Koh Samui: Holiday island is in a "coma" on its last tourism legs

[Hoppyone]

9 hours ago, JoePai said:

like Chiang Mai where they are frequent and cheap flights. 

 

This along with being so expensive to stay (hotels'etc) is why Samui is suffering - tough, maybe they will learn

Maybe they have spent all there profits from previous years with figures like that

[barney42bb]

Don't fret too much....

 

Thailand's Government will be sitting on Trillions in foreign cash reserves,as well as its own, that it has raked in the past 20 years... Much of which came since 2007 while The Baht has been kept falsely high.

 

This will of course finance their version of Furlough when they roll it out.

 

Until then ,Thai folk will be making do with their trusty "Tomorrow Never Comes Contingency Savings Schemes".

[hellohello123]

1 hour ago, barney42bb said:

I read somewhere from a Government source.... That Thailand was not reliant on Tourist income.

 

 

And don't forget sex tourism doesn't exist either

[PEE TEE]

8 hours ago, steelerian said:

Koh Samui is in critical condition. I know. I live there and rely on tourists for my business also.

I have lived here for 20 years and my heart goes out to all the businesses that have gone down . Its like a ghost town very few places open . i hope you can survive take care 

[Dialemco]

Afraid without Government help Koh Samui will have to rely upon Chinese Investment who will Cherry Pick properties and purchase the best at knock down prices. This is rhe aim of Chinese Government to gradually take control. Don't expect any significant foreign tourism next year this is just not possible.

[Caldera]

Sounds like a great time to visit, I'll consider it early next year.

 

[khunPer]

 

This image from the opening post is not from now, it's an older picture from before Covid-19 close down, and it's of a beach known for it's privacy in one of the Asian Top-10 best beaches-list, as it's mainly resorts and some private homes facing the beach.

 

And why it's from before. either 2019 or early 2020, during midday before it got little more afternoon crowded. Because there is a Lomprayah catamaran ferry in the very back. Before 8 am there would be two, between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm there will be one, the one from Chumphon arriving and departing. Shortly after lockdown there were no more catamaran ferries, all service was provided by speed boats instead.

 

The blue sun beds, or rather air-filled mattresses, the second lot of sunbeds, are the Florist Resort, which closed immediately after Covid-19 lockdown in March, so did the first hotel on the soi 4 corner also with the first row of sunbeds, but has reopened now, whilst Florist Resort is still closed.

 

A noon image of a sunny beach will often be fairly deserted, especially one that is well known for privacy...????

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, Changoverandout said:

 

I hope so, my wife and I are going t Mae Nam next month.

First time to Samui.

 

As we don’t particularly like crowds of tourists it should be fine as long as some restaurants are open.

They are, "restaurants open", plenty of them, and privacy on the beach, but still a busy Ring Road, almost as busy as normal. The Opening Photo is Maenam Beach seen from soi 4 towards West...????

[khunPer]

2 hours ago, mrfill said:

There are live streams on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UjWChzW1Lk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTT9lHijVcE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXsYOpVP-kQ

 

 

All places that were busy - not now.. Most look like stills until you see a branch move on a tree...

Akk live streams are from beach roads in Chaweng Beach and Lamai Beach, they are the (mainly Westerner) tourists deserted areas, just like on Phuket and Walking Street in Pattaya, so there would be quite deserted now.

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

And that is what they are doing. Which is why some road surfaces are currently in a terrible state. They will re-tarmac the roads when everything else is finished.

When will that be?

As I am not in charge of that project, I cannot tell you.

Feel free to ask the mayor. I do not think that he reads TV.

[LeoCesar]

Thailand will belong to China more and more.

China should be forced to pay for what they have done to the world.

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, gearbox said:

Do you think the Thais themselves are happy to pay 5k+ for a return ticket to Samui? The government for some reason is unable to sort this out, hopefully in the current conditions it won't be long before BA goes belly up.

 

The tourism in Samui was going downhill before the Covid,  the island outpriced itself and was not value for money any more. These are things which the market fixes...eventually either the prices would go down or the tourists would go somewhere else. 

Thais do not have to pay 5k+. Thais get 50% off flights up to 3,000 baht.

