It began with the original bamboo and coconut huts on the beach for twenty Baht for a night, to quite simple thatched houses, the local Phangan families decided rapidly to this incursion of outsiders otherwise named Farangs, by adapting to the business. On June the 18th 1899, the then king of Thailand King Chulalongkorn visited the islandand left his monogram as evidence on a huge boulder at Jor Por Ror Bay next to Sairee Beach. This small islandwas still under Royal Patronage in those days, but it didn't prevent these fortune seekers from staking their claim. The first generation of today's community started settling when they brought their families to Koh Taoand began to cultivate and harvest the rich earth and natural resources the island had to offer. Despite it still being under Royal Patronage, acres of land were claimed, and vacated for coconut plantations. You can still see plenty of proof of the massive plantations all over the island. KohTao's reputation spread and rapidly grew as it widely became known all over world through international travellers and adventurous visitors.
