GUIDE BOOK 72nd CCOP STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING EXCURSION 7th MARCH 2019 SAMUI ISLAND, SURAT THANI THAILAND Preface This Manuscript is prepared for a one day field excursion to the attractive places in the Samui Island, Surat Thani Province, Thailand on 7th March 2019, as a part of the 72thCOOP Steering Committee Meeting which held at Surat Thani from 4-7 March 2019. The guidebook was described for five stops of visit, including Wat Khao Hua Jook or Haad Chaweng View point, the Reverse Osmosis water system at East Water Group company, the big buddha Temple of Wat Phra Yai, the coastal erosion case study in Laem Sor Pagoda and lastly, Hin Ta Hin Yai attraction site which is the shape of the male and female genitals at the end of Lamai Beach. Finally, the organizers of this joint field trip do hope that this manuscript will benefit not only for all participants of this trip but also for those who are interested in geotourism and geohazard managements particularly in this region. Suvapak Imsamut Niran Chaimanee Jamram Putthasem Patchara Sangoen Department of Mineral Resources, Thailand Page 1 From Nature to the Attractive Tourism Excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Samui Ko Samui island of Surat Thani Province (or Koh Samui), or often, simply Samui as it is referred to by locals, is an island off the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand, close to the mainland Surat Thani town and in Surat Thani Province. It is Thailand's second largest island after Phuket, cover an area of 228.7 km2 and populate of over 62,000 (2019) attracting 1.5 million tourists per year. It is rich with natural resources, white sandy beaches, coral reefs and coconut trees. History The island was probably first inhabited about the 15th centuries ago, settled by fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and Southern China. It appears on Chinese maps dating back to 1687, under the name Pulo Cornam. The name Samui is mysterious in itself. Perhaps it is an extension of the name of one of the native trees, mui, or from the Malay word Saboey, meaning "safe haven". Ko is the Thai word for "island". Until the late 20th century, Ko Samui was an isolated self-sufficient community, having little connection with the mainland of Thailand. The island was even without roads until the early 1970s, and the 15 km journey from one side of the island to the other involved a whole-day trek through the mountainous central jungles. Ko Samui has a population of about fifty-five thousand (source: Samui Mayor's Office) and is based primarily on a successful tourist industry, as well as exports of coconut and rubber. It even has its own international airport, Samui Airport, with daily flights to Bangkok and other major airports in Southeast Asia such as Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Whilst the island presents an unspoiled image to the public perception, economic growth has brought not only prosperity, but changes to the island's environment and culture, a source of conflict between local residents and migrants from other parts of Thailand and other countries. Reflecting Samui's growth as a tourist destination, the Cunard ship MS Queen Victoria (a 2000-plus passenger ship) docked at Samui during its 2008 world cruise. Page 2 Geography Ko Samui is located on the Gulf of Thailand, about 35 km northeast of Surat Thani town (9°N, 100°E). The island measures some 25 km at its widest point. It is surrounded by about sixty other islands, which compose the Ang Thong Marine National Park (Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park) and include other tourist destinations (Ko Phangan, Ko Tao and Ko Nang Yuan). The central part of the island is an almost uninhabitable jungle mountain, Khao Pom, peaking at 635 m. The various lowland areas are connected together by a single 51 km road, running mostly along the coast to encircle the bulk of the island. The old capital is Nathon, located on the southwest coast of the island. It remains the major port for fishing and inter-island transportation. Nathon is the seat of the regional government, and the true commercial hub of the Samui locals. It has a charming pace, and is almost small enough to walk everywhere. The old Chinese shop houses along the middle street whisper of an exotic history. Each of Samui's primary beaches is now also nominally considered as a small town, due to the number of hotels, restaurants and nightlife that have sprung up in recent years Economy Historically the island's economy has been based around subsistence agriculture and fishing, with coconuts as the main cash crop. From the 1980s onwards, tourism has become an economic factor and is now the dominant