HBO’s hit series White Lotus casted Thai global sensation Lisa and shot in Thailand, inciting a tourism frenzy at the inundated islands of Phuket and Koh Samui.
Local communities struggle with soaring rents, water shortages, and waste buildup from overtourism. Phuket, for instance, earned the title of the world’s most over-touristed city, with 118 tourists for every local resident.
The show’s anticipated visitor surge could make matters worse.
Since the show’s filming location was announced mid-2024, booking platforms like Agoda reported spikes in hotel searches in Koh Samui. Airlines like Finnair also added weekly flights to Phuket to meet demand.
“Phuket is a textbook case of infrastructure strain,” explains Kiatanantha Lounkaew, an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economics in Thammasat University.
Previously tranquil beaches like Patong, Kata, and Karon now suffer from chronic traffic congestion.
“That can mean a round-trip commute to work for locals lasting twice as long as before the pandemic,” Kiatanantha added, putting things into context.
Meanwhile, the water supply system, built for a much smaller population, regularly fails to meet demand during peak tourist seasons, leading to frequent shortages.
“The problem is particularly dire in places such as Kata-Karon, where hotels use huge quantities of water over peak season.”
The real cost of water scarcity not only manifests in strain on infrastructure, but also in local businesses paying 2-3 times higher for private water supply.
On land, the challenges are just as dire. More than 1,000 tonnes of waste are collected on Phuket every day, with projections indicating this could reach 1,400 tonnes daily by year’s end.
“The growth of Phuket city has been much more rapid than it should be,” said Suppachoke Laongphet, deputy mayor of the island’s main municipality.
For locals like Vassana Toyou, the consequences are personal. The island’s sole landfill has grown so large it replaced the mountain view from her home.
“There is no life outside the house, we just stay at home,” she told Reuters. “The smell is very strong, you have to wear a mask.”
To cope, she keeps air conditioners and purifiers running, doubling her electricity bill.
Koh Samui, the other primary filming location for White Lotus, faces a similar challenge.
The island earned the dubious distinction of appearing back-to-back on Fodor’s “No List” which highlights places where tourism is placing unsustainable pressures on the land and local communities.
Longtime residents have been displaced inland as property prices along the beaches have soared and are converted into hotels and Airbnbs.
Approximately 200,000 tons of waste also sit in landfills beyond tourist sight lines, alongside rapid mountainside development that increase risk of landslides.
“Right now we’re still facing the problem of waste management—from the community, from the hotels, from tourists,” Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, president of the Thailand Environment Institute, told Fodor’s. “The plans aren’t in place to make it a sustainably green island.”
The third season of White Lotus officially released on February 16, 2025 and is projected to drive even more tourist interest to the overwhelmed tourist destinations of Phuket and Koh Samui.
Overtourism hits Thailand, Asia at large
The local impacts of overtourism is felt across Thailand.
In Chiang Mai’s historic Old City, narrow lanes designed for local foot traffic now choke with tour buses, disrupting religious ceremonies at temples like Wat Phra Singh.
The beloved Sunday Walking Street market has become so overcrowded that locals avoid what was once a cherished community gathering.
Cultural erosion cuts deep with Bangkok’s Old Town seeing authentic traditional markets transform into tourist trap souvenir stores. In Ayutthaya, ancient temple complexes strain under excessive visitation, while hill tribe villages in Doi Inthanon and Doi Suthep find their traditional lifestyles packaged and commodified for tourist consumption.
This pattern repeats across Asia.
In the Philippines’ Siargao, soaring costs drive locals from their homes. Japanese villages near Mount Fuji have taken dramatic steps to deter tourists, even blocking scenic viewpoints to stop littering, road blockage, and disturbances. In Bali, 33,000 tonnes of plastic enter the island’s waterways every year, posing a threat to ecosystems that local communities depend on.
“Overtourism can exacerbate a conflictual relationship between tourists and residents due to visitors’ lack of respect for the local community and locals feeling overwhelmed by the crowds,” said Marta Soligo, Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
How to Support Over-Touristed Places
For tourism to better serve local communities, Kiatanantha points to three key economic principles: Circular Economy, which keeps tourism dollars within local communities; Inclusive Growth Framework, which removes barriers to local participation; and Sustainable Value Creation, which prioritizes long-term community benefits over quick profits.
These principles have played out in real situations before, offering success stories that can be replicated where needed.
Chiang Mai’s ‘Made in Chiang Mai’ certification program, for instance, helps local artisans compete with mass-produced souvenirs. Koh Yao Noi’s community fund, which receives 5% of tour operator revenues, has funded school construction and health clinic improvements. Bangkok’s Chatuchak market reserves 60% of spaces for local vendors at controlled rents.
“We need smarter crowd management, like Japan’s time-slot ticketing system for popular sites,” Kiatanantha recommended. “We should create alternative walking trails, following Penang’s example. And we must protect local communities through controlled rents and innovative waste management programs, like those in Koh Lipe.”
Tourists can also do something to reduce the adverse impacts of overtourism. Prioritize local guides and vendors, choose community-based accommodations, and venture beyond overcrowded hotspots to places like Bang Krachao, Bangkok’s “green lung.”
“I take a bottom-up approach when engaging with a destination,” said Phoebe Bulotano, a traveler who frequents Southeast Asia. “I prioritize tipping local guides, drivers, and staff since most of them are not paid well and that extra money can go a long way. I dine at local restaurants and purchase from small vendors.”
As Thailand and destinations across Asia navigate the complex relationship between tourism revenue and community well-being, the path forward involves collaboration between visitors, businesses, and local governments. The answer is not stopping tourism, but reimagining it—creating a model where economic benefits flow to local communities while preserving cultural and environmental heritage.