Tiger Tales

We’ve Got The Power

What happens when a sleepy island, devoid of electricity – and off the tourist radar despite its raw beauty, charm and prime location – gets a jolt of permanent power? Julie Seibt finds out.
Photography by Brent Madison  

In Thailand’s Krabi province, Koh Jum operates under a number of aliases: Koh Jam, Koh Cham and Koh Pu. Koh Jum translates as “Remember Island”, yet it is a place that time forgot – until now. The island is located 13km from the mainland, accessible via an umbilical cord of mangrove-flanked waterways. From the island’s western shores, there are clear views across the Andaman Sea to her raucous sisters – the iconic Phi Phi Islands. Big sister Koh Lanta sits to the south, having seen far-reaching and rapid development since electricity arrived in 1996.

Koh Phi Phi seduces tourists on the strength of its sheer limestone cliffs, crystal clear waters and the occasional mini-skirt of perfect white sand. Koh Jum, conversely, is reminiscent of a South Pacific island with its richly forested mountain sloping down to rocky shores, rubber tree plantations and a four km-long beach that sees few visitors. Two tidal swings per day transform the beach from a wide expanse of natural sand — perfect for walking, beachcombing and tidal pool exploration — into the ultimate swimming spot.

Small bungalows dot Koh Jum’s beaches and 1,500 residents — mainly fishermen and their families — populate three inland villages: Koh Jum, Ting Rai and Koh Pu. If progress is judged by the availability of ATMs and hamburger chains, then Koh Jum is charmingly behind the times. Fast food exists only in the form of sticky coconut rice with a slice of jackfruit, wrapped in a banana leaf, and bowls of kway tiaow (noodle soup) bought from nameless street stalls. Rush hour is marked by the launch of a few traditional longtail boats as low tide releases its muddy grip, and by motor scooter riders kicking up a trail of red dust on their way to the local football pitch.

But Koh Jum is growing — a catalyst for change was the arrival of electricity less than six months ago. As the last stop for cost-effective overland electric lines, Koh Jum was hooked up to the grid partially by default, before expensive submarine cables were laid to power-hungry Koh Phi Phi. Previously, electricity came from dieselfuelled generators or the one small solar panel provided by the Thai government to each home in 2005.

Local shop owner Laan Kimlarn Tondbai cautiously welcomes the new, easy access to electricity. “Solar panels were only good for cooling at night, but they broke after a month. Before, diesel for generators and ice for coolers were expensive. It used to cost THB6,000 (S$257/A$208) per month but now it’s THB750 (S$32/A$26).”

Laan’s shop is as good as it gets shopping-wise in Koh Jum. Sarongs, island-style caftans, flip-flops, snorkelling gear and hammocks in a sign-less cement shell hook the few passing tourists. Freshly-pressed, pure coconut oil shimmers in travel-size bottles, its purpose being to repair sun-damaged hair and skin. Laan befriends customers with her gentle smile and modest but accomplished English and an occasional gift of fresh pineapple.

How long will it be until a convenience store, perhaps with an ATM, crops up on the island’s sleepy streets? With 5,000 7-Eleven stores in Thailand, it’s only a matter of time, says Laan. “Maybe three to five years. I don’t know, but after power came here, many people started coming from outside asking about houses to rent, places to live. Maybe they want to do business. So far, not much has changed, but it will come.”

With change riding on the coattails of electricity, it is easy to imagine a paradise lost, where residents are squeezed out, island culture succumbs to western frivolity and the land is exploited. But there is more than a glimmer of hope for slow and conscientious development on Koh Jum.

The province of Krabi offers some protection with a ban on jet skis, beach vendors and lounge chairs in the sand, and rules forbidding buildings higher than six metres within 50m of the high-water line. But protection and planning takes more than a few rules. Joe Chainarong has lived in Koh Jum for 15 years, and works with residents to protect the island. “I talk with many people. We must plan for the sake of the kids, the future. Like Phi Phi and Lanta, if we don’t have a good system to protect the island, it could go the wrong way. It will still be beautiful, but not nice.”

Joe and his wife, Ole, guide adventure tourists to the peak of Mount Pu, Koh Jum’s 395m mountain. There are no recognisable footpaths here, just steep, narrow trails winding through the rainforest home of Oriental pied hornbills, sea eagles, monkeys, wild boar and slippery characters like cobras and whip snakes. Joe and Ole set a relaxed pace, offering plenty of time for interpretation of the wilderness. The summit rewards visitors with a microclimate of its own and, on clear days, views of Phuket. The vistas over the Andaman Sea, studded with its island jewels of tourism, are what earned Koh Jum its reputation as “Krabi’s most accessible hideaway”.