Anyone can fly to Suratthani for less than 1,000 baht (except maybe at Christmas/New Year.)

Some domestic tourists are driving here from Phuket/Bangkok/Chiang Mai.

By the way, for those posters spreading fake news about a Bangkok Airways monopoly, that is untrue.

Thai Airways were flying here for years before they dropped their flights and went codeshare with Bangkok Airways.

Before Covid, there were at least 7 other airlines flying to Samui.

[khunPer]

 

Realities about the deserted Chaweng...

 

Lets look at this about earlier posted 10 weeks old daytime picture of a nightlife street...

 

–but in night time from the opposite end at 22nd November...

 

And this is what the lit-up Green Mango Club in above image looked like inside on 21st November...

 

The same nightlife soi from the other end in daytime as the first photo, stated to be 10-weeks old...

 

But here viewed at night on the 29th November, however from the opposite end...

 

And this is what the deserted Chaweng's beach looks like in week-ends, Ark Bar on the 28th November...

 

–and same night, 28th November, Paradise a few minutes walk further north on Chaweng's beach...

Unfortunately Black Club burned the 2nd December, so I will not share any photos from that otherwise extremely busy place, but instead a view inside Hush Club in Chaweng Beach, it's from the 6th December...

 

Just getting away from  the deserted beach road in Chaweng, the island is fairly busy even without the usual flow of foreign tourists, this is Chaweng's Ring Road on the 27th November in the afternoon...

 

–And the Ring Road by Maenam Beach the 25th November in the afternoon for comparison...

 

Also Central Festival in Chaweng by the beach road has visitors, here an odd day visit the 16th November, but a number of the restaurants aiming at mainly foreign tourists are closed...

 

However. if there are some special events in Central Festival more folks are coming, like on the 28th November to see Mr. & Mrs. Queen...

 

The island is not as bad as some wish to make it look like, it's actually a great place to stay...????

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, Hoppyone said:

  12 hours ago, JoePai said:

like Chiang Mai where they are frequent and cheap flights. 

 

This along with being so expensive to stay (hotels'etc) is why Samui is suffering - tough, maybe they will learn

Cheap flights - especially at crop burning season.

That is why we have people coming to Samui for extended stays over the next four months.

And they are not staying in Hotels.

[Dogmatix]

My heart bleeds for the Samui taxi mafia.

[Tropicalevo]

4 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

My heart bleeds for the Samui taxi mafia.

Mine does not.

Most of them have left Samui to go and rip off people in other parts of Thailand.

Be careful mainlanders. Coming soon to a rank near you. Ex-Samui taxi drivers!

[Elreeco]

12 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

All part of the plan, ladies and gentlemen.

 

Correct - wake up folks.....

[Histavia]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

It has been of benefit to places near large population densities, like Bangkok, and tourism areas like Chiang Mai where they are frequent and cheap flights. 

 

So one could conclude that the Bangkok Air monopoly over both flights and the airport have contributed significantly to Samui's troubles. A case of shooting oneself in the foot.

[Sean60]

this government has distorted Koh Samui. Bankok Airways use to Charge 6000 The for flights from Bkk and then Taxis were expensive. 

So Congratulation to the government being able to allow this beautiful island to get destroyed. The city center is closed down. Wild dogs running around and there is nothing!! Most places are complaining and there is no help from no one.

[sambum]

14 hours ago, JoePai said:

like Chiang Mai where they are frequent and cheap flights. 

 

This along with being so expensive to stay (hotels'etc) is why Samui is suffering - tough, maybe they will learn

 

And the fact that under normal circumstances, flights to Samui on Bangkok Air are extortionate - more than 5000 baht one way.

[Dannybigboy]

On 4/17/2020 at 1:45 PM, Soupsandy said:

There has been no cases at all in Hua Hin. I live there.

 

[philthebook]

As usual most of the people posting on this thread are clueless and dont know what is actually going on here.

Samui and most other tourists areas have changed dramatically,  sure lots of places have closed down but there are still loads of places open (the good places)  and LOT'S of NEW places that have opened that actually make an effort in looking after their customers unlike so many of the bars and restaurants that have just got complacent over the years.

