Tourism business operators on Koh Samui want the government to go ahead with plans to promote the island as a wellness destination and connect the mainland to Koh Samui via a bridge.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan and organisations over the weekend paid a visit to Koh Samui to discuss the tourism situation.

The Samui Spa Association backed the plan to push Koh Samui as a health resort or wellness destination.

The group also talked about a prospect of building a bridge connecting Nakhon Si Thammarat province to Koh Samui.

The bridge might also help reduce the cost of living in Koh Samui as all shipping and transport could be done via road. It will not only offer a new travel option to the island but also provide a more convenient route for locals, the president of the Samui Association said.

The bridge's construction would be supervised by the Transport Ministry, which has conducted a survey into the proposal.

The report found that a bridge would benefit people in Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and those who live on the mainland and be worth the initial cost.