Samui Coconut

Does anyone know where I can buy a good set of Binoculars from on Samui?...

Some hot girls have moved in over the road from me and my eyes aren't what they used to be...

For someone like you the ones at Tesco should suffice.....

Can anyone tell me any info about this web-site? I want to book some accommodation with them but am wary as they are not very well known.

Thanks.

Why you wanna book through a website which is not really known, has out-dated info and is more expensive than others ????

They were supposed to open for business in November. Now their websites are closed down - samuiaquawall.com and samuiaquapark.com Does anyone have any recent info? Are they still on? Tony

============

We have some difficulties with Construction Company and building permit which was issued in the wrong way. Now we've changed that and get official approval letter from Head Department in Suratthani. We’ll start a new complain and announce new opening date in a few month when we complite all preparations.

Best wishes, Oleg

Project MD

You must not have some but MAJOR difficulties as it seems. You had a big opening party nearly a year ago selling/renting portions at Samui Palm Beach of the project and NOW you say you have some difficulties ???

How you gonna try to rent out anything again ??? Nobody will give you any Baht coz the whole deals stinks and I bet any amount that this project will NEVER materialize......Just money laundering and fooling people.......a load of BS .....!!!!!

It was reported in the BKK Post that a young boy was killed by a falling mango tree from the high winds we have had the last few days. Does anyone know where exactly this happened or how to get in touch with someone who does?

Thanks,

PA

Whats the motive? Just out of curiosty, are you writing a book, or are you just nosy? Actually i am just nosy, but still, find your question a bit odd... .

I read it was in Surat .......and why you wish to know ? Odd, you are right........

RESORT DEVELOPMENT

Koh Samui land prices take off

By Chankit Trakoolwilai

The Nation

Koh Samui

Published on May 6, 2008

An influx of money from developers has spurred demand on the island

Land prices in Koh Samui are expected to rise between 20 per cent and 30 per cent a year as a number of property firms expand their investment in sectors such as retail, residential-project developments, hotels and resorts, Thailand Estates Corporation (TEC)'s chief executive Chaiyagarn Sudamphanthorn said.

TEC is a local property developer on the island.

He said land prices in Koh Samui have risen from Bt10 million per rai in 2003 to Bt60 million per rai this year for land designated for retail and commercial use.

Meanwhile, price of land designated for residential projects and located close to the beach is now between Bt15 million and Bt25 million per rai.

Land located on the hills is available for Bt5 million to Bt15 million per rai.

Chaiyagarn said demand for land in Koh Samui registered strong growth after a number of retail companies invested in the island.

These companies include Siam Makro, Tesco Lotus and Big C.

A number of luxury hotel-and-resort companies have also grown their investment in the island.

According to research by international property agency Colliers International Thailand, about 12 luxury hotels are under construction and are expected to start

operations between this year and 2011.

The cumulative value of the hotel projects is Bt30 billion.

These projects include Santiburi Residence, Conrad Koh Samui Resort & Spa, W Retreat & Residence, Dusit Resort Samui, Banyan Tree Koh Samui, Intercontinental Resort Samui, Park Hyatt Koh Samui, Vana Belle Luxury Collection Samui, X2 Resort Samui, Ibis Samui, IMM and The Sarann.

Given the strong demand for real estate in Koh Samui, Chaiyagarn estimates that land, especially stretches close to the beach and commercial areas, will touch Bt100 million per rai by 2011.

Sinthoranee Property's managing director Wuttichai Phaoenchoke, who recently expanded his business in Koh Samui and has developed a residential project under The Sea brand, said the company has invested in the island because it believes that demand for residential projects, especially from foreign investors, has strong potential.

The company also plans to launch a new resort development in Koh Samui this year.

Whats the Thai law on this as i want to know how much security should i get............

Shoot first and ask questions later.......

how about zico's ,they can cater for you ,and not always busy

....or perhaps'Eat Sense'......

Hello everyone . I am new to this forum and was wondering if anyone can help me. I am trying to find out if this restaurant still exists : Villa Bianca Restaurant 79/3 Moo 1.Bophut Beach Koh Samui. It is owned or part owned by a good friend of mine Guido.However, i have since lost all contact details for him and his restaurant website is down. I was planning to (surprise) visit him very soon, but do not want to travel all the way from London and be disappointed. Can anyone help.

