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[00:00.39] Todd: So I’m here with Jerri and she is from Thailand, and we’re talking about islands.

[00:04.65] So these islands in Thailand get a lot of tourists.

[00:09.64] Jerri: Yes, right.

[00:10.40] Todd: Thailand probably gets more tourists to its islands than any other country in the world.

[00:14.39] Is there like any concerns about the environment or development on the islands?

[00:20.39] Jerri: Yes, of course. Wherever there are people, there’s always an effect on the environment.

[00:25.64] And you see this a lot, especially on the most visited islands such as Phuket and Samoi with the development of condominiums, schools, malls, leads to deforestation, of course, and more pollution.

[00:43.64] You also see the effect more on the more vulnerable islands like the smaller islands such as, I think, Koh Phi Phi or Koh Lanta.

[00:53.89] All of the islands used to be full of trees and it used to be like national parks.

[01:02.39] And now with the people taking speed boats and everything, you really see the oils on the sea.

[01:07.89] The coral reefs are not as colorful as they should be. All the plastic that comes with, you know, getting food boxes, plastic straws.

[01:18.39] Yeah. And you really see the ecosystems in the sea are affected.

[01:26.14] Todd: Yeah, that’s what I tell – that’s a problem that we have to solve everywhere in the world, it seems like, especially the plastic.

[01:31.39] Do you know about Easter Island in Chile? You know, with the big stone statues?

[01:37.39] Jerri: No, not so much.

[01:38.89] Todd: Yeah, that reminds me of Easter Island which is, you know, famous in Chile for its really large stone monuments like the stone faces.

[01:48.39] And they couldn’t figure out how the people disappeared or why they disappeared, and now they think it’s because they cut down all the trees.

[01:55.14] Jerri: Oh, wow.

[01:55.89] Todd: And after they cut down all the trees, that basically destroyed the environment, and the people couldn’t survive anymore so they had to leave the island.

[02:02.64] So islands really are vulnerable, especially with their trees, right?

[02:07.14] Jerri: Right. Yeah, absolutely.

[02:08.89] Todd: That’s one of the reasons I really like Koh Chang, because you can only develop on one side of the road, you know.

[02:14.39] Jerri: Yeah.

[02:15.14] Todd: So there’s a road around the island and if it’s on the beach side you can develop, but anything inland on the other side of the road, there’s pretty much no development.

[02:24.14] Jerri: Yes. But there are also on the positive side you see, you know, when – there are things like bad things happening to environment, you see innovation, people actually coming up with ideas.

[02:36.64] So a lot of hotel chains, for example, are becoming more sustainable.

[02:45.14] They’re incorporating metal straws, paper straws.

[02:47.89] So you do see some changes but there’s a long way to go.

[02:52.14] Todd: Yeah, you know, I think that’s a great point. Like eventually, business can find the solution.

[02:58.14] Jerri: Yeah, yeah. That’s always…

[02:58.89] Todd: It’s in their best interest, right? Oh, that’s really nice. So what about the economy? I guess the biggest jobs are the resorts?

[03:07.39] Jerri: Yes. So the Thai economy relies on tourists.

[03:10.14] Yeah, like the hotels, the restaurants, that’s where we get our money flowing, I would say.

[03:18.64] Todd: Right. So that’s your [inaudible 0:03:19.4] of the capital influx from other countries.

[03:23.39] Jerri: Yes.

[03:24.14] Todd: Right, okay. So, you live in Bangkok. Out of curiosity, how often do you get to a resort or to the beach?

[03:31.14] Jerri: More than I should, to be honest. Like I love the islands so every opportunity I get, I’ll fly down south, and then visit the different ones.

[03:40.89] But yeah, as I mentioned, my favorite one would be Koh Pangan. Yeah.

[03:43.14] Todd: Can you fly directly from Bangkok to Koh Pangan?

[03:48.14] Jerri: Yes. Well, not directly, but you can fly to the mainland which is Surat Thani.

[03:53.39] And it’s actually nice just to spend a day there because Surat Thani, there’s like a culture there and then you get to try the authentic Southern food before you actually go to the islands and it becomes a little bit more like Western, with the taste and everything.

[04:10.40] So that’s my recommendation. And then the next day, you can just go to the pier and take a ferry to the different islands you want to go to.

[04:18.39] Todd: Oh, wow. So I definitely, definitely want to take your advice.

[04:21.89] Jerri: Thank you.

[04:23.39] Todd: Well, that’s really nice.