CBS picked Tarutao National Park located just 5 km from Malaysian waters and reachable from the Thai province of Sathun for their Survivor Thailand series. More specifically, the largest island in the 50 island group, Ko Tarutao.
The rugged but beautiful island, about 150 sq km in area, has limestone and sandstone mountains that reach past 700 meters elevation, caves and sandy beaches. Part of the habitat is tropical reefs, mangroves and tropical forests. Previously a penal colony, the park was established in 1974.
Koh Tarutao gets little tourism compared to the more popular and developed Similan Islands. The island group is important ecologically as a breeding ground for four species of sea turtle. Other fauna indigenous to the island are monitor lizards, dusty lemurs and the dugong, which is an endangered species.
Some History
As many islands in the past, Tarutao became a prison. As early as 1938 common criminals were held at Taloh Wow Bay and political prisoners at Taloh Udang. Fear of sea crocodiles and sharks kept them from escaping.
But WWII altered the course of Tarutao's evolution. The war made shipping supplies to Tarutao impossible. The desperate inmates revolted and raided a merchant ship sailing close. The booty they found made them turn to piracy. Those waters became the most feared in the region
The producers of Survivor Thailand have claimed that the natural environment was not damaged. Here's hoping that the tourists who follow will be as environmentally sensitive.
