Chonburi —
Koh Samae San is for conservation (eco) tourism, and bikinis contradict that type of tourism, said a Navy spokesperson in response to a Facebook viral post regarding a ban on wearing bikinis for beachgoers on Koh Samae San.
Navy spokesman Vice Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin responded on Facebook, Friday, July 29th, to netizens and beachgoers about a sign on Koh Samae San in Chonburi, reading “No Bikini. Please respect our culture”, which went viral on social media, drawing numerous inquiries from Thais and other nationalities about why the bikinis were banned on the beach.
According to Pokkrong, the Royal Navy is in charge of caring for Koh Samae San, and it wants to promote conservation tourism rather than ordinary tourism, but the spokesperson stressed that this is not mandatory and the sign is actually just a recommendation.
As for why bikinis were targeted, Pokkrong reasoned that it is against Thai culture and that the Navy merely wants to maintain orders and stick to a conservation tourism policy. “We also ban noisy gatherings and drinking on the beach to preserve peace,” Pokkrong stated on Facebook.
However, to prevent further misunderstanding among tourists, the Thai Navy has ordered all signs banning bikinis to be replaced with more appropriate ones “suggesting” proper decor. The spokesperson did not provide any details on the punishment for violating this policy.
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