southwest19

I am A+ blood and but I am away returning on Monday. This is not a rare blood group so not sure why the appeal? If needed I would happily d

onate but I think you have the wrong blood gropup maybe A-?

Surat airport is open I have a flight to Bangkok in 30 mins so hopefully all is well here. The roads are flooded in places b ut you can get through in a SUV or pick up.

Hi. Our 5 month old baby is in need of an operation. We have sought advice from a few hospitals here in Phuket and were told it is a relatively small procedure. The last place we went was Bangkok hospital, where the very impressive surgeon explained in detail how it could easily get complicated. He suggested we go to Surat Thani, where they have pediatric university hospital. This is a government hospital, and I can't seem to find any information on it. Can anyone tell me anything about it, or if they have any experience with it

Hi, there are 2 hospitals in Surat Thani, the first is the government hospital and the second is a private one called the Thaksin Hospital (no relation to a former pm).

I would think he is referring to the Thaksin hospital I was there only last week, it has an excellent reputation and is well known for its pediatric care. My family have used there services and so have friends of mine and I would have no hesitation in recommending them. Your baby will be in good hands and the costs are very reasonable.

A 28 year old British woman has been raped and robbed after taking a taxi from Chaweng to Lamai, a taxi driver has been charged.

I wish the victim all the best for a speedy recovery.

Click on the link for the story in the British press.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...plantation.html

Loads of threads already running about this, the third weekly episode was aired last night, and already discussed in great detail. Try having a look around the forum before starting 'new' topics

so you check the whole forum before posting.

Also try watching the programme before posting. In 3 episodes Samui only featured when a young girl appeared at the court here for a minor drug offense which occurred on KP at the FMP, she was given a small fine and allowed to return home, hardly front page news.

It's not so much the overcharging of foreigners in Thailand which bothers me but the lack of rights and opportunities compared to the ones Thai's enjoy when in our home countries. When a Thai marries and gos to the UK within a few short years they can get a British passport and nationality if they want, have the right to buy houses and land, have full access to social security benefits including free health care unemployment pay and state pensions. No matter how long we stay here when married we gain no more rights than when we were here on a two week holiday. Even if you were here 40 years you still have no rights to buy a house or land and would still have to report as the 'alien' to immigration every 90 days. This inequality is unjust and there is no good excuse for it, yet nobody seems to want to admit this never mind do anything to make life here better for ex pats. Typical response is well if you don't like it go home, but this is many people's home.

Well said, I cannot even buy a house in Thailand for my Thai wife and children to live in. International governments need to apply pressure on the Thai government to give foreigners more rights and also be told that racism is totally unacceptable in any civilised society. It may have taken along time but in the end even South Africa was forced to change their ways

Is it at all possible to buy legaly in Thailand. The company route seems to be illegal -using a nominee set up. Buying in the wifes name is illegal if the money comes from the ferang husband. So what way can a ferang buy without having the threat of future problems?

Firstly the Company route is not illegal provided the Thai shareholders are not nominees.

Secondly the Thai wife of a foreigner may own land but he must sign away his rights to the funds he gave to her for that purpose.

Thirdly, a foreigner may own a Condomnium.

Fourthly, a house (as opposed to the land it sits on) can be owned in the name of a foreigner and registered as such. The land can either be leased or held under a legal company structure - ie no nominees.

Maybe so but in reality most foriegners who have bought using a company have done so using nominee structure - as pushed by their lawyers. And as for buying in wifes name - who in their right mind would buy having to sign away rights to the funds.

I have never met anyone yet who hasn't regreted buying a house in Thailand.

You need to get out more.

The vast majority of my friends either built their own houses or bought one and I cannot think of one myself included who has regretted this. It seems to me alot of the posts on this subject are made by people who have never actually bought in Thailand.

I built a house a few hundred metres from Blessing Village and I have a few adjacent building plots for sale. Please PM me for more details and if it sounds interesting then pop round for a chat, no stings attached.

Like the tag line - No stings attached!

Haha Whoops fat fingers.

I'm sort of a Samui veteran, of sorts - been going there since 2000, have a Thai wife, etc..........

Thinking of buying a place in Samui..... this is to be a holiday home really, so I don't particularly want to be miles away from everything..... I wouldn't mind a location, something like blessing village, or in bang rak, or similar....

