The pigs that roam freely on Koh Mat Sum are not native to the island. They were introduced by an inhabitant who didn't want to see them end up in the slaughter house. Four pigs apparently from the same family were brought here to add to the chickens he already had. However, the resident soon found out that pigs eat a lot of food, and he teamed up with a local tour operator who provided the food in exchange for a good piece of publicity. So, Pig Island was put on the map and it's now so popular that this island has become a symbol enticing tourists to stop over here. The result is predictable with possibly 500 tourists on the small beach at any one time needing a whole industry to ferry food and drink to the island. As for the pigs they are of different stock to those originally introduced. Some scavenge in the forest but most stay near the beach pampered by tourists to the detriment of their health.

Source: Site visit