Julian spends half of the year at Blue Lagoon Resort in Klong Prao and for several years he had the idea to build a special house but as a nature lover, he has been looking for the different ecological building ways he could use, using natural and/or recycled materials.

When Julian discovered the Earthbags houses it became for him the perfect solution for several reasons: it’s inspired by the traditional building construction, it’s very strong and durable, it’s a good way to recycled polypropylene bags, it’s cheap (except in labour), you can use directly the soil available on site and it reduces the amount a concrete needed (then the amount of sand which becomes rare and fewer trucks to transport it then less road pollution).

Earthbags houses have already been made in a lot of different countries all over the world in all type of climates, from the dry deserts of the Middle East to the frozen areas of Alaska.

What are the other benefits of earthbags buildings?

• They are effectively inexpensive.
• They are ecological,  you can fill them with soil, sand, ground,…. you avoid pollution by making concrete and transporting it to your construction site.
• The construction is strong and durable, it can resist earthquakes, cyclones, floods but they are also bullet resistant (you never know).
• Termites won’t attack the bags and you won’t need to use pesticides.
• Mould won’t start to grow on the walls.
• Your building can have the shape you want.
• The foundation is very simple.
• There is very good thermal and sound insulation.
• Building a dome will avoid the use of wood, steel or concrete.

Blue Lagoon Resort has taken part in a lot of ecological projects and they are always on the front line when it’s about nature protection and island cleaning. They of course approved the  Earthbags House project.

The house has been built to also show how it’s possible to do something with recycled bags and people who will rent it will see that you can have an ecological house without forgetting all the comfort. And hopefully, this house will give some ideas to people who will live in it.

The base slab of the house has been made of stones and gravels on a 90 cm thick layer. In this way, it’s also a natural drain for the rainwater.

The 2 first layers of bags, about 30cm high, which stand directly on the floor have also been filled with stones and gravels to block the humidity and avoid it’s absorbed by the walls.

The other bags have been filled at 95% of soil from the site. They have added coconut fibres extracted from the coconuts they had in their garden to reinforce and link the soil, water to obtain a texture close to peanut butter and 5% of cement which will accelerate the drying process of the bags.
Whitewash would be better instead of cement but the one Julian wanted wasn’t available on Koh Chang.
The main idea was to not use any sand except the one which is already inside the soil. 

After filling the bags with the mixture, they closed them like an envelope, they put them on the walls and they tamped them that the mixture inside became very compact and hard once dried.
The soil on the site contains about 25-30% of clay which was perfect for this type of construction.

Hour after hour, day after day, week after week and month after month the house started to erect from the ground.

Walls have been covered in the same way, using a mixture of soil and cement, electricity has been installed, the second floor and rood have been built...

Recycled glass bottles have been used in the bathroom wall and more bags for the bench of the patio.

After a year of hard labour, and with the help of volunteers, they succeeded in realised this beautiful house which hopefully won’t be the last one on the island.

Julian is a graphic designer, he has never built anything before as well as most of the volunteers who came to help him to realise his project.
That’s why they have done a few mistakes but it’s the best way to learn and it shows that anybody can do it.
They also got very good advice from Piak, a Thai architect who has also built at Blue Lagoon and who has a good experience in eco-building.
Three other volunteers also participated in a similar project and knew what to do.

The earthbags house is finally ready!
2 bedrooms, a bathroom, 2 WC, a relaxing area, a kitchen, 2 double-size beds, hammocks and nature all around. 6 persons can sleep in the house and if you are interested to rent it, please contact directly Blue Lagoon Resort.

The house wouldn’t be done without the help of all the volunteers. About 40 persons from different nationalities have been giving their time from one day to several weeks or even months and I couldn't end this page without thanking them.

Courtney (Freediver from Australian), Kim (Construction worker from German), Fabio (Carpenter from Switzerland), Beau (Cook from the USA), Maxim (Thai boxer from the USA), Noelia (Spain), Louise (France), Romain (France), Chloé (France), Kata, Steph, Viktor, Taraf, Stéphanie (France), Peter, Dany, Tommy (UK), Maria (Finland), Doug (USA), Kat (Germany), Manu (France), Alex (France), Delphine (France), David (France) and sorry to the others I forgot, you all did a great job!

If you are interested in this project and want to know more about it or if you just want to see this house or why not rent it, please contact directly Blue Lagoon Resort, they will be pleased to help you.

You can also follow this project on:
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/earthbagskohchang/
- Website: https://ecohousekohchang.wordpress.com

Cambodian workers make up something like 70% of the service and construction workers on the island of Koh Chang.
Some of these workers do not yet have their work papers and this means that their children cannot attend Thai schools. Without CKC, children aged between 4 and 16 years old would be left in the tin and plastic-sheet huts they call home for up to 10 hours alone or taken along to construction sites or other dangerous workplaces. CKC transports these children to and from school, they give them a hot meal every day and they also give them a chance to break the poverty cycle by giving them an education.

The Center provides a safe, nurturing environment, food and schooling to 50 children on Koh Chang.

Their goal is to give these children free education for a better tomorrow. A hand up, not a handout.

Their costs are minimal, but they do need help from generous people like you to continue this valuable work.
Their school is a non-profit organisation and receives no support from the state but survives on contributions from visiting tourists and other people out of goodwill to support the children’s needs and running costs.

