Ko Phai ( th, เกาะไผ่, ) is the largest island in Mu Ko Phai (หมู่เกาะไผ่), a small uninhabited archipelago on the
eastern seaboard of
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
. It is about 21 km to the west of
Pattaya. It is also known as "Koh Pai". It is also mentioned as "Bamboo Island", the meaning of its name in
Thai, in tourist guides.
Geography
Ko Phai is almost four kilometres in length and its maximum width is about one and a half kilometres. It is a craggy wooded island and a great part of its coast is formed by rocky cliffs. The whole island is high, but its highest point is only 150 m and there is not a single peak dominating the others. There is a lighthouse on the summit of the island.
This island is at the southeastern end of the
Bay of Bangkok, on the east side of the
Gulf of Siam. Administratively Ko Phai belongs to the
Amphoe Bang Lamung
Bang Lamung ( th, บางละมุง, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in the southern part of Chonburi province, Thailand.
History
''Mueang'' Bang Lamung was formerly in Ban Bang Lamung, Tambon Bang Lamung. However, the government downgrade ...
,
Chonburi Province
Chonburi (, , ) is a province of Thailand (''changwat'') located in eastern Thailand. Its capital is also named Chonburi. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise from north) Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Rayong, while the Bay of Bangkok is to ...
.
The closest land to the Ko Phai group is
Ko Lan
Ko Lan ( th, เกาะล้าน, ) is one of the eastern seaboard islands of Thailand. Ko Lan lies 7.5 km from the nearest shore, Pattaya. "Ko Lan" is the name of the island in the Royal Thai General System of Transcription. It is also ...
, about 14 km to the east of Ko Phai's eastern shore. These islands can be reached in about two hours by boat from south Pattaya harbor. All these islands are a protected natural area under the supervision of the
Royal Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy ( Abrv: RTN, ทร.; th, กองทัพเรือไทย, ) is the naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known a ...
. Visitors must bring their own food and water. No overnight stays are permitted on Ko Phai.
Adjacent islands
Other islands of the group include:
* Ko Luam, or Ko Lueam, (เกาะเหลื่อม) is a high rocky island wooded at the top much like Ko Phai. Its highest point is 135 m. It is to the northwest of the main island. Ko Luam has a small
islet
An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...
, Ko Luam Noi, off its east coast.
* Ko Man Wichai (เกาะมารวิชัย), two kilometres in length with a high point of 64 m
* Ko Klueng Badan (เกาะกลึงบาดาล), highest point 50 m
* Ko Hu Chang (เกาะหูช้าง) a small islet.
Scuba diving
One of the main attractions of the island group are some well-preserved
coral reefs
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
Co ...
. A
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
-vintage ship of the Royal Thai Navy, HTMS ''Khram'' (ex-USS LSM-469), was sunk 300 m to the east of Ko Phai in January 2003 in order to create an artificial submerged reef. The wreck is in an area suitable for scuba diving.
NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - USS LSM-469
/ref>
See also
*List of islands of Thailand
This is a list of islands of Thailand.
Thailand has hundreds of islands both in the Gulf of Thailand and in the Andaman Sea. The islands of the central Gulf of Thailand are mostly located near the coast. Formerly most of the islands in Thailand ...
References
{{reflist
Phai
Pattaya
Geography of Chonburi province
Islands of the Gulf of Thailand