Thanks ..... xxx

So, he's still there....and last time I was there he was 'engaged' with a Dutch Lady...don't know whether that disappoints you or not ?

LaoPo

Let me assure you no more, actually loooooong time we are talking 2-3 years ago......and I know the Dutch lady......

I don't see where the OP has said she is asking for money, just that he wonders if she is working in a legitimate massage place or not. So, anyone in the know want to set the OP straight or shall we all just give him relationship advice instead

Since SBK has given us the option, I vote for relationship advice.

Me too..

If you love her go for it. If not you should not be asking the question.

You are still alive ???

Long time no 'see'

Nearly 1 year.......must be beached somewhere far away ........

Even though the OP was not looking for a restaurant review, I agree, good food, good service and expensive...and Guido is still the co-owner (Malcolm is the other guy)

So even though the OP wasn't looking for a review, you deicded to make a point of that then actually give one yourself..

Excellent !!!!

Still better than posting something which has nothing to do with the topic......

And BTW, I have sent contact details to OP already.....

What does 'extra services' mean? Is that in reference to a facial?

Well, not the facial you are thinking about

Hello everyone . I am new to this forum and was wondering if anyone can help me. I am trying to find out if this restaurant still exists : Villa Bianca Restaurant 79/3 Moo 1.Bophut Beach Koh Samui. It is owned or part owned by a good friend of mine Guido.However, i have since lost all contact details for him and his restaurant website is down. I was planning to (surprise) visit him very soon, but do not want to travel all the way from London and be disappointed. Can anyone help.

Thanks ..... xxx

Still there and open (as of last night). Food/service, upmarket and excellent.

Even though the OP was not looking for a restaurant review, I agree, good food, good service and expensive...and Guido is still the co-owner (Malcolm is the other guy)

Did you read that ?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/26Apr2008_news27.php

So many spelling mistakes tooooooo

The guys with a good running business dont have time to reply these threads on TV because they work 70 hrs a week...

The guys with a good running business wouldn't be working 70 hrs a week !

:D

so so true!!!!

Wrong, they are working 80 hours up....that's the reason they are good running

56K winds on Monday!?!? Is that like tornadoes?

Well not really..."Most tornadoes have wind speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 110 mph (177 km/h), are approximately 250 feet (75 m) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometers) before dissipating. Some attain wind speeds of more than 300 mph (480 km/h), stretch more than a mile (1.6 km) across, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km)"

Source:

Over here they are Cyclones, preferable Thai-Fun! The peaks of some Gust's will reach this speed...

As long as one doesn't have to live in a makeshift shelter on the Beach, there is not much going to happen!

It was pretty windy outside last night which resulted in a power cut until 9.30am this morning in Bangrak.....

Hi ,

I want to get a thai drivers licence and am based in samui. I have a full UK licence (photo licence) a work permit and a thai company registered in samui.

I have searched the forum already and am getting varying reports. Has anyone done it recently? Do you actually need to get there at 9am and do the tests etc? or will they just swap the licence over? It seems different people have different experiences.

I know this probably comes up all the time but just wanted to know what the latest situation is.

Also, does a work permit count as proof of residence or will i still need to get a letter from immigration?

thanks.

Immigration letter is a must and so is the test, even though you have a valid license....

With that name I would not expect a female member anyway ....

Samui Coconut

I think the article in Bangkok Post to which you refer is wery wise. Many opinions and replies on this topic has a background from personell feelings and subjective meanings. But this article is based on realyties and facts. And to people who make complais over a high prices to go with Bangkok Air I will say there are a lot of other possibilities if you want to go to Bangkok. From Surrathani there is 2-3 low-carry companies who bring you there for cheap money. Or you can take a bus up there, or speedboat to Chupong and bus from there.

If you get your self a Samui Resident card they give you 20 % dicount.

I hope this talk about a 2. airport is dead and gone forever, and we insted try to take care of the beaty and envirmont on this Island.

