The first settlers on the island were fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and possibly southern China around 1500 years ago. Samui, then named "Pulo Comam" is charted on Chinese maps dating from the late 1600's.

The name Samui is thought to have come from the "Mui" tree which grows around the island. Briefly occupied by the Japanese during the second world war, the local people are proud of their self -sufficient island heritage and consider themselves as Samui people first and Thai second.

The population of Samui is around 50,000 people predominantly of the Buddhist faith, along with smaller Muslim and Chinese communities, the locals of the island live together in relative peace and harmony.

The first roads where built back in the early 1970's. A slow and painstaking operation as dynamite blasting was required to clear mountainous areas between Chaweng and Lamai, the hill before Nathon coming from Maenam also proving to be a difficult section. Heavy seasonal rain slowed progress as did the difficulty with landing heavy earth moving machinery on the island.

On completion the road measured 56kms around the island and later linking up with more new roads accessing other areas.