Posts on Facebook made headlines on Wednesday as they advertised part of Koh Kham island in the eastern province of Trat for sale at 1.8 billion baht.

Facebook user Apassara Sonsab wrote that the “private island” for sale was the most beautiful island in Trat and there were incomplete resort houses available in the same sale package.

According to the post, the area for sale on the island covers about 10 rai and the island has clear seawater, a clean sand beach stretching about 300 metres and groups of volcanic rocks. It is about 35 kilometres off mainland Trat and about one kilometre from Koh Mak.

The Trat office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand responded to the posts by saying that people do not need to have 1.8 billion baht in order to visit the island by boat or kayak from Koh Mak, and see volcanics and coral and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

The office said that Koh Kham was a volcanic crater hundreds of millions of years ago.

In 2014, the owner of the island was charged with forest and sea encroachment for building a 148-metre-long bridge and a 480m-long embankment.

An official said that a restaurateur in Chon Buri owned the current land title, and the intention to sell it was real.