Where should I start looking? I don't particularly want the glitzy island tour in the big jeep, and the million baht commission of an expat real estate agent..... same time, I don't want to buy and plot from some dodgy local and build my own.......

advice, pointers, etc. all appreciated.

many thanks.......

I built a house a few hundred metres from Blessing Village and I have a few adjacent building plots for sale. Please PM me for more details and if it sounds interesting then pop round for a chat, no stings attached.

I want to buy or rent a half decent mountain bike on Koh Samui if anyone has any advice please let me know. There used to be a company called Red Bicycle which rented bikes but sadly they have closed.

Advice on routes would also be appreciated.

Cheers

John

I have a decent mountain bike I bought from the Red Bicycle shop around 2 years ago please pm me for details.

I am not one to penny pinch and I know everyone is having a tough time at the moment which is why I despair when I visit my local Thai food eatery and they have put their prices up even though they are busy!!

I know this is normal practice under the Thai business logic but when there is a worldwide recession on and everyone is finding it hard it just seems to me like a 2 fingure salute.

Maybe this is against forum rules but how about us ex-pats sticking together and supporting the venues that support us i.e, happy hours, discounts etc please list any venues you know of that are helping us in these difficult times so we can return the favour and support them.

hi, my Thai licence expires in 12 days... where can I renew it in Samui ? what do I need to bring ?

Thanks for your help

Kevin

I renewed my 1 yr license at Samui Transport office one month ago and was in and out with a 5 year one in 15 mins, you need to show the following,

1. Your expired one year license

2. A copy of your passport and visa

3. A medical certificate, I got mine form Dr A in Maenam his clinic is approx 100m before the Santiburi Hotel on the left-hand side if you were travelling from Bophut cost 100B

4. I also took a copy of my work permit though I am not sure if that is needed.

5. Arrive no later then 9.30am

You do NOT need a proof of address from immigration for renewing a license and you do not need to provide pictures, the lady who renews the license has to take the pictures they will not accept yours.

As always when visiting any government office wear appropriate clothing and a smile can go along way.

Just curious if any of the accusations being made on this thread (ie no license, teachers being fired from other schools etc) are based on known facts or just hearsay? Because if its just something you heard from your wife's cousin's husband then please don't state it as fact.

Most likely these people are supporters of Bluewater School- there is a bitter rivalry between the schools for the dwindling number of potential students on Samui and there is a lot of mud-slinging from both sides.

The bottom line is that if you live on Samui and want your child to have a quality education, you had better do your best to come up with the money to send him/her to a real school in Bangkok.

I have many friends whose children attend one of the schools mentioned ( I won't say which one) and the only mudslinging that goes on is from posters on this forum who don't know anything but what's new there.

I would think that O- was pretty easy to acquire in Thailand

Well you think wrong it is not and ignorant posts like yours do not help someone who is lying in a hospital bed who needs urgent help. I phoned my friend who is o- this afternoon who has gone to the hospital to donate blood.

southwest19,as my name might suggest i am living on Samui for 2 years,i know those areas of Samui are packed and very happy i am too for everyone,my reply to samuian was just a flippant reply, and a wind up to highdiver,was meant to be a joke,has no one got a sense of humour anymore,or is it just new age sensitive guys on TV.

I am glad to hear it I ashore you I do have a sense of humour and I am not at all sensative it is just one or two members on this forum seem to get a kick out of Samui bashing and post uninformed and misleading information such as high season starting in November and it should be packed etc it just gets a bit boring.

Happy NY.

The new year in Koh Phangan, exactly in Haad Rin, was one of the biggest (maybe the biggest) party of the last 10 years.

A lot of people came here, mostly from KPG, some 20% from Samui.

The good: not many accidents (fighting, motorbike, etc)

The bad: 100 baht ticket both on the pier and on the road from Thong Sala

After a big cry from nearly every tourist operator, now you can see only smiling faces...

In Samui i forgot the last day with sun, it's more than a week of rain, wind and clouds.

Last year was bad but not the entire week.

No tourists will ever come back after this weather.

Was it sunny in KPN?

the weather would have been the same on KPN,but when did that ever stop a good piss up,someone who was there for NYE reckoned there in excess of 40,000 on the beach,and it seems that KPN is faring better this year than Samui,unless highdiver tells us thats not so!

