The swelling tide of tourists to a Thai island has brought it to the brink of irreversible damage, say Thai officials. The tourists, in other words, are destroying what they came to see.

This week, the director general of Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said that Koh Tachai - an increasingly popular destination, especially for scuba divers - would not reopen after the incoming monsoon season.

Koh Tachai is the northernmost of the Similan Islands, in the Andaman Sea, which are known for their idyllic white sand beaches, crystalline waters and delicate coral reefs. The Similan Islands are often reached by boat from the giant tourist hub in Phuket.

During peak season, tour companies sell diving packages to tourists who come to the island and support a fledgling pop-up economy there. According to a Bangkok Post article, a university dean who spoke Sunday at a tourism fair organised by the government said 14 companies were still selling packages to Koh Tachai.