SAILING THE ANDAMAN SEA

The Similan Islands, Somewhere Off the Coast of Phang Nga Province, Thailand (November 18, 2006). The economy of Phang Nga province on Thailand’s west coast has its challenges, and the 2004 tsunami helped bring them into focus for all concerned.

But one thing cannot be denied.

In terms of natural assets, it has been truly blessed.

Broad, unspoiled beaches. Rich and diverse national parks. Lush archipelagos that look like emeralds scattered on the bright sea.

Yeah…we took a field trip.

But how else can I learn about "place-based tourism" in the Thai hinterlands without getting out there and seeing what all the fuss is about? This is research, people -- real "fingers in the dirt" kind of stuff.

At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

Kay and I arose at some unholy hour to meet a bus arranged for us bv Khun Nakorn and Khun Ann at the Kenan Institutes Offices in Khao Lak. Our destination was the Similans – a group of seamounts about 40 miles off the coast of Thailand popular with divers and snorkelers. This undeveloped island chain, its reefs, empty beaches and rich forests are a major draw for eco-tourists from resorts as far south Phuket and Krabi.

Tour boats collect passengers along the Andaman coast for outings that range from a single day to extended stays. Accommodations on the islands tend to be rustic – tents, for example – but there are a few cabins too. The appeal is not the neon, glitz and “wildlife” of Phuket, but sparkling clear water, dramatic underwater coral landscapes, and an abundance of sea life – schools of fishes and rays, sharks and quirky crustaceans that make their homes in the rocks.

We snorkeled for a day in the waters off Ko Bangu, Ko Payu, and Ko Miang, drifting in the currents, watching scores of brightly colored fish dart in unison through sunlight filtered through crystal waves. We wandered beneath swaying palms, scaling dramatic rocks and cliffs on the seaside.

Late in the day, we boarded our yacht for the long journey to the mainland. The Similans slipped below the horizon and raindrops fell as we plowed our way home across the Andaman Sea.

The Similans – and other natural attractions like them -- hold a promise for the struggling economy of Phang Nga. If the area can be developed with care – and the commercial sprawl of Phuket avoided – an industry of more eco-friendly resorts and residential communities could develop in the region to provide a third opportunity for economic growth – beyond the standard agriculture and industrial economy that has sustained it in the past.

The promise is not simply that investment and foreign tourists will come. That is likely to occur in one form or another. The real hope for the region lies in the opportunity to link its workforce and young people into an economy where English language skills are vital and necessary and where business opportunities exist for any small and medium-sized businessmen with the know-how and capital to exploit them.

That challenge is a tall order. It's really not that different from that facing regions like the “Inner Banks” of North Carolina.

Meeting it requires a commitment from the government to develop the skills and resources of the local population and help connect them with visitors to the region in ways that will ensure that the true benefits of tourism ripple into the local economy in meaningful ways -- not merely into the pockets of the handful of developers and financiers who build and operate the resorts.

Economic development officials in the province and in NGO’s like the Kenan Institute are working to make that happen, but it represents one of economic development’s most daunting tasks.

From my days meeting with local officials and exploring the reefs and coves of the Similans, I now have a real interest in returning a few years from now -- both to see how the development process is faring and to check (for purely acadmic reasons, of course) on whether the sunlight still filters as brightly through the aquamarine water.