City Status For Ko Samui

[Eric1949]

I've heard that Ko Samui has now got it's required 50000 residents, so that it can apply to Bangkok for City status. As I'm sure most of the expats know, that means KS applies direct to Bangkok for funding instead of Suratthani. I also believe that it is also able to keep more of it's own money and can use it to improve infrastructure etc.

I am sure someone out there knows more about this, and can correct me where I'm wrong.

[lazeeboy]

all thats true but with all the red tape and slow procedure in thailand ,the governments lose power before they can issue it ,when a new government is elected it all starts from scratch again,plus surat does'nt want to lose there nest egg ,have you been to surat ,one of the nicest cities in thailand ,flowers along the bueatiful roads ,this could be why samui is just patched up from time to time,my opinion anyway

[highdiver]

absolutlely right.

Samui has reached City level but the Surat province is making this process long... as long as possible. samui is a golden goose and theydont want to give up the golden eggs.

[MaewNam]

Did the upgrade to city status already happen? Yesterday I searched a little bit for เทศบาลนครเกาะสมุย, and came across an article in Siam Rat. To bad my Thai is still not enough to really read it, but if the part I can read says that Ko Samui became city on February 23. Or do the words before change the meaning that they applied to become city then?

I have also blogged about it here: http:// tambon.blogspot.com/2008/03/ko-samui-to-become-city.html

[Tony121]

Theres an article in samui express sounds like its still in the process of being passed but it says some of the village chiefs are against this as they would lose there jobs as they will be abolished under city status,

[suegha]

Would city status really be that good? Are there any downsides?

[mssabai]

What does the abolition of village chiefs mean for the community? They obviously hold quite a lot of power at the moment, but their jobs will be changed into "community representatives" which sounds like a pretty powerless position.

Personally I like the idea of village heads. I kind of imagine them with a big feather headress and a peace pipe....ok wrong continent, but you get what I mean.

[mrt273nva]

Would Koh Phangan and Koh Tao get classified under Samui?

[SamuiRes]

Theres an article in samui express sounds like its still in the process of being passed but it says some of the village chiefs are against this as they would lose there jobs as they will be abolished under city status,

Samui cityhood imminent Samui Express 1st March 2008

THE majority of village chiefs on Koh Samui have voted in favor of the municipality becoming a city.

Eighteen of the 32 village chief and chiefs of sub districts, who met last Feb. 15, voted to approve the changing of Samui’s status to a “Thetsaban Nakhon,” while the remaining 14 voted against the proposal.

Earlier Suratthani Gov. Vinai Baupradit directed Samui officials led by Mayor Varakorn Rattanarak to resolve the issue after he had received a petition signed by sub district chiefs objecting to the change of status, whose foremost proponent is Varanakorn.

“I think we will become city by early March. We want the Suratthani governor to approve this as soon as possible and send the proposal to the Department Of Provincial Administration,” Varakorn said in an interview with Samui Express.

Varanakorn said Samui was ready to become a city, as he claimed the municipality has passed all the criteria required of it, including the required population. Samui’s official population now is 50,066 within an area of 228.7 square kilometers. This means the population density is 218.95 people per square kilometer.

In terms of income, Samui’s revenue of over Bt10 billion a year is enough to change the island from a municipality to a city, Varakorn said.

The village chief’s and sub district chiefs’ objection has emanated from the fact that they would lose their positions, which would be abolished under a city setup.

The chiefs argued that as a city, Samui would be more difficult to manage with the abolition of the position of subdistrict chief, resulting in the deterioration of basic services to residents, especially those in far-flung areas. They claimed they could solve the problems of residents at the community level better than the municipal ir city officials.

One of the sub district chiefs, Jaroen Jantra, of Bophut, who is also the head of the Sub district and Village Chiefs Association of Koh Samui, said, however, that his group had nothing to do with the letter sent to the provincial governor.

“If some people do not agree with the plan to change Samui’s status, I think it is really a pity. The new status would help a lot in terms of financial and manpower support to develop the island,” he said.

Besides Samui passing all three requirements to become a city, its residents also overwhelmingly approved cityhood for the resort island in a referendum.

The mayor has sent the proposal for change of status to the governor, who has to approve it. The approval has, however, hit a snag resulting from the objection of the village and sub district chiefs, who are directly under the Office of the Governor. If Samui becomes a city, they will lose their jobs within a year.

An exasperated Mayor Varakorn threatened to disclose the names of those behind the opposition to the change of status, saying that if the plan to change the status fails, “I will disclose all information about those who do not want to bring good things for the island.”

In reply to claims that the present municipality status offers more efficient basic services, the mayor said that under a city setup, “we will have a community board with representatives from nine areas in lieu of the chief of village and chiefs of subdistricts. These community committees will take charge of the problems of people and provide services better than the old system.”

Varakorn also said he believed that the objection of some people had something to do with their business advantage, which they stand to lose if the village and sub district chiefs’ positions are abolished.—

[suegha]

Interesting post SamuiRes, thanks. So it looks like it has to happen!

