On the island of Koh Phangan, residents are raising the alarm: groups of foreigners are forming networks of influence, using nominees to take over businesses, and ignoring local rules, sparking an outcry.
On 21 April, Facebook user Paweena Jehmad posted a poignant message denouncing the growing tensions on Koh Phangan island. Foreigners, settled for extended stays and business activities, are adopting behaviours that disrupt local life.
« Koh Phangan… From a tourist paradise, it is becoming a place where some residents wonder: “Who is really the master of the house?” »
In recent years, many foreigners have settled permanently on this island popular with backpackers. They open shops, bars and businesses, capitalising on the tourist boom. But behind this vitality, local voices are rising against excessive practices.
Testimonies report the formation of informal gangs of foreigners who create networks of influence. They resort to Thai nominees to circumvent foreign ownership restrictions, impose their own rules in certain neighbourhoods and disdain local laws and customs. These actions are generating palpable frustration within communities.
Local businesses struggle to compete against larger foreign capital. Complaints also arise over nuisances: excessive noise, lack of cultural respect or direct conflicts with residents.
However, not all foreigners are targeted. Many live in harmony, respect the norms and contribute to the local economy. The real issue lies in the strict enforcement of the law and fair regulation for peaceful coexistence.
« No matter where they come from, anyone who enters someone else’s house must respect its rules. The question haunting Phangan’s residents: will we let this become normal, or will we act before it’s too late? »