Video of the Week – The Evolution of a Thai Beach

Posted by Dave on 20 June 2009. Tags: video

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Nomadic Matt recently wrote something of a diatribe against the popularity of Koh Phi Phi as an island paradise. It generated a lot of comments with some people appreciating his candor and others vigorously defending the island’s continued appeal. Along those same lines, this video highlights some positive steps being taken by Thais to keep their beautiful beaches and islands clean, though clearly more needs to be done.

When I visited Koh Phi Phi last year, and connected with Nate of Ubertramp, he told me about the efforts dive instructors on the island make on a regular basis to go out to the popular dive spots and simply try to clean up the garbage below the water’s surface.

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This post was written by:

Dave - who has written 997 posts on Go Backpacking.

Dave Lee (Editor-in-Chief) blogged his way around the world from 2007-2009, and then started Travel Blog Success to teach others how to do the same. When not writing, he can be found salsa dancing, and lamenting his untimely departure from Medellin. Follow him on Twitter @rtwdave

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Dave

Whoa, the Thai government changed the Visa renewal rules in the last year? That sucks! Glad I got to spend my first 2 months in the islands with just 1 Visa run. :)

Stuart @ Travelfish

Ahhh it's called a tourist visa - valid for two months -- and extendable for another month. Available at Thai embassies and consulates worldwide.

William Taylor

“Part of it simply that people come and go, they’re not staying as long as they used to"
Because the Thai government won't let them. Now all you can get is a 15 day renewal if you re-enter over a land border. Used to be 30 days. Where the f*** can you go in Thailand if you only have 15 days?

Stuart @ Travelfish

Sorry, and also meant to say the Thai speaker in the vid (he's actually speaking English, but it's captioned -- odd) really nails it.

Stuart @ Travelfish

Phi Phi had an incredible, once only opportunity, to reinvent itself out of the tragedy of the tsunami -- unfortunately it didn't.

On the video though, the important quote out of the above I thought was:
"Part of it simply that people come and go, they're not staying as long as they used to ... and now people come for a week and it's just another place and they're not attached to the place"

There's the problem.