Trat, Koh Chang, and Koh Kood Ferries.

The sea route

Trat’s island ferries form two related but distinct sea systems. Koh Chang is served by a short vehicle-ferry crossing from the mainland. Koh Kood is served from another mainland pier by passenger ferries, catamarans, and speedboats. Treating both as simply “Trat ferries” hides the geography that makes them different.

Koh Chang is the larger and more mountainous island. The Tourism Authority of Thailand describes it as Thailand’s second-largest island and the main island in Mu Ko Chang National Park. Much of its interior remains forested. The main vehicle-ferry crossing reaches the island at Ao Sapparot on the northeast coast from Ao Thammachat on the Trat mainland.

This crossing is closely tied to Koh Chang’s road system. Vehicle ferries carry cars and motorcycles as well as foot passengers. Ao Sapparot is so not just a passenger jetty. It is the point where mainland road traffic becomes island road traffic. From there, the island’s main road continues around much of the coast.

Koh Kood lies farther south in the Trat island chain. TAT describes it as the southernmost major island in the group and Thailand’s fourth-largest island. It has a much smaller settled population than Koh Chang and a quieter pattern of development. Fishing, farming, beaches, mangrove areas, and small villages remain central to its landscape.

Piers, islands, and coastal life

Laem Sok is the principal mainland ferry gateway for Koh Kood. Koh Kood Express lists its mainland ticket office there and operates passenger links between Laem Sok and the island. Its fleet categories include catamaran, conventional ferry, and speedboat. Boonsiri also identifies Laem Sok as its Trat base for catamaran services toward Koh Mak and Koh Kood.

The two mainland piers so perform different jobs. Ao Thammachat is tied to a vehicle-ferry crossing to one large island. Laem Sok is tied to passenger routes that continue through the southern Trat archipelago. These are separate pieces of infrastructure even though both ultimately connect Trat Province with offshore islands.

The island-side settlements differ as well. Ao Sapparot is primarily a ferry gateway on Koh Chang’s northeast coast. Koh Chang’s best-known communities and beaches spread around other parts of the island. On Koh Kood, Ao Salat on the northeast coast is a small fishing village that TAT highlights as a place where island life remains visible. Passenger services may use different island landing arrangements, but Koh Kood’s maritime identity is more dispersed than Koh Chang’s single vehicle-ferry gateway.

Inter-island boats add another layer. Koh Kood Express lists connections among Koh Kood, Koh Mak, Koh Wai, and Koh Chang. That turns the Trat islands into an archipelago network rather than two isolated mainland routes. A boat can connect the islands to each other as well as to Trat.

The history of high-speed passenger service is more recent than the basic need for island transport. Boonsiri says it began operations in 2013 with a high-speed catamaran linking Laem Sok with Koh Mak and Koh Kood. The company describes that service as part of an eastern Gulf passenger network. This is distinct from Koh Chang’s long-established role as a vehicle-ferry island.