KATA NOI, one of Phuket's finest small beaches, benefitted today from a surge of attention to mark World Environment Day.

Local residents, tourists and students from nearby schools planted 300 trees and more than 5000 goat's feet beach climbers as well as conducting a clean-up along the sand.

The CEO of the Katathani Beach Resort, Sombat Atiset, said it was the first time the public had been involved in activities. About 350 people turned up.

But Khun Sombat added that the resort was already environmentally aware to the extent that it produced its own all-purpose cleaning liquid from food scraps.

The resort has a comprehensive recycle system, he said. Ring-tops from water bottles even go towards prosthetic limbs.

Phuket's Governor, Wichai Praisa-nob, formally opened proceedings at a small exhibition of the work the resort has done for the environment.

Guest numbers are down about 30 percent on what they were in April, Khun Sombat said.

But there had been no retrenchments among the 556 staff at the 475-room resort, which runs almost the entire length of the beach.

The Katathani has had several enlargements and refits since opening two decades ago and has a high rate of returning guests.