industry. The construction of a stable, high-speed internet connection in recent years has also made the island a feasible location for IT-based enterprises, which are beginning to provide a certain degree of economic diversity. The island's climate and accessibility make it particularly attractive for international investors. Ko Samui transport links have made it a destination for tourists seeking to explore the other islands in the area. Page 3 Excursion Programme The 72th CCOP Steering Committee Meeting Stop3 Stop2 Hotel Stop1 Lunch p1 Stop5 Stop4 Map and stops 07:45 Depart from Novotel Samui Resort Chaweng Beach Kandaburi Hotel 08:00 - 08.45 STOP 1: Wat Khao Hua Jook 09:00 - 10:15 STOP 2: Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Plc. 10:30 – 11:15 STOP 3: Wat Phra Yai Ko Fan: Big Buddha Temple 11:45 – 13:30 Lunch at We Green Farm & Restaurant, Lamai 14:00 – 15:00 STOP 4: Laem Sor Pagoda 15:30 - 16:30 STOP 5: Hin Ta Hin Yai: Storied natural rock formations known for bearing a resemblance to male & female genitalia 17:30 Novotel Samui Resort Chaweng Beach Kandaburi Hotel Page 4 STOP 1: WAT KHAO HUA JOOK: Location: Wat Khao Hua Jook, Chaweng, Samui Island, Surat Thani Province Highlight: Topography and spatial management around Chaweng Beach and the surrounding area . Description: Pagoda Khao Hua Jook is perched on the side of the mountain overlooking Chaweng Reservoir. This stupa commands powerful views of Chaweng reservoir, the beach and beyond. Sitting atop a hilly terrain, Wat Khao Hua Jook offers great views of the surrounding areas. The hilly terrain reaches approximately 90 metres above mean sea level, and visitors who make the climb will certainly enjoy the panoramic views from the summit. The temple is also close to the Koh Samui airport, therefore visitors will catch a glimpse of flights taking off and landing. The temple’s tranquil environment and serene setting is perfect for meditation. Many visitors come here to sit back and relax in this beautiful location. In addition, locals often come here to spend the evening watching the gorgeous sunset across the Koh Samui Bay. The temple is also known for its famous monument, a replica of Buddha’s footprint, which is kept inside the temple. Page 5 STOP 2: EASTERN WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLC Location: Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Plc, Plai Laem, Bo Phut, Samui Island, Surat Thani Province. Highlight: Preparation of water supply from sea water, case study for solving water shortage in Ko Samui area Description: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/water- supply-koh-samui-harry-bonning East Water Group Company signed an agreement with the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) in 2004 for delivering raw water for a period of 15 years. The construction of the plant cost 163 million baht and, as noted above, the plant can produce up to 3,000 cbm of fresh water a day. Current demand in the supply areas of Choengmon and Plai Leam is 2,700 cbm/day. The plant uses sea water as its supply source which is collected from an input chamber on the sand bar of the nearby boat harbor. The water is then piped underground to pre-treatment tanks which filter the impurities from the sea water and get rid of algae and micro-organisms before the Reverse Osmosis (RO) treatment. There are six RO units which allows individual units to be taken out of service for maintenance without interrupting the supply. The water passes through the RO system under high pressure and into storage tanks where a small amount of Chlorine is added to kill bacteria and other microbes in the water. This is a very small concentration within WHO standards. The water then is fed into the PWA distribution network. Only 30% of the water taken from the sea can be treated to fresh water standards and the remaining 70% is sent to storage tanks where any remaining impurities are removed before it is returned to the sea. Page 6 STOP 3: Wat Phra Yai Ko Fan Location: Wat Phra Yai Ko Fan, Plai Laem, Bo Phut, Samui Island, Surat Thani Province Highlight: The big Buddha Temple Description: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Phra_Yai Wat Phra Yai, known in English as the Big Buddha Temple, is a Buddhist temple on Ko Phan (also spelled Koh Fan or Koh Fan), a small island offshore from the northeastern area of Ko Samui, Thailand. As its name indicates, it is home to a giant, 12-metre-high (39-foot) gold-painted Buddha statue. Since being built in 1972, it has become one of Ko Samui 's main tourist attractions and a major landmark. The Buddha statue depicts Buddha in a state of calm and purity and resolve, having overcome temptation and fear sent at him by Mara, Lord of Illusion.