Ko Kut
 Ko Kut, Bang Bao | |
 | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 11°39′N 102°32′E / 11.650°N 102.533°E |
| Adjacent to | Gulf of Thailand |
Ko Kut (Thai: เกาะกูด, pronounced [kɔ̀ʔ kùːt]), also known as Koh Kood, is an island in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is administered as part of the Ko Kut District in Thailand's Trat Province.
Description
[edit]Ko Kut is located in Thailand. The island is the largest of the dozen islands administered as part of the Ko Kut District. The economy of Ko Kut is centered around fishing, agriculture, and tourism. Some sources have described the island as being relatively remote and underdeveloped.[1][2] The island's remoteness and lack of development make it a potential hub for ecotourism.[3][4][5]
History
[edit]The island and the entire Trat province emerged as a crucial trading hub during the Rattanakosin era (1782-1932) due to its strategic location on the route to Siam's capital city. As the Eastern traffic intensified, pirates began to gather in this region and its neighboring islands.[6]
Following the decline of the piracy era, the island's inhabitants primarily relied on cultivating rubber, fruits, and coconut trees until the development of a local tourism industry in the 1990s. [citation needed]
Dispute
[edit]The Ko Kut dispute involves a sovereignty disagreement between Thailand and Cambodia over Ko Kut. Historically, Ko Kut was disputed between Thailand and Cambodia in the mid-1960s.[7]
Under the 1907 Siamese-French Border Treaty, a continuation of an earlier agreement between Siam and France, which controlled Cambodia at the time, France ceded some of its previously claimed territory around Ko Kut to Siam, including several small islands in the Sea of Siam.[8] After Cambodia's independence in 1954, despite Cambodia's claims to several sea areas and islets around the border, the 1907 Treaty remained the legal basis for the recognition of Ko Kut as part of Thailand. Consequently, despite Cambodia's claims, Thailand retained control over Ko Kut under this international treaty, which designated the island as part of Siam (now Thailand).[9]
In recent years, the dispute has gained renewed attention. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has emphasized the need for "political maturity and national responsibility" in handling sensitive sovereignty issues, advocating for peaceful negotiations rather than public confrontation.[10] Thai officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, have reaffirmed Thailand's sovereignty over Ko Kut, citing the 1907 treaty as the legal foundation for Thailand's control. They maintain that ongoing maritime boundary discussions do not affect the island's status as part of Trat Province.[11]
The dispute highlights broader issues of national sovereignty, historical legacies, and regional diplomacy in Southeast Asia. While Ko Kut remains internationally recognized as part of Thailand, the disagreement underscores the complexities of territorial and maritime claims in the region.
References
[edit]- ^ "Cambodians jailed for brutal attack on French tourists on Koh Kut". Bangkok Post. AFP. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
- ^ Luekens, David. "10 alternative Thai islands for those who hate crowds". CNN. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
- ^ "Thailand's Tourism Recovery Hinged On Tapping Into 227 Million Strong Domestic Marketplace". Hospitality Net. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
- ^ Vichit-Vadakan, Vincent (2018-01-17). "Koh Chang to Koh Kood: island-hopping around eastern Thailand". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ Haensel, Nanda (2020-03-08). "A travel guide to Koh Kood: Resorts, beaches, jungles, and waterfalls on this Thai island". AsiaOne. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ Pilar (2023-07-05). "KOH KOOD: AN IDYLLIC PIRATES ISLAND IN THAILAND". Retrieved 2024-01-26.
- ^ St John, Ronald Bruce (1998). Schofield, Clive (ed.). The Land Boundaries of Indochina: Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (PDF). Boundary and Territory Briefing. Vol. 2 (6). International Boundaries Research Unit, Department of Geography, University of Durham. p. 43. ISBN 1-897643-32-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023 – via www.durham.ac.uk.
- ^ Franco-British Rivalry over Siam, 1896–1904
- ^ "A no man's land is key to unlocking a 20-year Thai-Cambodian spat". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ "Hun Manet stresses political maturity in resolving Koh Kut dispute". Kiripost. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ^ "Thailand denies Koh Kut territorial loss to Cambodia amid MoU dispute". The Thaiger. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
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