You obviously have not been to Samui over Xmas and New Year it is as busy as I have ever seen it I am glad to hear KP is busy too. I am also not Highdiver.

Well I had a very nice Xmas, all you can eat buffet dinner for 299 baht. It was very nice except the sprouts were chewy. He explained that he ran out of time and gave them to the Thai staff to cook. Say no more. Apart from the sprouts it was a feast. I did notice some bars were charging from 850 -1000 baht just for a dinner. Thats around the 17 -20 pounds a hit. JEEZ you can get a cheaper dinner back home in the UK for that. And when things are quiet you would think bar owners would reduce prices to get people in. Maybe they are using the Thai logic when things go quiet. no doubt the same bar owners will be crying about no customers etc in the new year and I don't see there being a high season this winter. My advice is reduce your prices rather than charge stupid prices, but then I don't own a bar so what do I know ?

One also wonders why you felt the need to start two threads in the last two weeks on the same topic plugging a certain venue in Bang Rak there are advertising packages available.

I cannot see any venue mentioned in the OPs post.

His other post was in a different forum and relevant.

The other post was on this forum and it mentioned the name of the venue and even the owners name. I standby my view why start two different threads in a matter of weeks one about where you are going for Xmas dinner and how good it is going to be and then start another telling us that he went there for Xmas dinner and what a great deal it was.

Well I had a very nice Xmas, all you can eat buffet dinner for 299 baht. It was very nice except the sprouts were chewy. He explained that he ran out of time and gave them to the Thai staff to cook. Say no more. Apart from the sprouts it was a feast. I did notice some bars were charging from 850 -1000 baht just for a dinner. Thats around the 17 -20 pounds a hit. JEEZ you can get a cheaper dinner back home in the UK for that. And when things are quiet you would think bar owners would reduce prices to get people in. Maybe they are using the Thai logic when things go quiet. no doubt the same bar owners will be crying about no customers etc in the new year and I don't see there being a high season this winter. My advice is reduce your prices rather than charge stupid prices, but then I don't own a bar so what do I know ?

One also wonders why you felt the need to start two threads in the last two weeks on the same topic plugging a certain venue in Bang Rak there are advertising packages available.

Well I had a very nice Xmas, all you can eat buffet dinner for 299 baht. It was very nice except the sprouts were chewy. He explained that he ran out of time and gave them to the Thai staff to cook. Say no more. Apart from the sprouts it was a feast. I did notice some bars were charging from 850 -1000 baht just for a dinner. Thats around the 17 -20 pounds a hit. JEEZ you can get a cheaper dinner back home in the UK for that. And when things are quiet you would think bar owners would reduce prices to get people in. Maybe they are using the Thai logic when things go quiet. no doubt the same bar owners will be crying about no customers etc in the new year and I don't see there being a high season this winter. My advice is reduce your prices rather than charge stupid prices, but then I don't own a bar so what do I know ?

299 baht? thats great, if thats what you like. some people like to go a little up market and pay more. not everyone is cheap!

I don't do cheap at all my friend. I do nice food. If you think Turkey, a very nice baked ham, roast and mashed pots, veg, macaroni cheese, coleslaw and a few Thai dishes is cheap you live in a totally different world than me. I spend my money on things I like. I paid 1.2 million for my Rocket.When I fly I go business. And you ????? I very much doubt you have the same car as your avatar, just wishful thinking ? I might be wrong but just because I enjoy a 299 baht meal doesn't make it cheap. Over 90 people had the same meal over the day and everyone enjoyed it. I know that those charging near the 1000 had very few. I, like a lot of people will pay good money for excellent service or product. What I wont pay for is expensive crap just because I happen to be on a tourist island. Maybe you will ??

I know of three different venues that were charging 1000-1200 THB and all had record Christmas Days why do you assume that it must be crap just because of their prices. I personally like being served at the table and would not want to spend my Christmas at a 299 THB buffet but that is my choice.

As someone who also flys business class I find it rather odd that you find 1000 THB expensive for a once per year dinner on Christmas Day. If you work out the price in pounds than anywhere in the world sounds expensive as the markets have decided that the British pound is pants and the British economy is in dire straits.

Nice to see the Thais doing what they do best....F^^K their country up, as they have done for the past 70 odd years.

