The island was probably first inhabited about 15 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 theMalay 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 could involve 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 coconutand rubber.
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, theCunard ship MS Queen Victoria (a 2000-plus passenger ship) docked at Samui during its 2008 world cruise.
Administration
Ko Samui is an Amphoe (district) of Surat Thani Province, subdivided into 7 subdistricts (tambon). The complete island is one municipality (thesaban mueang). The district covers the island, as well as the Ang Thong archipelago and some other small islands nearby.
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