City status (2012), population growth, and Samui today

Administratively, Koh Samui is a district (amphoe) of Surat Thani province, a status formalised in the provincial reforms of the late 19th century under King Rama V (the island was included in Surat Thani's administration around 1897). In 2012 the island was upgraded to a city municipality (thesaban nakhon Ko Samui), giving it elected local government and more control over budgets, zoning, waste, and infrastructure - important for an island with heavy tourism pressure. Population figures need care: official registered population is around 40,000-70,000 depending on source and year (JRC-based estimates show ~15,000 in 1970, ~34,000 in 2000, ~41,000 in 2020), but the real number of people on the island - including unregistered migrant workers from Myanmar and other Thai provinces, plus foreign residents - is widely believed to be far higher. The island escaped the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami almost unscathed thanks to its sheltered Gulf position. Today Samui is Thailand's second-largest island by size and one of its biggest tourism economies, still formally part of Surat Thani province.

Dates

c. 1897 (Surat Thani administration); 2012 (city municipality); 2004 (tsunami spared)

Highlights

• Island administratively tied to Surat Thani since the Rama V era (c. 1897)
• Upgraded to thesaban nakhon (city municipality) in 2012
• Registered population ~15,000 (1970) to ~40,000+ (2020); real numbers higher
• Largely spared by the 2004 tsunami due to its Gulf of Thailand location

Local tips

• Official population figures understate reality - the island hosts many unregistered workers
• Local elections and the mayor matter here: Samui runs its own municipal affairs

Frequently asked questions

Is Koh Samui its own province?

No. It is a district of Surat Thani province, but since 2012 it has city municipality (thesaban nakhon) status with elected local government.

How many people live on Koh Samui?

Registered population is roughly 40,000-70,000 depending on source; including unregistered workers and foreign residents, the real figure is believed to be considerably higher.