27 years ago, in his seminal guide to Cambodia entitled ‘The Cambodia less travelled‘, Ray Zepp described the island of Koh Sdach as a ‘smugglers den’

Zepp described the island – located in the Gulf of Thailand, around 1.5 km (1 mi) off the coast of Botum Sakor national park, in the Kiri Sakor district in Koh Kong province  – so: ‘Koh Sdech itself is, I suppose, a smugglers’ den. There are all sorts of Thai products and no other apparent source of income for the inhabitants of this isolated region. There is a guest house and plenty of food stalls. A backpacker might hang out for several days here. A food stall just off the boat dock serves a delicious clam curry, or fried clams if you like. The lady in charge boasts 24 children, including 6 sets of twins.”

Now, in 2023, Koh Sdach – according to Toun Ooty, Deputy Governor of Kirisakor District – has a thriving tourism industry with the support of national and international tourists who come to visit for a taste of island life or to use the island as a launching point to explore the many diving and snorkelling opportunities in the area.

The deputy governor stated that more than 80 percent of the people living in Koh Sdach commune live on the water near the shore or beach, while the other 20 percent live on land, mostly fishing and tourism services to tourists.

The main activity for the inhabitants of ‘King Island’ is fishing and trading from the sea.

However, Mr Toun said that the fishing output has decreased significantly, forcing people to turn to guesthouses or buy boats to transport tourists to visit the islands instead of fishing as before.

However, there is an issue with illegal constructions that affect natural resources, biodiversity, or navigation routes and the district authorities and officials are now focusing on monitoring illegal construction sites.

Mr Toun said that while it is understandable for people who want to repair their houses to be made of solid concrete to protect their safety and live in fear of collapsing into the water during a rainstorm, it can be a high risk to their lives, and Kirisakor district authorities have stopped many unauthorized construction sites when they were found to be in violation of technical standards or serious violations into the sea.

Meng Phalla, a floating homeowner on Koh Sdach, says that the construction they are doing is only repairing the wooden supports to the blue concrete slabs, from the wooden poles under the piles

Therefore the islanders ask the authorities and professional officers for leniency

Mr. Meng Phalla emphasized that the pillars in water are liable to rot and householders must spend a lot of money to repair them every year, so buying concrete pipes to make pillars instead of wood, that last for many year is a necessity when living on the water in Koh Sdach commune

He adds that it is not a violation of the state’s water surface, it is citizens just wanting a strong house that is good for living and earning a living.

He stated that in the future, if the Royal Government plans to develop anything, they are willing to follow the plan if necessary.

Resorts and guesthouses are growing remarkably on Koh Sdach, Kirisakor district, because the country is peaceful, politically stable and developed in almost all areas, especially tourism.

As Ray Zepp put it in 1997: ‘The entire Koh Kong region is slated to become a special economic zone, so expect a rapid development of the region. It should not be long before a good road is built, but even then, there may be a security risk.‘