Seconded.

Excerpt:

"The ugly downside is that Bangkok Airways, as the sole owner of the existing airport, engages in monopolistic practices that enrages locals. The airport maintenance tax of 300 baht (which does not exist at any other domestic airport in Thailand) is just one example of squeezing money out of passengers. Everyone on the island has suffered at one point or another from the airline's high-handed disregard for its customers. Flight delays are more the rule than the exception."

I always hear people complain about BKK Airways' prices.

In the '80's they took the risk of buying land, building the airport, buying airplanes and hiring a lot of staff, next to the promotion, to operate the route (first just BKK>>>Samui vv)

Nobody could foresee whether it would be a profitable investment or not. That is the risk of doing business.

Now that it is a huge success, people who never heard before of Koh Samui, Koh PhanGan and Ko Tao, are complaining....

Nobody is forcing anybody to come to Samui. There are many beach places left to be reached with a cheap bus-fare from BKK.

Note: BKK Airways did the same thing, opening/re-structuring TRAT airport, making Koh Chang a fly-to destination instead 5-6 hours by bus.

Monopoly: ? Yes, so is Windows and I haven't seen a thread yet, coming from Samui, from Expats or locals complaining they are 'forced' to use Windows...?

LaoPo

The article is copied from the BKK Post and NOT written by me, thus not necessarily my opinion, so no need to lecture or trying to convince me.......I do not want a second airport either........

SamuiCoconut, is this your letter or is this one found online? If so, please post a source, thanks.

No its not mine, its BKK Post Post bag, sorry.....I thought it was copied/pasted as well....

Who wants a new airport on Samui?

The spectre of a new airport continues to haunt Koh Samui. As your April 3 edition reports, a public hearing was organised on March 12, furnishing fresh information and allowing the general public to voice its opinions and grievances.

The "majority support" stated in your headline is misleading. The majority (of 342 people) who attended the meeting, encouraged by interested parties, may have given their support. But even so, a majority vote cannot change the fundamental issues - something that none of the past discussions have examined in a comprehensive and objective manner.

These include the basic geological unsuitability of the site, the exorbitant costs of expropriation and landfill, the environmental impact, and the ultimate futility of creating a second airport when the problem of the first can be addressed.

Once one has reviewed these issues logically, one can only be troubled by the nagging thought that, based on the fundamental infeasibility of the airport project and consequent waste of resources, that either a personal vendetta against Bangkok Airways, or a grand plan for financial gain must be at play.

By default, a project of these proportions will invite the age-old practice of money under the table and kickbacks proportional to the size of the budget.

Land expropriation: Supporters of a new airport have already drawn up complete plans for its construction without consulting the local community. The area envisioned for the new airport used to be Samui's largest rice growing basin (thung naa) and is still subdivided into small plots owned by hundreds of families.

Many people in Na Mueang district are opposed to the idea of an airport next door, and any expropriation plan will have to deal with hundreds of different parties and separate court cases.

In addition, it is rather naive to assume that 500 million baht will be sufficient for land expropriation. Appreciation in land values on Samui is one of the highest in Thailand, and for a 2,100-rai property in the thung naa area of Na Mueang even 1 billion baht would not suffice.

It is also naive to believe that the costs involved in building the airport would be in the area of 1 billion baht. Realistically speaking, we are looking at an amount well in excess of 2 billion baht.

Geology: The area in question constitutes an expansive floodwater basin acting like a sponge for excessive seasonal rain water runoff from the mountains to the north. That is why, with the right type of clay soil and seasonal flooding, the terrain was indeed ideal for growing rice, and should be earmarked for an enlarged water reservoir in future.

By contrast, one would in fact be hard pressed to find a less suitable site for building a runway, which needs to absorb the impact of heavy planes landing.

Both the top soil and in particular the geological strata below are by nature clayey and unsupportive compared to rock, gravel or sand. Therefore, in order to build a foundation suitable for a runway, large-scale excavation and re-fill would need to take place. As the bedrock only starts at a depth of 80 metres, piling is an unlikely option.

