The ring road (Route 4169), 1967-1973

The single most transformative event in Samui's modern history was the ring road. In 1967, the island's leader - the poo yai ban of Nathon, Khun Dilok Sutiklom (sometimes written Dilokritthikan) - asked the Thai government for help building a road around the island. Before machinery arrived, hundreds of local people cleared the path by hand. The hardest stretches, between Nathon and Maenam and between Lamai and Chaweng, required dynamiting through rock, and monsoon rains repeatedly delayed work. Concrete arrived from Bangkok around 1972, and by about 1973 the roughly 52 km road was complete. It is still the island's main road, Route 4169, now widened for modern traffic. The road ended Samui's internal isolation: villages that had been a day's walk apart were suddenly minutes apart, trade grew, and the island became ready - for better and worse - for tourism.

Dates

1967 (start) - c. 1973 (completion)

Highlights

• Initiated in 1967 by island leader Khun Dilok Sutiklom
• Built partly by hand, with dynamite used on mountain sections
• Completed around 1973; about 52 km around the island
• Still the main road today: Route 4169

Local tips

• Driving the full loop of Route 4169 takes about 1-1.5 hours without stops - a good way to see the island's geography
• The steep sections between Lamai and Chaweng are where the rock was blasted

Frequently asked questions

When was Koh Samui's ring road built?

Construction began in 1967 and the road was completed around 1973.

How long is the Samui ring road?

About 50-52 km. It loops the whole island as Route 4169.