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The project to build the office space and houses for judges was initiated almost 15 years ago during the Thai Rak Thai-led government. The project received one billion baht budget approved by the Yingluck Shinawatra-led govenrment.

Gen Viddhavat Rajatanun, acting chief of the Office of the Ombudsman, said his agency is ready to step in to look into the issue if it receives a petition.

Much progress has been made in the construction and the court of justice, which legally obtained the land, has no authority to stop the work, he said.

“In this point, we should think that forest and people can be together,” said Gen Viddhavat.

Rangsrit Kanjanavanit, deputy secretary-general of Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, said the authorities should demolish the 45 houses on the hill slope to set a good precedent for conservation.

“The gain from saving the state budget spent on building houses would be less than the loss of public sentiment. If the authorities let the project stay, it will encourage deforestation to develop in other areas,” said Dr Rangsrit, also a resident of Chiang Mai who exposed the housing project over two years ago.

Leaving these 45 houses, he said, is like creating a permanent scar on the hill.

Dr Rangsrit said it is better to demolish the houses on the slope because forest dwellers might end up facing a threat from forest fires that seasonally erupt on Doi Suthep hill.

“The authorities might not be aware of the problem. But they will have to deal with forest fires in future,” he said.

“Afterwards, people will see more forest land in the area has to be cleared, because the authority needs to create a buffer zone to protect the housing project,” said Dr Rangsrit.

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Buses from Bangkok to Koh Chang

Probably the best way to get down to Koh Chang is by bus from Either Ekamai – Bangkok’s Eastern Bus terminal, or Morchit – the Northern terminal. The frequent departures from both are detailed in the table below. Buses take from four to six hours to get down to Trat or to the Koh Chang ferries. Most convenient are the buses run by Tanakawee or 99 Express that go directly to the ferry stops at Centrepoint and Ao Thammachat. Expect to pay around 250 Baht for your journey.
If you get a bus to Trat, the nearest town to Koh Chang, you will arrive at Trat’s bus station, about 1km out of town (See the Trat Map). Taxis will be waiting to take you the 20 kilometres to the Koh Chang ferry for about 250-300 Baht. You can reduce this to 50 Baht if you are prepared to wait and take a shared taxi.

There are also minibuses that pick up from guesthouses around Khao San Road in Bangkok and travel directly to the ferry departure point at Laem Ngop. Bookings can be made from any of the scores of travel agents in this area. The buses leave at 7-8am and take 5 or 6 hours. The trip costs around 250B including ferry crossing.

Buses: To/From Bangkok

99 Express (089-752-5732)

Ekamai to Ferries – 06.30am, 07.45 am, 09.45 am
Ferries to Ekamai – 12.30pm, 02.00 pm, 04.00 pm
(service also stops at Suvarnabhumi Airport)

Cherdchai Tour (02-391-2237)

Ekamai to Trat
06.00 am, 07.00 am, 09.30 am, 11.00 am, 12.30 am, 01.15 pm, 02.00 pm, 03.30 pm, 05.30 pm, 07.30 pm, 08.30 pm, 10.00 pm, 11.00 pm, 11.30 pm

Morchit to Trat (via Airport)
8.30am 5.30pm

Trat to Ekamai
07.00 am, 08.00am, 09.00 am, 09.30.am, 10.00 am, 11.00 am, 12.00 pm,  01.00 pm, 02.00 pm, 04.00 pm, 06.00 pm, 09.30 pm, 11.00 pm, 11.30 pm

Trat to Morchit (via Airport)
8.30am, 2.30pm

Tanakawee (02-391-2331)

Ekamai to Ferry (Ao Tammachat)
08.30 am

Ekamai to Trat
10.30 am, 12.00 pm, 04.40 pm, 06.30 pm, 10.30 pm

Morchit to Trat (via Airport)
06.00 am, 09.30 am, 12.30 pm, 03.30 pm, 11.00 pm

Ferry (Ao Tammachat) to Khao San Rd.
11.30 am

Trat to Ekamai
10.00 am, 10.30 am, 12.00 pm, 02.00 pm, 08.00 pm

Trat to Morchit
(via Airport)
07.30 am, 09.30 am, 12.30 pm, 04.00pm

Minibuses from Koh Chang to Bangkok

Minibuses return to Bangkok at 11am every day from Laem Ngop.
There is also a minibus that leaves from the Ao Thammachat ferry arrival point for Victory Monument in Bangkok every hour. It costs 300 Baht. Note that it doesn’t stop at the airport but on request they will drop you off in a nearby part of Bangkok from where you can get a taxi.

Buses from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Koh Chang

All the bus services that leave from Morchit bus terminal stop to pick up passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport’s bus station. This is linked to the airport by a free white shuttle bus. The 99 Express buses from Ekamai also stop here. For departure times add twenty minutes to the Bangkok departure times in the timetable.

Buses from Pattaya/Koh Samet to Koh Chang

Daily minibus services operate from Pattaya via Ban Pae (ferry port for Koh Samet) to the ferry departure point at Laem Ngop. The cost is around 400B from Pattaya or 300B from Ban Pae and the journey takes 4 or 2.5 hours respectively. Going to Laem Ngop the service leaves Pattaya at 8am. It picks up in Ban Pae at 11am. A return service leaves Laem Ngop at 1pm daily. Public buses leave for Pattaya from Trat’s bus station at 05.00, 09.30, 12.00 and 15.00 daily. It’s a long hot journey and the minibus option is more comfortable.

Taxis From Bangkok

You can often pursuade a taxi driver to take you down to Koh Chang from Bangkok. If there are a few of you this can be as cheap or cheaper than the other options – and a lot more convenient. Agree a fee in advance – 3-4,000 Baht is a fair price. Make sure that you decide who is paying for any expressway tolls (usually a couple of hundred baht). Also make sure that you have agreed to be dropped at the Koh Chang Ferry or actually at your resort on Koh Chang – which will of course be more expensive.

koh chang by air

The closest airport to Koh Chang is Trat Airport, owned and operated by Bangkok Airways. It is located on the mainland 17 kilometres from the Koh Chang ferry.

Flights operate from there to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Schedule changes are not uncommon so you might want to check www.bangkokair.com for the latest flight times. The Koh Chang office of Bangkok Airways in White Sand Beach can be reached on 039-551-654/5 and the airport contact is 039-525-767/8.  If you take the later flight and it is delayed in any way then don’t worry – they hold the last ferry to Koh Chang to meet minibuses from the airport.

Bangkok Airways Flight Schedule

Bangkok – Trat

PG301

Dep.   – 08:45
Arrive. – 09:45

PG302

Dep.  – 10:15
Arrive – 11:15

PG305

Dep.   – 10:30
Arrive.  – 11:30

Trat – Bangkok

PG306

Dep.  – 12:00
Arrive – 13:00

PG307

Dep.  – 17:05
Arrive – 18:05

PG308

Dep.  – 18:40
Arrive – 19:40

A second service that starts from Phuket, makes a stop in Koh Samui and goes on to Trat has unfortunately been suspended, temporarily we hope. Instead Bangkok Airways are offering a minibus service to U-Tapao airport and then an onward flight to Samui or Phuket.

Getting to/from Trat Airport

Bangkok Airways operate a minibus service that takes passengers between Trat Airport and Koh Chang. Prices for a one way transfer are in the range of 500-700 Baht depending on the destination on Koh Chang.
The minibus picks up an ddrops off from your hotel and the ferry always waits for the minibus so you don’t need to worry about being stranded if your flight is delayed.