Because of the natural cycle of seasonal (at times severe) flooding, not only the runway but all other utility areas such as terminals, will need to be raised at least two metres above the level of the existing rice fields. Due to the scarcity of suitable soil on the island, large-scale landfilling is a very costly undertaking.

Once the area can no longer function as a flood plain, many surrounding residential areas and roads would be subject to severe flooding, unless a floodwater diversion system of large proportions is built to deal with this problem.

Bangkok Airways: There are many good things to be said about Bangkok Airway and one can only admire Dr Prasert's pioneering vision to invest hundreds of millions of baht to build a private airport on Samui.

Whether one feels that this was positive or negative for the island is a matter of perception and personal opinion. Fact is, investment on the island increased tremendously and many upmarket hotels and residential homes were built as a direct consequence of this development.

Samui can pride itself in being home to one of Asia's most beautiful airports. Using a combination of simple yet aesthetically pleasing architecture and well-maintained gardens, the airline has made a serious effort in providing a beautiful gateway for Koh Samui What is more, with its recent completion of a new terminal and facilities, passenger capacity has been increased significantly.

The ugly downside is that Bangkok Airways, as the sole owner of the existing airport, engages in monopolistic practices that enrages locals. The airport maintenance tax of 300 baht (which does not exist at any other domestic airport in Thailand) is just one example of squeezing money out of passengers. Everyone on the island has suffered at one point or another from the airline's high-handed disregard for its customers. Flight delays are more the rule than the exception.

Understandably, many people are disgruntled. However, building a new airport is not the solution to this particular problem. It would be like shooting sparrows with cannons or prescribing unnecessarily expensive medication, which only addresses the patient's symptoms. If indeed the problem is Bangkok Airways, then why not address this issue directly and force the company to improve its services, allow other airlines to operate, and charge more reasonable prices?

I believe hotel operators and local organisations (if they join hands) are in a very strong position to achieve this.

Impact on infrastructure and environment: The desultory state of Koh Samui's infrastructure, public facilities and services simply cannot cope with increasing numbers of residents and visitors. In fact, more and more visitors are choosing not to return to Koh Samui because the glossy brochures do not always match the reality of its increasingly damaged environment.

Surely, slowing development to resolve existing problems before they completely get out of control would be the wisest choice.

Conclusion: It appears there will be no problem raising funds (to the tune of 2 billion baht) to build a new airport. A concerted effort to address and deal with many of the problems plaguing Samui today would cost a lot less. The present dispute over the new airport should be seen as an opportunity to re-examine Samui's present state of development. Instead of more indiscriminate development and building, the island urgently needs visionary planning based on sustainable tourism concepts.

We should not allow this beautiful island to become another victim of short-sighted and destructive, big-money politics. Efficient solutions to the island's present problems, the long-term effect on limited natural resources and ultimate sustainability should be carefully considered before any more development takes place.

This is the Samui way.

May be can merge these 2 threads.....

What Day Does Songkran Start In Koh Samui?

11eh 12 th and 13th

Judging by history, the 12th will be a slow start while the 13th will be the main day, on 14th all back to normal and no need for umbrella, condom etc.....

NO need for condoms on 14th? Something I havn't heard about ????????

Sorry, meant rain capes, ponchos etc, you know, these cheap plastic thinks you slipp into when you get hit by unexpected rain.....

11eh 12 th and 13th

Judging by history, the 12th will be a slow start while the 13th will be the main day, on 14th all back to normal and no need for umbrella, condom etc.....

Back home we always used vinegar! boil the kettle add the vinegar, on completion empty, rinse, fill reboil and discard, kettle is then good as new.

Thanks JohnC will give it a try, presumably you use white vinegar or will any kind do?

White vinegar is better.

Yeap, no need tp use Aceto Balsamico de Modena......

You are all to slow! Office is at the Airport, 077-601331 FYI: Royal Orchid Member pays 15.000 miles return ticket + 1.810 THB on tax (return)

congratulations "Claude" !

in just 29minutes you get the answer byself.

Next time....just ask "Google" he know everything, if he don't know...call the THAI Contact Center at +66-2-3561111

Chok dee khrap

Chayaphum

Very intellectual post indeed.....