to acquire about of land to build a passenger terminal capable of handling 1,000 passengers a day and a runway to accommodate turboprop aircraft such as Kan Air's ATR 72-600 series. The project, originally estimated at 900 million baht—now estimated to cost two billion baht—has faced inflated costs, delays resulting from the yet-to-be-issued environmental impact assessment and other complications, which pushed back initial plans to open in 2014. Kan Air's president claimed the airport would be open by the end of 2017. Administration Central administration Ko Pha-ngan together with Ko Tao and a few minor islands forms the district (amphoe) Ko Pha-ngan (). The district is divided into three subdistricts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 17 administrative villages (mubans). Local administration There are four subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambons) in the district: Ko Pha-ngan (Thai: ) consisting of parts of subdistricts Ko Pha-ngan and Ban Tai. Phet Pha-ngan (Thai: ) consisting of parts of subdistrict Ko Pha-ngan. Ban Tai (Thai: ) consisting of parts of subdistrict Ban Tai. Ko Tao (Thai: ) consisting of subdistrict Ko Tao. History Originally the island was administered from Ko Samui District. The minor district (king amphoe) Ko Pha-ngan was established on 1 October 1970, then consisting of the two tambons, Ko Pha-ngan and Ban Tai. It was upgraded to a full district on 12 April 1977. Ko Tao subdistrict was established on 15 August 1982 by splitting off the three administrative villages on Ko Tao Island from Ko Pha-ngan subdistrict. Environmental issues the island receives about 458,000 visitors per year. They and the island residents generate about 7,300 tonnes of solid waste per year. Untreated wastewater discharges and on-going coral bleaching are also issues. The Thai government, the local government as well as local non profit organisations such as EcoThailand Foundation or Trash Hero, local businesses such as the Sea Flower Bungalows, Sarikantang Resort but mainly locals both Thai citizens and foreigner's expatriates work for many years to continue the preservation, cleaning and restoration of the Green Island of Koh Phangan which is unique in the Gulf of Thailand. On May 2014, The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (Onep) has declared Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan districts in Surat Thani province part of an environmentally-protected zone after nine years of efforts to regulate commercial development on the islands. The Onep declaration, which came into force on May 30,