Koh Phangan, the island famous for its Full Moon Party, has been a hotspot for global tourists for many years. Though it attracts thousands of people each month with its energetic atmosphere, the appeal of this island is now marred by the severe environmental damage caused by rampant tourism, and concerns over its waters and beaches.
Travel content creator Grant Barnes recently shared a distressing video that showcases how fast the island has degenerated. He termed the waters as “dirty,” saying tourists should not venture out to swim. So what’s the cause behind it? According to reports coming from the local sector, drunken party animals openly do defecation and urination inside the water.
He explained that, “The water might appear to be alluring but is far from being clean.” His viral video shed light on an almost unheard-of problem related to the island’s system for managing sewage. “Its lack of capacity cannot cater for the large amount of people coming in on these nights. Thus, much sewage falls directly into the ocean causing critical harm to the waters, marine ecosystems, such as the coral reefs included”.
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Since the video was uploaded, it has been subject to heated online debate. One commenter wrote in anger, “This is heartbreaking. We must hold tourists accountable for their actions! ” Another said, “Where is the government in all this? They need to step up.” Others expressed frustration by saying, “Why visit a place if you are going to destroy it?
“ Others mused over the history of the island, deploring, “Koh Phangan used to be pristine.Now it’s just a garbage dump.” But some leapt to defend the tourist board: “Managing so many visitors is no easy task.” Commenters went so far as to play down the issue: “This happens in most tourist hotspots. Why single out Koh Phangan?”