Besides a donation, any help is welcome!
Whether you want to get involved in teaching, volunteering, playing football with the kids, helping out in general, etc., Cambodian Kids Care Center is the right place for you to contribute your life skills to the less privileged and make a difference.

You are welcome to visit the school. Follow the signs on the road which is on the opposite side of Ramayana Resort in Klong Prao until you arrive at the school.
They WON'T charge you to visit them and help them!

For donations please kindly transfer your contributions to the below bank account. 

Bank: Bangkok Bank 
Branch: Koh Chang Trat Branch
Address: 
9/8/1 Moo 4, Koh Chang District
Trat Province 23170 Thailand
Swift Code: BKKBTHBK
Account Name: Studybuddies Foundation Koh Chang
Account No: 741-002548-5

All of this wouldn't be possible without the different donations but also without Uan Apipanpong, their full-time teacher who is devoted to the Cambodian Kids Care Center!

Feel free to contact Uan:
- Phone: +66 859945101 or 0859945101
- Email them: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CambodianKidsCareCenter/

Even the smallest donation can help to make those kids happy and get a better start in their life!

When you will arrive at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International airport, Trat airport or even at the ferry pier, you will need to find a way to reach the place you will stay. You will have the choice between shared or private transports.
The cheapest will be shared transport but if you want your own privacy, be sure you won't stop every 20 minutes to pick up or drop somebody, have enough space and be relaxed, then private transport is the best choice.

- From Bangkok:

The most comfortable is, of course, the private car which will also be the fastest like it will go straight to the place you want.

From Bangkok to Koh Chang resort, I recommend Ing Taxi which is one of the most reliable and cheapest private drivers I know. Your safety and comfort are his biggest concern.

Up to 4 persons, it will cost 3500 baht + the ferry tickets per way. You will travel in his Toyota Innova with a/c, free bottles of water and free onboard Wi-Fi (ask it when you will book your trip). I would recommend a maximum of 3 adults + 1 child in his car. 4 adults may be too much for a 5 hours trip.
A Toyota Innova is bigger than the "standard" Toyota Camry which is proposed by a lot of travel companies.

From 4 to 9 adults you will need a minibus which will cost 5500 baht + ferry tickets per way.
The minibuses also have a/c, free bottles of water and some of them have free onboard Wi-Fi. This is what I would recommend for 4 adults, you will have more space than in the Toyota Innova. It will make the trip nicer and you can even relax and sleep and be more comfortable.

Except for the ferry tickets, you won't have to pay extra fees or a road toll, all is included and you won't get any bad surprises. The price will be the same if the driver stops you in Klong Son (northern part of Koh Chang) or in Bang Bao (southern part of Koh Chang). The payment will be done in cash and in Thai Baht to the driver at arrival.

And during the trip, if you need to stop to buy food, refreshment or to go to the toilet, just ask the driver and he will find the best place for you.

You can contact Ing Taxi directly or send me an email and I will help you to organise everything.

- From Trat Airport:

You can pick up a taxi directly at the airport but be aware he will take as many passengers as he can and the pick-up truck will be fully loaded. This is the cheapest way but not the fastest.
Most of them will drop you at the pier. You will have to buy your ferry tickets yourself, walk to the ferry with your luggage and take another full loaded taxi once in Koh Chang.

If you want to travel in peace without any trouble I recommend private transport. It will take you from the airport to your resort. The price will depend on the destination but estimate about 450 baht per person (can be less, can be more).

Send me an email if you need more information and I will provide you with the information you need.

- From Koh Chang pier:

The same story as from Trat Airport, you will have the choice between an over-loaded taxi or a private transport which will pick you up and drive you directly where you want. It will be faster than the standard taxi but of course more expensive.

- From Koh Chang:

If you come with a private driver, the best is to already plan with him the return date. The price and travelling conditions will be the same.
Be careful, sometimes the waiting time at the ferry pier can be very long, especially after long holiday weekends. Ask the driver or at your resort before planning your returning time, especially if you have a plane to catch. They will tell you if you need to leave earlier or not.

Since 2001 The Koh Chang Guide has produced Koh Chang’s most trusted, up-to-date and informative visitor guides, maps and websites. They distribute over 200,000 copies of their publications every year and their website has over 100,000 unique annual visitors. They also have an extensive social media presence.

Take a look to see how they can help to spread the word:

All of their Guide and Map customers are entitled to a Free page on their popular website about your business and bring you more customers. The Koh Chang Guide website averages over 300 unique visitors a day and is one of the internet’s most popular sources of Koh Chang information after SawadeeKohChang.com of course :)

They help you to reach customers both in print and online.

Distribution:

15,000 copies per issue distributed at hundreds of locations all over Koh Chang, in Bangkok, at Trat and Suvarnabhumi airports and via the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Worldwide guide distribution by free download at their website www.koh-chang-guide.com. Also widely available through social media.

Publication Dates are January 1st, April 1st, July 1st and October 1st.

Advertising Deadlines are November 25th, February 25th, May 27th and August 27th

For more information, please contact:

Publisher: White Sand Publications Company Ltd.

Tel: 081-919-8219 (English) 089-936-5621 (Thai/English)

E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.