Access to the base of Mount Pu has improved since the installation of an electrical transfer station and a dirt road ringing the mountain. Protecting the water-retaining mountain forests above the road is vital to maintaining the island’s fresh water supply. That’s another reason why Joe works to raise awareness of the land he loves. After growing up on the edge of a National Park in Thailand’s Satun province, then venturing to Bangkok to complete two university degrees, Joe was lured back to nature by the beauty of Koh Jum.

The island’s allure is not lost on developers, and if the largest project in the island’s history is any indication, Koh Jum is a destination to watch. Recently awarded Thailand’s second-highest rating for environmental and social sensitivity by Eco-Tropical Resorts, Koh Jum Beach Villas puts preservation before profits. The property consists of a community of luxurious, private villas on large plots of land, with 85% of the land preserved as green space. Koh Jum Beach Villas’ 65,000sqm of land includes 700m of beach.

“We can’t protect the whole island,” says Koh Jum Beach Villas director Jeffery Dietrich, “but we can revive our part of the coastal beach forest, an ecosystem that is endangered in South-East Asia due to development and monoculture. In the past, some of the land here was cleared for coconut and cashew plantations. We are able to restore those areas to their former diversity by collecting drift seeds, caring for them in our nursery and replanting strategically. We extend our reach to the community through our employees, liaisons with other businesses and an educational camp for local kids. Our business creates businesses for local islanders. A beachfront restaurant, boat tour, soap-making and massage business are all thriving on Koh Jum Beach Villas’ land, rent-free and with all profits to the local owner-operators.”

Koh Jum Beach Villas’ 70-point environmental initiative includes building around (rather than removing) significant trees, and erecting villas designed to capture island breezes, thereby eliminating the need for air-conditioning. Fallen coconuts and other deadfall are mulched for composting with organic restaurant waste, supporting the project’s no-burn policy.

Water is sold in refillable glass bottles only, rather than in the ubiquitous plastic bottles. Hooking up to the grid has made maintenance easier at Koh Jum Beach Villas, but it hasn’t really changed daily life. Homeowners are encouraged to continue the conservative energy practices that were put in place when the resort depended on generators for power.

Severine Bille and Chris Carbon came to Koh Jum while travelling the world during their honeymoon. They fell in love again, this time with the island, and have recently completed construction of their dream home at Koh Jum Beach Villas. Severine says, “We were attracted to Koh Jum because it is very quiet and not very touristy, and also because of its lack of electricity. Through my eyes now, the electricity is so beneficial to the locals. They can have fridges, plus lights and television. On top of that, if their consumption is low, they don’t have to pay for it! Am I scared of the island changing? No, not yet.” On Koh Jum, the lights still go out by 10pm, only now it’s by choice. At least for the moment, those who care most about the island’s future are contributing to responsible growth, for they have the power.

Fast facts

ACCOMMODATION:
Visit www.kohjumonline.com. For an online directory of eco-resorts around the world, visit www.eco-tropicalresorts.com
Koh Jum Beach Villas, Koh Jum, Krabi, tel: +66 (0)8 4442 2856 or +66 (0)8 6184 0505, www.. kohjumbeachvillas.com
For jungle treks to the top of Mount Pu, contact Joe Chainarong, tel: +66 (0)8 6069 4545

WHEN TO GO
Temperatures are fairly consistent throughout the year. The coolest month, December, has an average temperature of 26ºC. The warmest month, April, averages 29ºC. Marketed as the “Green Season”, the period from April to early November sees the heaviest rainfall, but it seldom rains every day or all day. Access from the mainland by boat to Koh Jum is available year round. Many resorts close during this season, with bargains to be found at the others. From late November to early April, the winds come from the east, generally leaving the seas calm with little rain, and very few tourists on the beach.

HOW TO FIND IT

From the airport: If you have booked accommodation, ask for airport pick- up. Otherwise, take the 30-minute taxi ride to Laem Kruat pier for about THB700 (S$30/A$24) and catch a taxi-boat. A word of caution, the boat schedule varies and service ends well before sunset.

From Phuket: Hire a taxi for the 2.5-hour journey to Laem Kruat pier, which costs about THB3,000 (S$129/A$104)

From Krabi town: Take the Krabi-Koh Lanta ferry. The ferry doesn’t pull into Koh Jum, but it stops in the open water at two points, just long enough for passengers to transfer into longtail boats sent from the local bungalows.