Thais actually do fine - they just work in circumvent ways. Any other country would have been a bloddy civil war. Here we shut down the airport for a week

Try following Phillipino politics for a while if you want to feel better.

You know you are really in the sh*t when you start comparing your political situation with the Phillipines, why don't foreign investors and tourists use DR Congo or Somailia as a comparison and all of a sudden Thailand looks quite attractive and they will all come flooding back!

I wish to make a proposal: Those who can't afford to lead a decent life here,stay home, stop occupying the first row seats, the sun chairs at 4 am by the pool and yes PLEASE stop the rant!

The others, the doomsday prophets:keep on talking everything down, keep on talking about the downfall of everything, we'll keep partying!

The rest: I can not assure anything, but our business is booked out, could sell more rooms then there are, other places seeing their business picking up and ever increasing visitors, it NEVER has been different - except in 2004 when the tsunami hit just at peak season, this will never return, unless....!

A stroll along the beach, beach road I see, what I see every year, some places packed, some places empty, some medium occupancy, go to the Solo Pub or the Ark Bar, the popular places and see for yourself, after all there will be only business for those who are able to attract, be attractive and competitive....

last night beach road was quite busy, it never was really busy until the 25/26th. !

And then after a couple of days into new year it will all be over , to pick up a week later or so...if not, ahh well.... can't and don;t want to read the future, but also no intention to paint things bleak and black!

have a nice day!

we'll see...again for the countless time...yes, starting now, it will be the best of the year for two weeks (but not nearly as good as past years...overall)...then it will really suck...and forget the tsunami...that was nothing compared to what you are about to (actually already are but don't know it) get hit by...and watch...just watch, what a paradise Samui will be (i.e. businesses closed, developments and tourist gone for good) say, come Summer(because all those folks who bought tix 6 months ago and came because of that anyway now?...won't be buying)...so ya, I agree with Samuian, if you can't afford to live here (or anywhere for that matter) when the economy collapses, if you are uneducated, an idiot, no real skills (like for example most of bar owners, property agents, property soliciters, timeshare sellers, shop house builders...not to mention the so called local unsavory types...shame they can not sell land or drugs anymore...oh gee what will they do??? etc here)...best get out because there is no place for you here now...sorry that is just the truth.

After reading your post I can see which category you come under when are you leaving?

Have you ever considered this scenario.Such as the over supply of hotel rooms as HD has mentioned,the bars & restaurants popping up at every corner trying to get a slice of the pie,the spread of accomodation.No lomger is Chaweng , Lamai ,Bophut & Maenam the sole centres of hotels.They are spread far & between all over the island.

Yes tourism to Thailand in general will be affected, due to world economic crisis & Thailand's own internal problems.But if you listen to what HD is saying, about talking to some rather large tourism operators,they do anticipate such problems,but they also mention new emerding markets from packaged holidays to high end tourism.

Do I feel sorry for hotels & bars closing? No. I feel sorry for the staff, but not the operators that want to get on the gravy train without any forethought,proper market research or contingencie plans.

Samui in general is always quiet in November,low season.Check with any established business owner on the island.

You might find the odd hotel that has high occupancy, but in general,they are packaged tours thrust upon first time tourists & organised by overseas travel agents that have no knowledge,or wish not to disclose to their clients that their trip is cheap because it's rainy season.I have met a few of them last month & let me tell you they were not a happy bunch.

That is the last I will post on this subject,it does not warrant the 20+ pages,it is starting to sound like a troll to me.

I agree Roo with what you say and I think this thread has run for long enough with nothing new mattias seems to have his own agenda here.

I think we can safley disreguard alot of posts from someone who thinks high season on Samui starts in November he is obviously so well informed. I just wonder how long Mattias has actually been here?

1: Somebody force you to read it? .

2: Off and on since 2003. Lived here permanently for about 2,5 years. With a 4 month Europe-visit this summer.

About highseason in November, i said that when i managed a property in Chaweng 2 years ago, we started being fully booked in mid november. I know it´s not the highseason for hotels in general but i used it as a valuemeter. They are still empty this year and it´s 18th december now. I know there is resorts all over the island, but chaweng is a valuemeter. When chaweng is empty maenam and lamai is dead.

