Koh Samui: For sale and gathering dust - island that catered to foreigners is completely deserted

[ExpatOilWorker]

20 hours ago, tifino said:

I just go to Koh Samui webcams on WWITV

 - and tomorrow night will be the same as last night... 

 - the rare subbakers on the beach, sometimes makes it worth the trouble ????  

WOW, it really is like a ghost town.

[3NUMBAS]

yes afraid the bubble has burst like the dutch bubble of the 17th cent

 

Tulip mania was a period in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637. It is generally considered the first recorded speculative bubble. Wikipedia

Period: 1636 – 1637

[spidermike007]

My first time there was in the mid 1980's. Amazing. I moved there around 2005. It was still a paradise.

 

It has steadily gone downhill with totally unchecked development. This pause is likely good for the island in the long term, though it is going to be quite painful for many. Occupancy was already way down well before Covid. 

 

Lamai, Bhoput and Maenam are showing some signs of life. But, the island is very quiet. Alot of shuttered businesses and seems like more, the longer things progress without foreigners arriving. 

 

Word is, there are over 100 hotels and resorts for sale, for up to 50% off their "former values". Samui is in for a major reckoning. 

Edited July 15, 2020 by spidermike007

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

the fish must be happy as no disturbance ,,back to nature for the islands

Dolphins swimming around Samui.

More than 18 turtle nests on the quiet southern beaches.

Hornbills back on the Angthon Marine park islands

Stingray spotted off Chaweng beach.

Very good snorkelling.

 

[worldfun]

On 7/11/2020 at 10:44 PM, SoilSpoil said:

Prachuap Khiri Khan's boulevard was teeming with locals and foreigners yestetday. Beautiful beach promenade, local night markets and plenty of budget hotels. No need for extortionate taxi prices. Just value for money.

don't spread the word or prachuab will soon become the next chaweng! but the length of those beaches combined with chomphun is impossible to fill ???? there's always a nice place to chill in the LOS for those who venture out and beyond...

[thaibeachlovers]

On 7/14/2020 at 6:26 PM, Awinkl said:

Well, it's maybe not fair to just blame Thai's for the current situation - or the overdevelopment of the Place. I think Farangs were also quite happy to "play-along" in the GREED-GAME. Whenever I visited there, I always felt that the Locals & the Farangs living there felt like they were better than any-other-place ... and looked down on fellow visitors.....? And now ..... everybody is crying foul???

Perhaps, when all the Covid issue will finally be over ..... maybe the various Tourist places all around the world who suffer now - being empty ... will learn to be more appreciative ..... of Visiting Tourists???

Farangs don't own any land so the development isn't down to them. Of course it was done to attract farangs that wanted more than basic huts, but it didn't have to happen in the way it did. It could have been done in a way that preserved the good nature.

 

maybe the various Tourist places all around the world who suffer now - being empty ... will learn to be more appreciative ..... of Visiting Tourists???

Doubt it. That's not human nature.

They will probably just put the prices up, then wonder why they don't get enough customers.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, worldfun said:

don't spread the word or prachuab will soon become the next chaweng! but the length of those beaches combined with chomphun is impossible to fill ???? there's always a nice place to chill in the LOS for those who venture out and beyond...

I once stayed on one of those beaches. Miles all to ourselves. Unfortunately the sandfleas bite was not pleasant.

[Youlike]

On 7/11/2020 at 4:48 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Chaweng is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen

Go see the mediterranean beaches which are much more beautifull than chaweng with it's seaweed and noisy nightclubs, oh did i mention the smelly drains?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mediterranean+beach&iax=images&ia=images

[rumak]

1 hour ago, worldfun said:

don't spread the word or prachuab will soon become the next chaweng! but the length of those beaches combined with chomphun is impossible to fill ???? there's always a nice place to chill in the LOS for those who venture out and beyond...

shhhhhhhhh !!    

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

My first time there was in the mid 1980's. Amazing. I moved there around 2005. It was still a paradise.

 

It has steadily gone downhill with totally unchecked development. This pause is likely good for the island in the long term, though it is going to be quite painful for many. Occupancy was already way down well before Covid. 

 

Lamai, Bhoput and Maenam are showing some signs of life. But, the island is very quiet. Alot of shuttered businesses and seems like more, the longer things progress without foreigners arriving. 

 

Word is, there are over 100 hotels and resorts for sale, for up to 50% off their "former values". Samui is in for a major reckoning. 

I reckon some serious players are going to buy up the hotels once they get cheap enough, to make a killing once tourism resumes.

[elliss]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Dolphins swimming around Samui.

More than 18 turtle nests on the quiet southern beaches.

Hornbills back on the Angthon Marine park islands

Stingray spotted off Chaweng beach.

Very good snorkelling.

 

 Just proves Corvid 19 , does have a purpose .

    Mother Nature , is the winner , naturally ..

[Tropicalevo]

3 hours ago, Youlike said:

Go see the mediterranean beaches which are much more beautifull than chaweng with it's seaweed and noisy nightclubs, oh did i mention the smelly drains?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mediterranean+beach&iax=images&ia=images

You are not keeping up to date.

