The navy does not ban women wearing bikinis on its beaches but asks visitors for their cooperation in not doing so, its spokesman said on Friday.

The navy asks that visitors not wear bikinis on its beaches for the sake of "order and in accordance with Thai culture and tradition".

The spokesman was responding to a July 27 Facebook post on the "Quotidien de Thailande" account of a photo showing a "No Bikini" sign on Koh Samae San, off Chon Buri province. The island is navy territory.

He said such signs were aimed only at persuading tourists not to wear bikinis. The navy did not ban bikinis.

The signs were being removed and would be replaced with new ones to create a better understanding of the navy's intention to encourage a conservative form of tourism, the spokesman said.

Koh Samae San is a tourist attraction but it is under the jurisdiction of the navy. The number of visitors was limited and they were not allowed to stay overnight, drink alcohol or gather in noisy groups.