No-one forced me to read it but I could no longer ignore you spouting total <deleted>. So now you are backtracking you did not mean high season but in your opinion November used to be busier and you have gained this insight because you have lived here on and off since the good old days of 2003 probably more off than on.

Why don't you take a walk down Chaweng Beach Road this afternoon as I have invited you to do and open your eyes I'm afraid it is starting to get busy and more tourists will be arriving as they do every year to enjoy a holiday over Christmas and New Year.

Maybe in one week you can start a new thread complaining about the busy roads, queues at Tesco and no-where to park.

NONE of you get it!...except maybe Mathias...THE WORLD ECONOMY IS F*UCKED...people come here to spend EXTRA money...there is NONE of that for most of those people now and most that still have it don't want to spend it...HD's tourist stats...so what?...they are self-interested...who cares...the proof will be two weeks from now. YES, of course, there will be more people here than right now (people who bought tickets long ago and a few to whom the global and Thailand crisis does not matter)...but NO WAY will it be anywhere near the last 10 years...no way...we will seeeeee and if correct...that = Samui (at least tourist-wise is SCREWED).

HD,(and to you Laopo) you have some good things to offer sometimes...but you are not at all always correct. And on top of that, no mostly, it is your undeservedly pompous attitude that the rest of us who recognize your underservedliness part, take offense. Outside of that, ie if you would just state your opinions more objectively without the "I am god of Thailand forever here and speak Thai and know a bunch of moron government officials so I know the ultimate truth"...atttitude...I think we'd be okay with you (I would, at least)...but ya, tis the season so, happy holidays to you and yours HD you too LP ...and, actually, I hope I am incorrect for folks like you and others I know....but....

We all get it except maybe you and Mattias. We do understand that the world economy is going through tough times and the political situation in Thailand has not been good and next year will be very challenging for every tourist destnation not just Samui, the picture you and Mattais seem to want to paint is that these problems are unique to Samui and everywhere else is booming.

Do you seriously believe that there will be less tourists here this Christmas than there were ten years ago???? Were you here ten years ago? I bet not.

What HD was trying to say which you are obviously unable to grasp were the statistics for earlier this year not the last couple of months and if you were to belive Mattias November is normally very busy anyone who has spent anytime here would no that November is the quietest month of the year and that tourism does not start picking up on Samui until the week before Christmas.

I think tourism next year will be down and it will be everywhere not just here but incorrect posts and misinformation are not helpful to anyone.

I wish everyone a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Have you ever considered this scenario.Such as the over supply of hotel rooms as HD has mentioned,the bars & restaurants popping up at every corner trying to get a slice of the pie,the spread of accomodation.No lomger is Chaweng , Lamai ,Bophut & Maenam the sole centres of hotels.They are spread far & between all over the island.

Yes tourism to Thailand in general will be affected, due to world economic crisis & Thailand's own internal problems.But if you listen to what HD is saying, about talking to some rather large tourism operators,they do anticipate such problems,but they also mention new emerding markets from packaged holidays to high end tourism.

Do I feel sorry for hotels & bars closing? No. I feel sorry for the staff, but not the operators that want to get on the gravy train without any forethought,proper market research or contingencie plans.

Samui in general is always quiet in November,low season.Check with any established business owner on the island.

You might find the odd hotel that has high occupancy, but in general,they are packaged tours thrust upon first time tourists & organised by overseas travel agents that have no knowledge,or wish not to disclose to their clients that their trip is cheap because it's rainy season.I have met a few of them last month & let me tell you they were not a happy bunch.

That is the last I will post on this subject,it does not warrant the 20+ pages,it is starting to sound like a troll to me.

I agree Roo with what you say and I think this thread has run for long enough with nothing new mattias seems to have his own agenda here.

I think we can safley disreguard alot of posts from someone who thinks high season on Samui starts in November he is obviously so well informed. I just wonder how long Mattias has actually been here?

1: Somebody force you to read it? .

2: Off and on since 2003. Lived here permanently for about 2,5 years. With a 4 month Europe-visit this summer.

About highseason in November, i said that when i managed a property in Chaweng 2 years ago, we started being fully booked in mid november. I know it´s not the highseason for hotels in general but i used it as a valuemeter. They are still empty this year and it´s 18th december now. I know there is resorts all over the island, but chaweng is a valuemeter. When chaweng is empty maenam and lamai is dead.

