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In the 1930's,
the Thai government realised the strategic advantage of Koh Tao
as a penal colony and started to relocate a number of political
prisoners from camps on the west coast to a new facility built
on the island.
From the
island, surrounded for miles by ocean, there was little or no
chance of escape.
In 1944
with a change of government, after all prisoners were freed and
given an official pardon, the prison camp was closed down. As
'regular'
people started to arrive, three main settlements emerged and to
this day, Haad Sairee, Ban Mae Haad and Chalok Ban Kao.

Unlike
neighbouring Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, Koh Tao remained untouched
by tourism for many years.
Then, in the late 1980's the first Samui based dive operators
began running overnight live-aboard trips and were amazed by what
they saw.....
.... crystal
clear waters boasting an awesome array of colour and coral reefs,
alive with an incredible diversity of marine life.

Soon dive
operators began re-locating to Koh Tao realizing they had uncovered
a wealth of untouched beauty.
Today,
Koh Tao remains one of S.E. Asia's most beautiful islands and
has the image of a "picture-postcard" tropical escape!
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