TIMELINE

• 1,200 years ago- Historians have uncovered evidence that leads them to estimate that
people first inhabited Ko Samui about 1,200 years ago.

• 1687- The island remained largely undiscovered by the outside world until 1687

• 1700- For a long period, there is no other remaining history or documentation of

inhabitants or life on the island.

• Later 1800- At the end of the 19 century, Koh Samui was rediscovered by fisherman,
th

sailors, and sea traders from China and Malasia who used the island as a safe haven
against storms and high seas as they traveled across the Gulf of Thailand.

• 1910- Before 1910, tourism didn’t exist on Koh Samui, in large part because it was still
virtually inaccessible for all but the most intrepid adventurer.

• 1930- Koh Samui offered a great place to live and work for many, as the many varieties of
fruit trees that produced durian, lang san, and many others, fertile soil, and plentiful
natural resources sprung up.
TIMELINE

• 1940- there were no roads no vehicles on Koh Samui. The inhabitants

of Koh Samui lived a simple life and almost without contact with the
outside world

• 1967- Khun Dilok Suthiklom, the head man of Koh Samui, decided that
something must done and approached the Thai government for help.

• 1989- Despite its popularity, it was still quite a journey to get to Koh
Samui until 1989, when Bangkok Air privately funded the first major
international airport on the island.

• 2000s present- These days, the island has a permanent population of

over 63,000 people and a hotel occupancy rate of 73% for its 17,479
hotel rooms, with the number still expanding.
Prior 1940, there were no roads no vehicles on Koh
Samui. The inhabitants of Koh Samui lived a simple
life and almost without contact with the outside
world. People moved around Koh Samui on foot or
by boat by following the coast. To go from Maenam
to Lamai for example, it took several hours of
walking through Koh Samui’s mountainous jungle.
Going there and back in the same day was
impossible.
Tourism was non-existent in Koh Samui partly
because there were no convenient means to get to
the island. The only way of reaching Koh Samui
from mainland Thailand was by a daily night boat,
which took more than 6 hours to get to Nathon.
Once you arrived in Koh Samui, it then took several
hours to get to where you wanted to be on the
island.
Due to the mountainous topography of Koh Samui and the difficulty of transferring large machinery to help
with the construction, the first plans to build a road in Koh Samui were abandoned. Finally in 1967, Khun
Dilok Suthiklom, the head man of Koh Samui, decided that something must done and approached the Thai
government for help.
There were 2 obstacles that had to be resolved: the high hill between
Nathon and Maenam and the rocky and mountainous region between Lamai
and Chaweng. At the beginning, construction was achieved with several
hundred manual laborers to clear a way around Koh Samui. Trees and
rocks were moved that finally resulted in a narrow track circumnavigating
Koh Samui. In the first years before the concrete laying, you would
frequently see the passengers of a vehicle outside pushing it up the hillside.
The area between Lamai and Chaweng had to be
cut in to the mountain along a 3km length, only
achievable with the use of dynamite and heavy
construction machinery. Machines were brought to
Koh Samui from mainland Thailand but
unfortunately had to be brought to an area of the
coast that was deep enough for the transport
container to land without getting stuck. During this
period, delays plagued the project due to the
monsoon season making progress practically
impossible.
Finally in 1973, the Thai government gave the order to complete the project by
pouring 52km of concrete to finish what is now known as the ring road of Koh
Samui. For a long time, this road was only 2 meters in width until it was widen
to cope with the increase in traffic.
Accompanying the rise of Koh Samui
was a influx of immigrants from
mainland Thailand and further afield,
who quickly discovered the richness of
the soil on Koh Samui was perfect for
agriculture, starting a very important
chapter in the history of Koh Samui.
Coconut tree plantations were started
as well as fruit plantations and orchids
growing a variety of fruits such as
banana, durian, lychee, pineapple,
mango, guava, and rambutan.
 It is thought that the first tourists to Koh Samui were European backpackers, who
discovered this beautiful and tropical Thai island in the 1970’s. Obviously at this
time the infrastructure was not in place for mass tourism. Back in those days most
visitors slept in basic beach huts along one of Koh Samui’s beautiful undisturbed
sandy beaches.
The growth of Koh Samui as one of Thailand’s best tourist destinations
continued through the 2000s. These days, the island has a permanent
population of over 63,000 people and a hotel occupancy rate of 73%
for its 17,479 hotel rooms, with the number still expanding.
Tourism has advanced a great deal in
Koh Samui since then and has
overtaken farming as the main source
of income for the island. The quality of
the hotels in Koh Samui has improved
dramatically along with the service,
amenities, infrastructure and
attractions. Koh Samui is now littered
with high end 4-5* spa resorts and
private villas to indulge your every
desire.