Chaweng is dead. The beach is glorious. Lots of fish in the sea. There are no noisy nightclubs. No smelly drains when I was there last Thursday. Please try and keep up with everyone.

[evadgib]

18 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Dolphins swimming around Samui.

More than 18 turtle nests on the quiet southern beaches.

Hornbills back on the Angthon Marine park islands

Stingray spotted off Chaweng beach.

Very good snorkelling.

 

A substantial mermoration of Eurasian bee-eaters is currently passing through and stocking up on the vast number of airborne insects and can be seen/heard at last light while walking the dog in the hills. Other regular visitors doing same include Swallows, Martins and an assortment of waders including the ground-dwelling Red Wattled plover (resident all year) that tells us where the dog is! ????

(You're never further than 10 mins from David Attenborough's backyard on this island unless you want to be) 

Edited July 16, 2020 by evadgib

[Tropicalevo]

My next door neighbour had this little beauty fly into her window and stunned itself last month. Never seen a kingfisher like this on the island before.

 

[evadgib]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

My next door neighbour had this little beauty fly into her window and stunned itself last month. Never seen a kingfisher like this on the island before.

 

That looks like a juvenile white throated Kingfisher. There are loads of them in the swampy area near Blai Laem temple not far from you.

[CG1 Blue]

On 7/15/2020 at 12:47 PM, Tropicalevo said:

Dolphins swimming around Samui.

More than 18 turtle nests on the quiet southern beaches.

Hornbills back on the Angthon Marine park islands

Stingray spotted off Chaweng beach.

Very good snorkelling.

 

I've been trying to spot a Hornbill for years. Tried a few of the national park areas. Sounds like I need to get back to Samui quick with all this nature returning! 

Oh wait, I'm stuck in the UK and not allowed in ????

[thaibeachlovers]

On 7/16/2020 at 5:23 AM, Tropicalevo said:

You are not keeping up to date.

Chaweng is dead. The beach is glorious. Lots of fish in the sea. There are no noisy nightclubs. No smelly drains when I was there last Thursday. Please try and keep up with everyone.

All goes to prove that we've destroyed our world by overpopulation.

We and the environment lose because some people keep having too many children.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 7/16/2020 at 1:38 AM, Youlike said:

Go see the mediterranean beaches which are much more beautifull than chaweng with it's seaweed and noisy nightclubs, oh did i mention the smelly drains?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mediterranean+beach&iax=images&ia=images

Med beaches don't have friendly Thai girls. You're welcome to them.

[Awinkl]

On 7/15/2020 at 8:30 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Farangs don't own any land so the development isn't down to them. Of course it was done to attract farangs that wanted more than basic huts, but it didn't have to happen in the way it did. It could have been done in a way that preserved the good nature.

 

maybe the various Tourist places all around the world who suffer now - being empty ... will learn to be more appreciative ..... of Visiting Tourists???

Doubt it. That's not human nature.

They will probably just put the prices up, then wonder why they don't get enough customers.

 

Yes Beachlover, I am fully aware that Farangs cannot own Land, but they flocked to it - and theyeby encouraged overdevelopment.

And that 2nd point? I understand that it is a customary practice in LOS to "increase" prices - whenever Business is slow .... in the hope to make-up for the shortfall?? .... and to attract more Customers ..... ? ...LOL

[evadgib]

18 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

I've been trying to spot a Hornbill for years. Tried a few of the national park areas. Sounds like I need to get back to Samui quick with all this nature returning! 

Oh wait, I'm stuck in the UK and not allowed in ????

I saw one several times flying about in it's natural environment some years ago but I suspect it had escaped from Paradise Park Farm. Seeing such a majestic bird in flight and to hear that call was quite an experience...

[khunPer]

10 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

All goes to prove that we've destroyed our world by overpopulation.

We and the environment lose because some people keep having too many children.

Always look at the bright side of life: It seems like overpopulation will be less bad than predicted...????
 

Quote

Global population growth may peak sooner than expected if the lot of women continues to improve, according to a study that says the world’s population could be 2 billion below UN forecasts by the end of the century.

The Guardian "World population in 2100 could be 2 billion below UN forecasts, study suggests".

[khunPer]

On 7/15/2020 at 3:30 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Farangs don't own any land so the development isn't down to them. Of course it was done to attract farangs that wanted more than basic huts, but it didn't have to happen in the way it did. It could have been done in a way that preserved the good nature.

Well, if farangs didn't overpopulate Samui from the beginning – and even wrote about the "paradise" island in a German travel magazine – Samui would not have been spoiled; no development would have been necessary, not even basic beachfront huts for backpackers. 

 

And all us arriving to paradise later – because so many talked so positive about it, and even wrote articles in magazines – would not have added more development by building our own houses, at leased or company-owned land, on an already over-developed island.

 

So to sum up how I understand what you are saying: Samui was spoiled by it's first generation of travellers!

