French Cambodia occupied the neighbouring province Chantaburi in 1902. In 1904 Thailand swapped Trat and Koh Kood/Chang for Chantaburi. 1907 Trat and Koh Kood were returned to Thailand in a swap for Battambang and Siem Reap. At this time both Khmer and Thais relocated to Koh Kood to escape the conflicts. I assume this explains the lack of genuine land title on the island. They just arrived and started claiming land. Descendants of these original arrivals still live on the island and still own most of the land.

Ao Salad and Ao Yai were safe wild weather harbours for pirates. Not hard to imagine what was going on at what noware peaceful tourist arrival points and seafood villages. Considering the upheavals in Vietnam. and Cambodia in the 1960's through till the late 1990's piracy was wild in the whole region, taking advantage of refugees fleeing these countries by sea and general lawlessness I have heard long term foreign residents describe Ao Yai as being wild even up to 15 years ago when they first built a proper road all the way through the island. It could be a warning. The friendly local Thai hotel/restaurant owner may have grown up seeing things that we can only imagine.

I had a guest in 2019 who told me he wanted to come to Koh Kood in 1999 but everybody told him it was dangerous and not to go. It had a reputation as being wild and dangerous and the only Thai tourists came in groups and stayed in resorts with armed guards protecting them. Considering the island's proximity to Cambodia and the recent history there it is not hard to picture the situation then. The Khmer Rouge were still fighting in nearby Cambodia and the nearest Cambodian Province Koh Kong was where some of the last fighting occured. As late as 1998 members of the Khmer Rouge attacked a casino at the Thai/Cambodian border just close to Koh Kood. Trat City these days seems a peaceful regional town but in the past it was a major jewel trading town. The miners would come from nearby Borai and other ares and sell their jewels and then celebrate. There is an old market which used to have a nightclub on the top floor. A foreigner who had lived in the area for many years described gambling, guns and drugs sitting on the tables and constant fighting inside and out. I find Trat interesting that such a small regional centre as Trat has so many big, ornate buildings, now looking in stages of disrepair. i imagine there was a lot of money in the area until the mines started drying out.

As far as i could tell it was around 2004 the foreigners started arriving. I have tried to gather accounts of the island and pictures from them thinking it as a history that will be lost as people return to Europe etc and stop wandering. It seems foreigners started visiting from Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Wai, loving the wild environment. Before development, the firefly displays around Klong Chao were described as amazing but when in 2010 or so they built the main road it destroyed a lot of their habitat. I remember in 2020 I saw a single one at the back of Happy Days in Klong Chao and thought it was great news they were returning, but then they built the road to Chom Suan at the bottom of the Happy Days garden and I have never seen again. Unfortunately every year more trees go so it does not look good for them in the local area. I have heard the firefly tours on the Klong Chao river are great though

Kow Reua Rob is close to Chor Chaba Happy Days Guesthouse. It was built as a monument to the sailors who fiought in the Battle Of Koh Chang in 1941. It is a nice walk in the jungle..

I can let the residents accounts and photos describe the rest but have included a few other things to do.

Koh kood is known for it's 3 waterfalls but I have been told there are actually 10. You need to be a little careful walking through jungle though if you go looking. There are snakes and also the locals set traps for wild pigs. I have heard that is why they have so many 3 legged dogs at Sabai Dog Rescue. They are survivors of pig traps.

The remnants of the old road can be seen in places. I think the most intact part is from Neverland to XXXX. You walk through the klong(canal) at Rimilay - it is not deep - and climb up a little. It follows around the headland for quite a distance. I have heard talk of it being turned into an organised walk with proper access.

There is an abandoned resort next to Cham House. It is slowly being reclaimed by the elements but it used to be Pa Hin Sai but was abandoned in 2019/2020. The locals say it is haunted as a fishermans body was washed up on the beach. For a while they had put up statues to frighten the bad spirits away but I think the owner just left as the access became too hard for her.

That was the first falang party on Ko Kood, 2007, around Bruce 50th Birthday. The whole gang from Ko Wai sailed down aboard "Mary Jane" on which we stocked up on cambodian weed. To get tonic for the Bombay we searched the whole Island and finaly found some down at khlong hin resort. No roads, only paths, and some of the very few Motor Bikes on the island we could get at Doy's where we stayed. These guys also built that shack near the beach, pretty central, about where the high season pool is located now. They thought maybe they could start a litle restaurant..well, now all the Palms are gone, etc.

Pictures And Stories

Riding around Thailand I finished up by chance on Koh Kood, sparking my interest in the then rather remote and undeveloped island. Access 16 years ago was either by local converted fishing boat/ freighter or speed boats.Most tourists were company employees on holiday packages.3 days/2 nights all in. Bangkok to Koh Kood and then back again. Speedboats took them directly to the few larger resorts.10,20, or sometimes up to 50 to 70 people hence the large dining rooms at the now older resorts. All meals included. First night seafood. second night..karaoke. Daytime snorkeling and a trip to the waterfall. Companies loved it. They knew total cost upfront and the employees had an otherwise unobtainable holiday. Slowly but surely the foreigner tourists Increased in numbers. When I arrived on the island by getting lost and riding on tracks through the Jungle I arrived at Neverland Resort. This became my home on and off for the next few months. My role was guest welcomer for the few foreigners who came. In return I had food and a place to sleep. There was 1.2m wide track all along the way from Klong Chao Beach to Ao Prao hugging the beach and at times along the cliff faces near Neverland and Ao Phrao. With extra courage after a few beers these cliff tracks were quite exciting on the motor bike.When I finally did make my way over rock and sand to Ao Yai the fishing village on the tip of the island I was met by fishing boats/people and a group of servicing' ladies who tried to offer me their expertise.I still do meet some of them now and then.

Early days Kood. I think it was about 2004. Meow massage opened about same as paradise divers maybe 2006. We had to hire a fishing boat from Koh mak to get Me and Meow and the chopper to Kood. Caused a stir and nobody had ever brought one. One boat a week. Took 6.5 hours from Dan Khow (the port at Trat). There was no road at all past Klong Chao. It was all just trails .From Ao Prao past the temple ‚ the mountain was a very simple path. Had to push bikes over the creeks. When I came it was a wooden bridge.Only 5 resorts and no restaurants.The trail going south from Klong Chao followed the sea and was spectacularly beautiful (It should be restored) It was an amazing lost paradise.Miss it.

From Bob whose wife Meow operates the oldest and best massage shop on the island, just near the school at Klong Chao. They also can take you on island tours