Coral Briefs 1

What do you get when you put Royal Phuket Marina owner Gulu Lalvani and Bill Gates together? Answer: a plan for a private island. Fortunately, the plan is not to take over an island that already exists; unfortunately the plan is to build one that doesn't.

With an archipelago in its backyard, Phuket would seem the last place to need an artificial island, yet Lalvani plans to build what amounts to a $200m, three-kilometer-long facility with luxury homes and berthing facilities for megatoy owners like Abramovich, Gates and Allen. Apparently existing facilities at Lalvani's marina (the 'Royal' part of the name seems entirely Lalvani's brand creation) are too shallow for the kind of tubs Paul Allen (who owns the world's largest private yacht) and friends motor around in.

The island is to be located 1.9 kilometers off the east coast of Phuket—its effect on local fishing grounds, tidal flows and so on is unknown. Presumably the authorities have given the green light, anticipating the windfalls of cash such a project is likely to bring.

No one would want to criticize Gates for leading the way in giving away a fortune. But what could 200 million bucks do towards trying to solve Thailand's huge garbage problem, for example? Garbage management for most rural areas in Thailand is non-existent, especially for the islands off Thailand's coast. No doubt Lalvani will employ locals with boats 24/7 to scoop up offensive trash from the surrounding waters of the planned island retreat.

Reuters reports that Phuket millionaire has plans to build a man-made island off Phuket for the world's richest people to moor their luxury yachts.