Thai island of Samui weighs 'White Lotus effect' against environmental cost

There is unease about how to strike a balance between tourist numbers and the need to protect natural resourcesAlong the beachfront on the Thai island of Samui, vendors are busy setting up tables covered with souvenirs and sunglasses. Staff stand outside massage shops and restaurants gesture to passersby, hoping to entice in tourists.Soon, there could be even more customers passing through the area. The island is one of several locations that will feature in the third season of The White Lotus, a series so popular that its previous settings, Hawaii and Sicily, both saw surges in demand from travellers. Continue reading...