up with ideas. So a lot of hotel chains, for example, are becoming more sustainable. They’re incorporating metal straws, paper straws. So you do see some changes but there’s a long way to go.

Todd: Yeah, you know, I think that’s a great point. Like eventually, business can find the solution.

Jerri: Yeah, yeah. That’s always…

Todd: It’s in their best interest, right? Oh, that’s really nice. So what about the economy? I guess the biggest jobs are the resorts?

Jerri: Yes. So the Thai economy relies on tourists. Yeah, like the hotels, the restaurants, that’s where we get our money flowing, I would say.

Todd: Right. So that’s your [inaudible 0:03:19.4] of the capital influx from other countries.

Jerri: Yes.

Todd: Right, okay. So, you live in Bangkok. Out of curiosity, how often do you get to a resort or to the beach?

Jerri: More than I should, to be honest. Like I love the islands so every opportunity I get, I’ll fly down south, and then visit the different ones. But yeah, as I mentioned, my favorite one would be Koh Pangan. Yeah.

Todd: Can you fly directly from Bangkok to Koh Pangan?

Jerri: Yes. Well, not directly, but you can fly to the mainland which is Surat Thani. And it’s actually nice just to spend a day there because Surat Thani, there’s like a culture there and then you get to try the authentic Southern food before you actually go to the islands and it becomes a little bit more like Western, with the taste and everything. So that’s my recommendation. And then the next day, you can just go to the pier and take a ferry to the different islands you want to go to.

Todd: Oh, wow. So I definitely, definitely want to take your advice.

Jerri: Thank you.

Todd: Well, that’s really nice.