Koh Samui is an island located off the eastern coast of Thailand. Situated within the Chumphon Archipelago in Surat Thani Province, Koh Samui was granted municipal status in 2012, making it locally self-governing. With an area spanning 228.7 square kilometers, Ko Samui is Thailand’s second-largest island, following Phuket. In 2018, it attracted 2.7 million tourists.
The island was likely first inhabited around 15 centuries ago by fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and southern China. It even appears on Chinese maps dating back to 1687, referred to as “Pulo Cornam.”