Koh Samui is turning into Thailand's latest market for million-dollar villas, according to international real estate firm CB Richard Ellis.  The firm said it has noticed an emerging market for top-end villas on the island that achieve prices in excess of $2 million. The international property consultant operates offices in Bangkok and Phuket, and has now opened a third office on Koh Samui. Since the 1980s, mass tourism has transformed the island from one that specialized in growing coconut trees, into a popular destination with hundreds of hotels and resorts.
DPA