Now we have new cool bars and restaurants opening with owners and staff that are really trying to please and make their spaces beautiful for those all important Instagram photos. 

Certain parts of Chaweng beach are busy and areas like Bophut, Bangrak, Ban Tai, Bang Po and Choengmon are doing well with domestic tourists and expats.

Anyway, here is Chaweng Beach from last Friday, I know where I would prefer to be.

 

 

 

[Dannybigboy]

My paradise on earth - Koh Samui !! I have been there since the 80´s and seen the quick development into something to much and overpriced ...but that is the nature if business unfortunately. It is so sad to see my friends on Samui suffering , residents and business people. I wish them all the best and I promise to go back as soon as possible and spend my money for their future wellbeing. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

[Dannybigboy]

1 hour ago, Elreeco said:

 

Correct - wake up folks.....

I totally agree ...the Chinese plan for world domination goes on as planned !! I dont trust them for a minute ....

[Miami007]

7 hours ago, Mung said:

You might not be far from the truth. 
 

Do you remember the initial videos that came out of China at the very start of the viral outbreak? They depicted people fainting in the streets, hospitals rammed to the brim, and the whole scene felt like a dystopian horror movie. Months later, these scenes have not really been repeated anywhere else, which leads to suggest that those videos may have been faked.

 

Secondly, do you also remember how when the virus first emerged? WHO said that planes did not need to be grounded as that would not prevent the spread of the virus. Of course this is nonessential, it would have stopped the viral spread as that much is obvious. This was said by WHO when the virus was only in China and then subsequently in Thailand. The head of WHO, Tedros, had an odd relationship with the Chinese leader. Sources stated such things as, 

"the two men met in the Chinese capital, the number of cases was rising, and revelations were emerging that officials in Hubei province and Wuhan -- the city where the virus was first detected -- had sought to downplay and control news about the virus, even threatening medical whistleblowers with arrest."

Let's also remember that Chinese doctor who 'died' from the virus.

 

Thirdly, we have yet to establish where the virus originated – it's still an unknown. We do know that Wuhan is the home of the only biological weapons manufacturing location of such a magnitude to create something such as an engineered virus. Also, how did the Chinese obtain the the genetic sequence of the virus as early as February the 25th?

"Scientists in China have sequenced the genome of the COVID-19 virus demonstrating that it is a completely new virus, albeit closely related to the coronavirus (CoV) responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Their findings are published in the journal Chinese Medical Journal."

 

Fourthly, China has upped their spending power during the economical downturn on foreign assets, as a means to grab them at devalued prices.

"Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the global economies and businesses, Chinese companies have upped the ante to acquire or invest in distressed foreign assets in strategic locations. Against this backdrop, governments across several nations are now concerned about this move by China, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. Several media reports also suggest that there has been a growth in Chinese companies seeking proposals for targets from banks. During January to April 2020, 57 Chinese outbound M&A deals worth US$9.9bn and 145 Chinese outbound investments worth US$4.5bn were announced. The key M&A target destinations for Chinese firms included Hong Kong, the US, the UK, Germany, France, Canada and India. The key investment destinations during the period included the US, India, the UK, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Germany, South Korea and Australia."

 

Now the question must be asked, was all of this a plan from the start?

You seem to discount the fact that Covid was detected in blood samples in Italy (a cancer research Study) in September 2019 and in blood donations in the USA in December 2019 (samples in 9 states and more than 1% positive ).  This was before Covid even was an issue anywhere.  It seems that the virus was around much longer than we think.  And Pfizer apparently creates their vaccine within 2 days in early February... 

Hospitals are full in some parts of the USA - but only 10% are Covid patients - the rest is either other diseases or injuries (people still get cancer, diabetes, heart attacks car accidents etc).  Hospitals are not designed to be running at 5% capacity to be ready to accommodate a surge - not enough profit that way.  They are 80% full to make money - and initially laid off staff in the USA when elective procedures were stopped in March/ April as there were no patients.. then the business of medicine returned and free capacity shrunk again. Germany had similar issues when they had a severe flu season in 2017 and some cities ran out of bed capacity.

