South Thailand Explorer 2016

[rcm273]

Sounds like a tour !!

Just to agree with you about the trash situation, but just to say, Lipe isn't in the national park, it was given to the sea gypsy population by the king.

I just mention this, because, my friends huge family are rangers at the Tarutao National Park ( more nepotism in Thailand ) and I have spent some great weekends at the park and find it one of the best kept parks in Thailand .. Lipe is just another fine example of unrestricted and unplanned development. Ko Lipe made the UK papers last month, you know the TAT tagged it as the maldives of Thailand ? and they posted pics of a the trash and the building sites. I haven't been there for 12 years, and one visit back then was enough.

I much prefer those tents on Andang or the VIP quarters on Tarutao.

 

[helbob]

Yes i know Lipe was given to the sea gypsys and 2 years ago no park fee but now every foreigner must pay 200

 

[rcm273]

Sad .. I guess as its within the boundaries of the national park you pay the fee, but do you get me? just because you pay the fee it doesn't make it part of the park with regard to litter as the rest of the park is very clean.

To be honest, it's one of those places you have to think about visiting .. There is the unchecked development and inevitable pollution of the environment on Lipe, the illegal immigrant holding camps on the back of Andang, even 15 years ago there was a sea gypsy village on Andang - like an overflow from Lipe, probably as they sold their land for development.

I'm sure Tarurao island is just as bad, the trash is probably collected and then burnt somewhere out of sight.

It's just another ecological disaster, similar to phi-phi.