The tourist dollar is a strong lure for many people in Thailand, but not the residents of Koh Yor, a beautiful islet in the great Songkhla Lake.
The Tinsulanonda Bridge stretches across Songkhla Lake, connecting Koh Yor to the rest of Songkhla province. PHOTOS BY WICHAYANT BOONCHOTE
Though situated relatively close to the southern boom town of Hat Yai, the residents cherish their slow-paced lifestyle and are happy to resist a tourist invasion.
The islet, inhabited by about 5,000 residents and situated southwest of Songkhla's Muang district, has opened its doors to visitors near and far. At the same time, the residents also want to retain their way of life and preserve their cultural authenticity and nature.
A lot of the Koh Yor folk have learned that tourism development "at any expense" would cost them dearly if they allowed it to take hold.
The Koh Yor tambon administration organisation is making sure that doesn't happen and even mandated its opposition in writing.
In a policy outline, the TAO has dedicated two sub-sections on tourism and environmental management.
A fisherman mends his net before relaunching it in water in Songkhla Lake.
While promoting the coming together of local residents to develop and sustain their indigenous jobs, the TAO also sets out ambitious goals that have to be met, such as increasing the green areas of the islet, including the mangrove forests which are the breeding grounds of aquatic animals.
The policy priority involves supporting the rehabilitation and maintenance of natural resources and the environment.
The TAO executive says the policy manifesto was drafted in line with the residents' common desire to keep their homes out of the reach of the destructive hands of mass tourism.
The strategy is to do things simply and slowly.
Kamrop Saowakon, the Koh Yor TAO chief, concedes the islet cannot resist tourism forever, not with the Tinsulanonda Bridge linking it to the mainland.
However, the islet does not have to end up another neglected and run-down tourism destination without the residents' consent.
Mr Kamrop says Koh Yor now has about 30 home-stay places, up from only a handful recently.
Holidaymakers, including those seeking weekend respite from the security situation in the nearby southern border provinces, arrive in droves to see the culturally distinct fishing community, watch the sun set on the lake and feast on the fresh seafood.
The islet spans 15 sq km and encompasses nine villages. It is home to lush orchards of organically grown, assorted fruits, the 200-year-old Wat Tai Yor and more than a dozen southern-style, highly raised wooden houses.
Mr Kamrop said visitors also tour the must-see attraction at the Katichon Witthaya Folklore Museum which showcases local wisdom, culture and the evolving history of Koh Yor.
The TAO chief said it was vital that developments and preservation go hand in hand.
Keeping watch over local natural resources, as the TAO policy platform advocates, is about fending off the risk of "killing the goose that lays the gold egg".
"The heart of the matter is to maintain Songkhla Lake in its pristine and unpolluted state," he said.
If the lake is not polluted, fish stocks will thrive and people can make a living off them.
The lake is the reason the folks on Koh Yor are well off. "But if one day the water turns dark and putrid because selfish people take so much from nature and don't care about preserving it, the future of Koh Yor will be dire," Mr Kamrop said.
A man sells local products including the popular sun-dried fish caught in Songkhla Lake.
His belief is if people are kind to nature on which their livelihoods depend, nature will give inexhaustible returns.
Mr Kamrop runs a village homestay and he, as the TAO chair, has campaigned for a limit to be set on the number of homestay operations to be established on the islet.
"The business has to come on board and do its part in protecting nature to prevent natural degradation," he said.
The holding capacity - a tourism yardstick used to determine the amount of tourists a location can accommodate to prevent damage to local nature and facilities - has to be taken seriously.
Mr Kamrop said his two homestay houses, called Bang Bao Homestay, offer entertainment amenities such as karaoke. However, the music is programmed to a moderate level so that it is not too loud and does not cause noise pollution.
A 68-year-old resident, who calls herself Noo, said benefit sharing was an issue to be addressed. The tourism boom and the locals' livelihoods must complement each other, she stressed.
"It is nice that people from other areas can enjoy nature here," Ms Noo said.
"I also earn money from selling them deep-fried meatballs with the Koh Yor special dip."
Ms Noo is a native of Koh Yor who knows well the local culture associated with the lake.
The fisherfolk haul in their daily catch as other villagers grow some of the sweetest, most abundant fruits in the province thanks to the islet's fertile soil.
"In the old days, we paddled our boats to the market in [mainland] Songkhla. Since the construction of the bridge, our sleepy village has expanded. The homestays have made Koh Yor quite bustling," she said.
But she acknowledged the kind of modern, fast-paced reality that tourism brings could be a double-edged sword and the villagers have to be cautious of the side-effects of development.
Banharn Wanno, a 44-year-old fisherman, said fishing is a key industry on the island.
Mr Banharn says he can sometimes earn up to 5,000 baht a day selling fish and other aquatic animals caught in his traps.
He said large fish stocks are normally caught between November and December, when fish migrate to the lake from the open sea.
Mr Banharn said villagers' lives have not changed much despite the arrival of tourism on their doorsteps.
He said many residents are content to eat small fish they catch which have been sun-dried and fried in shallow oil.
"I will have to stick to this job for as long as I can," he said.
"The income is enough to make a living. Although I may get a small number of fish today, I still have hope for tomorrow. Just as long as I have Songkhla Lake."
Women stand at the end of a U-turn underpass underneath the Tinsulanonda Bridge.
Cyclists take a break during a tour of Koh Yor.
A fisherman prepares to take his boat out. He and other residents of Koh Yor prefer a boat to get around.
A local weaver works his loom to produce a signature cloth at home.