Thai Islands Error Correction

Todd: So I’m here with Jerri and she is from Thailand, and we’re about islands. So these islands in Thailand get a lot of .

Jerri: Yes, right.

Todd: Thailand more tourists to its islands than any other country in the world. Is there like any concerns about the environment or development on the islands?

Jerri: Yes, of course. Wherever there are people, there’s always an on the environment. And you see this a lot, on the most islands such as Phuket and Samoi with the development of condominiums, schools, malls, leads to deforestation, of course, and more . You also see the effect more on the more islands like the islands such as, I think, Koh Phi Phi or Koh Lanta. All of the islands used to be full of and it used to be like national parks. And now with the people speed boats and everything, you really see the oils on the sea. The coral reefs are not as as they should be. All the plastic that comes with, you know, getting food , plastic . Yeah. And you really see the ecosystems in the sea are affected.

Todd: Yeah, that’s what I tell – that’s a problem that we have to everywhere in the world, it seems like, especially the plastic. Do you know about Easter Island in Chile? You know, with the big stone ?

Jerri: No, not so much.

Todd: Yeah, that me of Easter Island which is, you know, in Chile for its really stone like the stone faces. And they couldn’t figure out how the people or why they disappeared, and now they think it’s because they cut down all the trees.

Jerri: Oh, wow.

Todd: And after they cut down all the trees, that the environment, and the people couldn’t anymore so they had to the island. So islands really are vulnerable, especially with their trees, right?

Jerri: Right. Yeah, .

Todd: That’s one of the I really Koh Chang, because you can only on one side of the road, you know.

Jerri: Yeah.

Todd: So there’s a road around the island and if it’s on the beach side you can develop, but anything inland on the other side of the road, there’s pretty much no .

Jerri: Yes. But there are also on the positive side you see, you know, when – there are things like bad things happening to environment, you see , people up with . So a lot of hotel chains, for example, are more . They’re metal straws, paper straws. So you do see some but there’s a long way to go.

Todd: Yeah, you know, I think that’s a point. Like , business can find the solution.

Jerri: Yeah, yeah. That’s always…

Todd: It’s in their interest, right? Oh, that’s really nice. So what about the economy? I guess the biggest jobs are the resorts?

Jerri: Yes. So the Thai relies on tourists. Yeah, like the hotels, the , that’s where we get our money , I would say.

Todd: Right. So that’s your [inaudible 0:03:19.4] of the capital influx from other countries.

Jerri: Yes.

Todd: Right, okay. So, you in Bangkok. Out of , how often do you get to a resort or to the beach?

Jerri: More than I should, to be . Like I love the islands so every I get, I’ll fly down south, and then visit the ones. But yeah, as I , my one would be Koh Pangan. Yeah.

Todd: Can you fly from Bangkok to Koh Pangan?

Jerri: Yes. Well, not directly, but you can fly to the mainland which is Surat Thani. And it’s nice just to a day there because Surat Thani, there’s like a culture there and then you get to try the food before you actually go to the islands and it becomes a little bit more like Western, with the taste and everything. So that’s my . And then the next day, you can just go to the pier and take a ferry to the different islands you want to go to.

Todd: Oh, wow. So I definitely, want to take your .

Jerri: Thank you.

Todd: Well, that’s really nice.