National parks chief Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn has expressed concern about an increase in land acquisitions on Koh Chang in Trat province by investors with suspected links to shady businesses.
Mr Chaiwat, who serves as the director of the National Parks Office under the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Centre, said private investors have bought large areas of land from locals.
"Some investors are alleged to have links with shady businesses," Mr Chaiwat said. "The government and local officials must keep an eye on them."
He said large firms have been expanding their businesses on the island, affecting local enterprises which are gradually fading away. "Local consumers are turning to goods and services and modern conveniences offered by big businesses," he said.
Regarding measures to combat encroachment on protected land in national parks, he said modern technologies and satellite images are used to monitor and deter land encroachment.
He said Koh Chang is largely covered in rainforests and mountains, which provide fresh water for residents on the island, compared to other islands which have to buy fresh water supplies from outside.
"Local communities and agencies should work together to protect and preserve the forests and the natural environment on the island to ensure sustainable water resources," he said.
With development and tourism increasing on the island, it is also important for residents and businesses to retain cultural uniqueness and local identity to boost appeal to tourists, he said.
Asked to explain how to handle jet-skiing activities around the Koh Chang National Marine Park, he said the national marine park is made up of an archipelago of 52 islands covering 650 sqkm or more than 400,000 rai. Koh Chang is the largest island.
These islands are conservation areas where only limited tourism is allowed. They are off-limits to activities such as jet-skiing, he said.
"We have to consider where jet-skiing takes place -- on private property or the national park's areas. If people jet-ski in public reservoirs, they could be in trouble. But generally, jet-skiing is part of tourism activities," he said.
Koh Chang, or "Elephant Island" because of its elephant-like shape, is Thailand's third largest island after Phuket and Samui. It is located about 300km east of Bangkok, in Trat province, in the Gulf of Thailand.
Chaiwat: We must retain our local identity