The purpose of this part of my website is not so much to describe journal style our first and only (hopefully not our last) journey in November 2005 to the island of kho Chang but what it means in the context of Thailand's tourist industry. Of course this is also code for the fact that as usual I took my eye off the ball  and forgot to keep a diary during our visit - and I don't have a very retentive memory.

Seriously though I find it interesting how much the Thais have boxed themselves in developing such internationally renowned destinations such as Phuket, Kho Samui and Pattaya as examples. After years of sometimes crass development, the only choices seemingly left are to make the resorts bigger, the restaurants more plush, the music louder and the bar girls prettier.

Kho Chang (Elephant Island) can be found in Trat province near the Cambodian border and is the largest island in a chain called the Kho Chang National Park. When we paid our three day visit I found it to be a place in transition.

We made the trip with my two sister-in-laws Prayoon and Porntip in the vehicle of our good friend luang from the neighbouring town of Phimai. The trip took us through  the verdant farming country of Chantaburi and Trat provinces. These provinces incidentally grow the best tropical fruit in Thailand. We finally arrived at one of the ferry terminals which service the island. We had just missed the last ferry and had to wait another 30 minutes for the next one but it gave the opportunity to check out the terminal.

As we waited more vehicles including Utilities and Motor-Bikes had arrived. Apart from a group of Farangs all the people appeared to be Thai. The ferry finally arrived and we drove on and departed for the 30 minute ride to the island. It was getting on towards sunset and the water had a golden tinge to it. Looking out at the island you could see the island in the immediate distance.

Kho Chang from the water does not actually look like an elephant but its huge mountain spine which seems to rise straight out of the sea is truly immense - thus the islands name.

After we disembarked from the ferry we drove off seeking accommodation . The drive took us past fishing villages, tourist resorts and beautiful tropical foliage. Driving over the corkscrew road across the island range afforded stunning views of the water and the huge rain forest that still covers most of the island. The weather was hot and humid and a rain squall threatened but this only added to the beauty of the island.

After checking out several guest houses and resorts we settled on a quiet middle of the road resort on the ocean side beach( I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten its name) set in tropical gardens, restaurant and surprise, surprise a big swimming pool. Our rooms were very comfortable as you would expect and had all the mod cons such as air conditioning and satellite TV.

The guests at the resort were a mixture of westerners and Japanese and kept to themselves which seemed to complement the quiet nature of the place. During our visit I found that Kho Chang had the same noisy Thai boisterousness that you find in the rest of the Kingdom but the crassness of such places as Pattaya and Kho Samui largely absent. Well not yet anyway.

Over the next couple of days we did all the usual touristy things on the island . We swam on both sandy and rocky beaches, dined at sea food restaurants, explored the interior rainforests and waterfalls, but in the main just kicked back and relaxed. When we finally returned to the mainland and drove back to the village I thought about the island and had a desire to return on a future trip.

It had everything that I find desirable on a holiday. There was a quiet lifestyle, beautiful scenery, interesting food and a wonderful human ambience. Most importantly foreigners like myself were still only part of the back drop and not the central focus of attention.

But basically I still felt uneasy, simply because places like Kho Samui and Pattaya were once just simple fishing villages but today have been castrated by crass tourist development. Will the same thing happen to Kho Chang. I hope not, but Thailand's track record in this regard is not really brilliant.

One can only hope that good sense and taste will prevail.