Koh Samet authorities have tightened security, ensuring all arrivals will be monitored and registered following the attempted sexual assault of a holidaymaker earlier this week.
Earlier this week, a man was charged for breaking into a hotel property and allegedly attempting to rape a female guest.
The case prompted concerns over visiting the island on social media.
Pisanu Kemapan, president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samet, however indicated operators are not concerned that the case would impact a major concert taking place on the island. Following an urgent meeting between tourism operators and related officials, security on the island has been elevated.
New measures include increasing security officers at major ports and public spaces and the use of 24-hour surveillance systems. Operators have also urged the Rayong governor to establish a Koh Samet Tourist Security Operations Centre.
That office would require arrivals such as temporary workers to register entry and pass background checks.
CCTV cameras using artificial intelligence are being used to carry out facial recognition at boat piers, said Mr Pisanu.
“This type of crime is typically very rare on Samet Island. These security upgrades can also be used as a model for other destinations to ensure safety from here onward,” he said.
With beachside music festival ‘Samed in Love’ scheduled for late Friday, Mr Pisanu said there were no reports of cancellations among hotel operators while underlining authorities and business operators have well prepared security measures.
The island expects 7,000-8,000 visitors this weekend during the event, which has pushed up hotel occupancy to over 95%.
With only 3,000 rooms on the island, some visitors are set to stay on the mainland and travel to island Rayong here on day trips. The majority of visitors should be domestic tourists, he said.
Regarding the outlook for thd low travel season, Mr Pisanu said tourism operators still remain cautious as the Middle East conflict lingers and living costs have risen, hampering global tourism worldwide.
Since the war erupted, Thai arrivals have reduced by over 20%. Operators have been maintaining room and boat rates to sustain demand. The Thai Help Thai Plus programme kicked off this week is expected to help local restaurants to some extent during this period.
Mr Pisanu said the association remains optimistic about the year-end high season from pent-up demand. He reported some European tourists have already booked their trips ahead of the coming winter.
Many operators are using the current rainy season to renovate their properties to accommodate tourists in high season, said Mr Pisanu, calling on the government to launch a domestic travel co-payment scheme to boost trips during the low season.