No-one forced me to read it but I could no longer ignore you spouting total <deleted>. So now you are backtracking you did not mean high season but in your opinion November used to be busier and you have gained this insight because you have lived here on and off since the good old days of 2003 probably more off than on.

Why don't you take a walk down Chaweng Beach Road this afternoon as I have invited you to do and open your eyes I'm afraid it is starting to get busy and more tourists will be arriving as they do every year to enjoy a holiday over Christmas and New Year.

Maybe in one week you can start a new thread complaining about the busy roads, queues at Tesco and no-where to park.

Please forgive me for spitting out total bullox. Chaweng is very busy. And the big queues at tesco is tourists. I´m going to chaweng now, i´m prepared that it´s very busy and ready for the big crowds.

Glad you straighten out all the bullox with the real information.

Busy town, here i come.

I did not say it was very busy what I said was it is starting to get busy and it will get alot busier over the next week which is normal for this time of year.

You obviously have some issues with Samui one wonders why you bother to stay I for one whilst I realise improvements are needed am very happy here and I have many friends both Thai and Farang who share that view.

Have you ever considered this scenario.Such as the over supply of hotel rooms as HD has mentioned,the bars & restaurants popping up at every corner trying to get a slice of the pie,the spread of accomodation.No lomger is Chaweng , Lamai ,Bophut & Maenam the sole centres of hotels.They are spread far & between all over the island.

Yes tourism to Thailand in general will be affected, due to world economic crisis & Thailand's own internal problems.But if you listen to what HD is saying, about talking to some rather large tourism operators,they do anticipate such problems,but they also mention new emerding markets from packaged holidays to high end tourism.

Do I feel sorry for hotels & bars closing? No. I feel sorry for the staff, but not the operators that want to get on the gravy train without any forethought,proper market research or contingencie plans.

Samui in general is always quiet in November,low season.Check with any established business owner on the island.

You might find the odd hotel that has high occupancy, but in general,they are packaged tours thrust upon first time tourists & organised by overseas travel agents that have no knowledge,or wish not to disclose to their clients that their trip is cheap because it's rainy season.I have met a few of them last month & let me tell you they were not a happy bunch.

That is the last I will post on this subject,it does not warrant the 20+ pages,it is starting to sound like a troll to me.

I agree Roo with what you say and I think this thread has run for long enough with nothing new mattias seems to have his own agenda here.

I think we can safley disreguard alot of posts from someone who thinks high season on Samui starts in November he is obviously so well informed. I just wonder how long Mattias has actually been here?

1: Somebody force you to read it? .

2: Off and on since 2003. Lived here permanently for about 2,5 years. With a 4 month Europe-visit this summer.

About highseason in November, i said that when i managed a property in Chaweng 2 years ago, we started being fully booked in mid november. I know it´s not the highseason for hotels in general but i used it as a valuemeter. They are still empty this year and it´s 18th december now. I know there is resorts all over the island, but chaweng is a valuemeter. When chaweng is empty maenam and lamai is dead.

No-one forced me to read it but I could no longer ignore you spouting total <deleted>. So now you are backtracking you did not mean high season but in your opinion November used to be busier and you have gained this insight because you have lived here on and off since the good old days of 2003 probably more off than on.

Why don't you take a walk down Chaweng Beach Road this afternoon as I have invited you to do and open your eyes I'm afraid it is starting to get busy and more tourists will be arriving as they do every year to enjoy a holiday over Christmas and New Year.

Maybe in one week you can start a new thread complaining about the busy roads, queues at Tesco and no-where to park.

yes, mattias, I do speak the local dialect. As I said, I have lived here for 20 years.

And my point, since you apparently missed it, was that November is not the high season, but this is December now, and as far as I am aware from Samui people I know involved in the business and from guests coming over from Samui, is that Samui is dead. Which is, of course, not usual.

As a note, if you want to get civil responses you really should try dropping the aggressive attitude as it does your arguments no good.

It has been very quiet on Samui maybe quieter than usual but it has now started picking up in just the last couple of days this is quite normal as I said earlier two planes that I have collected friends from were both full and Chaweng Beach road yesterday afternoon was alot busier than this time last week and I think it will get alot busier over the next few days.