 

Yes, the Chinese are taking advantage of a situation that is being caused by other governments driving their economies into a wall - no question that they are opportunistic.  But not really a plan they started as the reaction of other countries could have been different (and Australia and the USA have had very different approaches and outcomes).

At the same time, there are rich Europeans and Americans who are also buying up businesses and real estate at bargain rates.  If you have money, this was the time to buy and position yourself for the future.

[robsamui]

There are several gems of insight here, from people who have lived on Samui for very many years. It's only too easy for casual outside observers to grab at the surface appearance and sensationalise their conclusions. Or (as politicians everywhere are now so fond of doing), to present selected and unrepresentative fragments to support their bias.

 

I see the core of Samui as a layer-cake, with the base layer being those Thai families who are native to the island and that, in less than one generation, went from being farmers to millionaires. The top layer didn't start to add the icing to the cake until the early 2000s, when international 5-star hotel chains gave the island the green light - around the same time that a swathe of the leading Thai hi-so families moved in to invest.

 

The middle layer of this cake is formed by all the lesser mortals, from enterprising small hoteliers, to restaurateurs and club/pub owners, down through all the construction companies which came to jump on the bandwagon, along with the associated property developers, the legions of Thai workers from the north-east and Issan, right down to the cheap labour imported from Myanmar. And it's this middle layer - by far the largest component - which has suffered the most.

 

The Samui families aren't going anywhere - they'll take a hit, tighten their belts, and ride it all out. Likewise the International 5-star resort chains and the wealthy Thai family consortia.  

 

The tourists? That's just the great gobs of cream that, up to a year ago, got slathered on top of the Samui cake.

 

What interests me is that there appears to be little evidence of the 'rock bottom fire-sale prices' that people glibly talk about. Of course there are some comparatively 'smaller' resorts and villas appearing on the market at discounted prices. But, considering the sheer numbers we're talking about, it seems to be a small percentage of what's available overall: I've several times noticed beach-land plots around the island being advertised at prices that are higher than ever.

 

On a day-to-day level this is evident, too. Samui has an active used-goods and sales platform, with five Facebook sites overall, two of them having around 25,000 members each. I've been watching carefully and the prices of used vehicles (cars and scooters) haven't dropped at all (although there are more for sale). One or two villas are notably marked down, but not by that much. There are a lot more 'leaving sale' notices appearing . . . but most sellers seem to be rigidly asking top dollar for their goods; they're not desperate to sell, at all.

 

Simply, what seems to have happened, is that the previously lively tourist area (Chaweng) has thinned right down to a handful (instead of a hundred) of thriving beach bars and pubs/eateries. Lamai is similar, but has a large expat catchment and a lot of the cafes and pubs are busy. The rest of the island is now busy only in concentrated patches, rather than being widely spread, as it was previously. 

 

There still seem to be a great many 'residents' here, but I find it puzzling as to their status. The north coast (Mae Nam, Ban Tai, Bang Po) has a saturation of retirees, but I'm told (by a local Thai restaurant owner) they are not going out and about so much. Plai Laem and Choeng Mon still has a big, younger, Russian-speaking/E.Euro enclave - as does parts of Lamai - but are they on business visas? Is it possible for people to have extended their tourist visas for 6 months or more?

 

Whatever the situation, Samui is anything but 'in a coma'. Chaweng is somewhat stunned, yes, but nothing more than concussed. You only have to look at the weight of traffic on the ring-road; it's still steady, but not oversaturated, like it used to be. 

 

Tourism has shrunk to zero, certainly. But, then, every tourist spot, everywhere, is being re-defined by Covid. This doesn't imply that all life has departed from Samui.

Edited December 18, 2020 by robsamui

[Showtime]

The big problem is the owners take all the profits out of their businesses and spend it on other things.  Now when the business needs it there is no money in its bank account.

[khunPer]

13 minutes ago, robsamui said:

...but are they on business visas? Is it possible for people to have extended their tourist visas for 6 months or more?