 

Could even be that some of those are now among those complaining about over-development... 

????

[Tropicalevo]

Well said khunPer.

Those old fartss who came here in the '80's, '90's and 2000's who told their friends about this great place called Samui - the development is all you fault. (Yes - I include myself. My friends came and built here too.)

 

 

[Damrongsak]

52 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Well said khunPer.

Those old fartss who came here in the '80's, '90's and 2000's who told their friends about this great place called Samui - the development is all you fault. (Yes - I include myself. My friends came and built here too.)

 

 

Or young farts.  My buddy Joe Cummings wrote the first Lonely Planet guidebook for Thailand which came out in 1982.  He wrote about places like Koh Samui, Khao San Road, Chiang Mai/Chaing Rai/Pai after a 10 week visit in '81.   https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/joe-cummings-lonely-planet-thailand/index.html

 

Of course, "South-East Asia on a Shoestring" preceded it by 5 years or so.

[adammike]

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

Well, if farangs didn't overpopulate Samui from the beginning – and even wrote about the "paradise" island in a German travel magazine – Samui would not have been spoiled; no development would have been necessary, not even basic beachfront huts for backpackers. 

 

And all us arriving to paradise later – because so many talked so positive about it, and even wrote articles in magazines – would not have added more development by building our own houses, at leased or company-owned land, on an already over-developed island.

 

So to sum up how I understand what you are saying: Samui was spoiled by it's first generation of travellers!

 

Could even be that some of those are now among those complaining about over-development... 

????

When I went there in 79 there wasn't an airport that was the biggest game changer I would think.

[anon7854]

Samui (Chaweng) was almost a ghost town last year in late september. Rasta Bar was completely empty at 23.00 , I only went to say hi to the owner as I personally know him and I was really shocked to see that the entire alley was dead. That never happened even when was low season. A sight I saw on other places as well.  While a little better ,  february 2018 was not too different.

There were also a ton of live webcams throughout the island (that i subscribed to in the last 3-4 years) that gave me a clear idea that tourism numbers were falling drastically before covid struck.

 

Reasons? I would say 2.

 

1. On Samui I personally didn't felt like I was in Thailand but in Europe. The island was suffocated by Europeans. I doubt anyone would want to return to a place far away from home just to see the same faces.

2. People seem to forget that getting on the island is an extra 10000 baht / tourist (yeah I know there is a cheaper 7 hour option but no sane tourist would take that) . 

 

There are plenty of options in Thailand for much cheaper than that. I guess Bangkok Airways greed finally hit home.

 

I don't feel sorry for the owners of businesses. They probably have enough to move on. I feel sorry for the employees.

Edited July 17, 2020 by anon7854

[Maha Sarakham]

4 hours ago, anon7854 said:

People seem to forget that getting on the island is an extra 10000 baht / tourist (yeah I know there is a cheaper 7 hour option but no sane tourist would take that) . 

Even on a tourist budget, that stings when its multiplied for couples & families.  

[Tropicalevo]

6 hours ago, anon7854 said:

Samui (Chaweng) was almost a ghost town last year in late september. Rasta Bar was completely empty at 23.00 , I only went to say hi to the owner as I personally know him and I was really shocked to see that the entire alley was dead. That never happened even when was low season. A sight I saw on other places as well.  While a little better ,  february 2018 was not too different.

There were also a ton of live webcams throughout the island (that i subscribed to in the last 3-4 years) that gave me a clear idea that tourism numbers were falling drastically before covid struck.

 

You are correct in your observations about Chaweng being a lot less busy in latter years.

However, the reason for this is that the tourist demographic has changed (until covid). Our busiest times for bookings have been in the six months before March this year. Lots of visitors were coming to Samui but not to Chaweng.

We have noticed a lot less Europeans coming to the island, being replaced by Asians. Asians do not tend to go to bars and they are happy to travel in low season (lower prices). They will also happily fly into Suratthani to save money on the airfares. For a group of 8 Asians - that is a huge saving.

The Europeans that have been coming have been families, rather than groups of young singles and sexpats.

The decline of Chaweng started a few years ago. Covid is just another nail in the coffin.

 

"I don't feel sorry for the owners of businesses. They probably have enough to move on. I feel sorry for the employees."

Yes - they are really suffering, with very little support from the government.

[chainarong]

On 7/11/2020 at 11:02 PM, sprq said:

It looks great now! Well, the beach does anyway, like when I was last there in 1996.

Same same 

[khunPer]

12 hours ago, adammike said:

When I went there in 79 there wasn't an airport that was the biggest game changer I would think.

Samui airport, where construction began in 1982 and officially opened in 1989, is not a governmental infrastructure development build for tax payers money, it's a private investment, because there was a demand, and people didn't – and still don't – mind paying a high price for being able to fly onto a "paradise" island.

 

If the first generation of foreigners didn't create that demand, there wouldn't have been an airport.

 

No, it's those of you that came around 1979, and the following few years – and didn't kept the "paradise" island as secret as "the beach" – that was the big game changer...????