There are very few islands in Thailand which are still in the same hands as they were over a century ago. There are even fewer which have a written history covering this period. But Ko Mak is one such island. The extended family, descended from a royal tax collector named Luang Prompakdee, still owns 80% of the island and runs many of the resorts. The islanders, in conjunction with the Thai government and a German NGO have been piloting many schemes aimed at making the island Thailand's first environmentally friendly, low carbon destination by showcasing how sustainable development can improve livelihoods and been done in an affordable manner. There are several projects up and running, including hydroponic farms, a biogas plant, solar powered tour boat and hop on, hop off electric bus service.