The governor of Surat Thani said a few month back that there were about 10,000 stranded tourists in the province, of which about half on Samui. Stranded tourist – which might be voluntary stranded – have been able to get extensions of stay due to Covid-19, and are still. Samui Immigration office has been busy, and the queue for non-expat extensions has been longer than in normal high season, where tourists would ask for a 30-day extension of stay, when I've been there; but also both news media and others have mention that the immigration office has been busy.

 

It is at the moment, to my knowledge, still quite hassle-free to obtain a 60-days Covid-19 extension for "stranded" tourists.

 

It's my impression that there are at least 4,000 expats living on the island. All extensions of stay gets a handwritten number mext to the stamp, my extension is late in the year and a number well above 3,000. We are not sure if the number is counting all expat-extension, or they have different number-series for extensions based on business/work, and family, and retirement, and others. Also the international schools are busy, which indicate that many expats are staying here.

 

20 minutes ago, robsamui said:

I see Samui as a layer-cake, with the base layer being those Thai families who are native to the island and that, in less than one generation, went from being farmers to millionaires. The top layer didn't start to add the cream to the cake until the early 2000s, when international 5-star hotel chains gave the island the green light - around the same time that a swathe of the leading Thai hi-so families moved in to invest.

 

The middle layer of this cake is formed by all the lesser mortals, from enterprising small hoteliers, to restaurateurs and club/pub owners, down through all the construction companies which came to jump on the bandwagon, along with the associated property developers, the legions of Thai workers from the north-east and Issan, right down to the cheap labour imported from Myanmar. And it's this middle layer - by far the largest component - which has suffered the most.

You hit exactly what it seems like. The well off top-layer old Samui-families seems in general to be surviving all right. It seems like they are just having a longer off-season than normal; we shall not forget that parts of Samui before used to close during the monsoon season.

 

Like it's been in other parts of the World, those that are hit hard are also those that had a tight economy before the Covid-19 lockdown. However, those in the middle layer from the old families – those with the smaller land plots and smaller business due to sub-division to many heirs – are either temporary changing their business plan, or just waiting till things again become more normal. I know a few of them, and they don't seem to complain.

 

There has always been business for sale, especially bars and restaurants, but there are more now. And there has always been plenty of land and houses for sale, but there seems to be more town-houses for rent or sale, typically small business that might not have been that good before the pandemic, and new build town houses that were finished shortly before the lockdown. Also some smaller shops in the shopping centers has closed, but at least some of them I noticed were not busy before the lockdown.

 

There are still building construction and new business opening, even a small center by one of the entrance roads to Chaweng, which I expected to become dead as a Dodo, but to my surprise seems busy so far.

 

The kind of tourists visiting Samui have slowly changed during the last decade, with far more families, of which many with children, and far less single gentlemen. The young party generation however seemed fairly even in number, or even increasing in periods, but they are not like old-time backpackers aiming for cheap beach huts, they are better off youngster looking for good accommodation, and trendy cafés and pubs, and parties. The higher end places seemed in general to be more busy than the affordable ones, and so is it also right now. Those that didn't change their business structure to the changing customers during the last few years, began to suffer already a before the Covid-19 pandemic.

[Dexxter]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

With many businesses being sold off to foreigners (principally Chinese) they are now being repossessed by Chinese banks.

 

The Chinese caused this disaster and now reap the rewards. Makes me sick.

[DB58]

17 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Right, they planned everything.  Jeez....stunning some think this.

 

Samui, like a lot of Thailand, priced itself out of the tourist market for many.  Crazy to see rooms going for $150 and up, that are right next to empty lots with trash, down roads that are falling apart, on beaches with encroachment, etc. 

 

What do you expect?

I agree with your being over price statement; but that’s a choice of targeting a market. I think that the  original post was about a shifting in wealth. A similar situation exists here in the USA, family owned business that are shutdown are failing where the large corporate business are able to lay-off scale back and have more available bailout options. Causing a shift in wealth from smaller to larger corporations many times, but not in all cases. All has happened before, one persons disaster is another’s opportunity. Again making the assumption the original post was saying the disaster is artificially created, for the purpose of driving businesses to a breaking point then picking up cheap... but that’s just silliness; no one in power would ever do that. But someone’s going to benefit from acquiring failing businesses cheap, be interesting who ends up winners and losers.