Eastern Trat islands see huge influx of visitors as long holiday break begins
Tourists flocked to scenic islands in the eastern seaboard province of Trat as a six-day holiday break started on Friday.
Ferries from mainland Trat were crowded with vacationers and their cars amid a sharp increase in visitors to the islands of Chang, Kood and Mak.
The long holiday break started on Friday (July 28), His Majesty the King’s birthday, and continues until Wednesday (August 2), the start of Buddhist Lent. The caretaker government on Tuesday declared Monday (July 31) as an extra public holiday to encourage more travel upcountry and help boost tourism and the economy.
Kittisak Rapinwong, the captain of a ferry connecting the mainland and Koh Chang, said on Friday that he expected over 5,000 people to visit the island in addition to some 2,000 vehicles ferried there.
The first ferry to Koh Chang left Khlong Yai district on the mainland at 5am. Together there are five ferries in service.
Kittisak said he expected to drive more than 20 ferry trips on Friday, far more than on normal days, due to the large number of tourists.
A long line of vehicles was formed at the ferry pier – from about 500 metres at 9am, lengthening to over a kilometre after 1pm. Visitors had to wait an hour or two before they could board the ferry.
Local Marine Department officials in Trat strictly enforced safety measures on the island ferries. Boat operators were required to ensure that all passengers wore life jackets while boarding or their ferries would not be allowed to leave the pier.
Rewat Pothiriew, director of the Regional Marine Office 6, said on Friday that long holiday breaks often brought a large number of tourists.
“The Marine Department has instructed officials to take care of the safety of tourists. All passengers on board must wear life jackets or the boat will not be allowed to leave the shore,” he said.
