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Executive Summary
Ko Samui (Samui Island), Surat Thani Province, is an area that
consistently has enjoyed economic expansion in high degree. The main revenue is
from tourism industry in the area of Samui Island that includes sea and coastal
tourist attractions with natural resourcefulness, beauty and values until this place has
become the center of tourism of the Gulf of Thailand side in the southern region of
Thailand. It has become the destination for sea trips of a great number of Thai and
foreign tourists, especially before the Corona Virus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
situation. Only in 2018, the number of tourists visiting Samui Island was 2,237,202.
The great number of tourists enables tourism industry of Samui Island to generate
incomes of 12,000 million baht - 18,000 million baht per year and average monthly
income per household greater than 50,000 baht per month. This average monthly
income per household rate is greater, compared with the rate of the entire country,
which is 26,946 baht per month per household, and greater than the rate of Bangkok,
which is 45,707 baht per month per household.
The changes that have taken place rapidly in all facets and all aspects
from the growths of economy, tourism industry and number of tourists that have
been continuously rising have turned the area of Ko Samui District a golden spot for
businesses that are relating to tourism, such as hotels, resorts, bungalows,
entertainment centers, shops and tour services companies. However, such businesses
have caused various problems that affects many aspects of way of life of the locals,
such as environmental problems, social welfare and life quality problems and
infrastructure problems. At the same time, Nakhon Ko Samui Municipality, as the
local administrative organization that is close to local people, with scope of power
covering the entire area of Ko Samui District, lacks of power and suitable local
administrative system that fits the issues that happen in Ko Samui Island District,