[MaewNam]

Would Koh Phangan and Koh Tao get classified under Samui?

No, I think you confused the local administrative structure "city" (thesaban nakhon) with the central administration structure province (changwat). For the central administration everything stays the same, Ko Samui is a district (Amphoe) subdivided into 7 subdistricts (tambon), while Ko Phangan stays to be another district which Ko Tao being one of the three subdistricts of this district. And they all stay to be part of Surat Thani province.

[ClaudeFeller]

There is no disadvantage in being a city. But it will take longtime until this city government will have the right manpower and until we will have better engineers and constructors to fullfill the requirements of a normal infrastructure... just imagine the crying of the cement mafia if roads have to be done with tamarque instead of cement...

[SamuiBond]

All the road and electricity improvements are part of the city status. How come you think otherwise there's more roads done and improved in 4 months than in past 2 years...?

City status is going to improve lots of things around and luckily most infrastructure bottlenecks are first in line.

Edited March 8, 2008 by SamuiBond

[ClaudeFeller]

All the road and electricity improvements are part of the city status. How come you think otherwise there's more roads done and improved in 4 months than in past 2 years...?

City status is going to improve lots of things around and luckily most infrastructure bottlenecks are first in line.

Lack of manpower, knowledge is the biggest problem. Tell you an example:

We are fighting for a bypass road around Nathon. We did the plannings, we got the approvement of Surathani department, we even had found an engineer from the Highway department who would supervise. Finally we have presented this to the Tessaban. All they had to do was to formally apply for this project and it would have been approved quickly. Well, they did nothing, maybe because there was no cake to share.

And why the private airport can make a private asphalt road and why this was never possible for the public roads??

[UmpaLumpa]

'Surat Thani Governor denies cityhood to samui' says Samui Express - its not on the website yet but its in the newspaper.. any thoughts?

[sbk]

Did the upgrade to city status already happen? Yesterday I searched a little bit for เทศบาลนครเกาะสมุย, and came across an article in Siam Rat. To bad my Thai is still not enough to really read it, but if the part I can read says that Ko Samui became city on February 23. Or do the words before change the meaning that they applied to become city then?

I have also blogged about it here: http:// tambon.blogspot.com/2008/03/ko-samui-to-become-city.html

Had my husband have a look at your Siam Rath link, from the quick skim he had of it, he says that it says the application was submitted, not that it had been approved.

[SamuiBond]

All the road and electricity improvements are part of the city status. How come you think otherwise there's more roads done and improved in 4 months than in past 2 years...?

City status is going to improve lots of things around and luckily most infrastructure bottlenecks are first in line.

Lack of manpower, knowledge is the biggest problem. Tell you an example:

We are fighting for a bypass road around Nathon. We did the plannings, we got the approvement of Surathani department, we even had found an engineer from the Highway department who would supervise. Finally we have presented this to the Tessaban. All they had to do was to formally apply for this project and it would have been approved quickly. Well, they did nothing, maybe because there was no cake to share.

And why the private airport can make a private asphalt road and why this was never possible for the public roads??

I saw this plan (I think about year ago) and it is a major project. There was several plans on the table and I assume the one you're speaking about was then approved by locals. Is all the land going under this project cleared?

Reason why it is most likely hasn't got the "yes" button is that there is major problems in the areas where most of the tourist hang and drive around. They happen to bring major cut of that money that goes fixing those roads. It is only fair that Chaweng - Bobhut - Bangrak area gets fixed first since these are the places in headlines (sad ones).

Nathon surely needs the pass with growing traffic but "the feel good" roads are mandatory here. Lot of tourists and locals have experienced bad accidents and cutting some of those off is a good choice.

[ClaudeFeller]

Agree.

It is really a shame that they still built those cement roads - nowhere else in Thailand (OK -on Koh Tao) you can see this expensive short lasting nonsense. As the airport has a asphalt road to the new departure terminal I ask my self: "Why the Tessaban cannot plan asphalt roads? They are cheaper and faster to built." This is part of the never ending game here "We are friends and we share the big public money cake between us."

[Samuiclaudia]

Agree.

It is really a shame that they still built those cement roads - nowhere else in Thailand (OK -on Koh Tao) you can see this expensive short lasting nonsense. As the airport has a asphalt road to the new departure terminal I ask my self: "Why the Tessaban cannot plan asphalt roads? They are cheaper and faster to built." This is part of the never ending game here "We are friends and we share the big public money cake between us."

Sorry - going off the subject a bit but I am glad I do not live in Russia

[Samuiclaudia]

Sorry again. Apparently I am not allowed to upload the file so you will not know what I am talking about

[jocwaoh]

'Surat Thani Governor denies cityhood to samui' says Samui Express - its not on the website yet but its in the newspaper.. any thoughts?

Any thoughts?? How about "TOTALLY EXPECTED"...perhaps the Gov should start practicing the current PM's line: "I am not the corruption man."

[Samuian]

'Surat Thani Governor denies cityhood to samui' says Samui Express - its not on the website yet but its in the newspaper.. any thoughts?

Any thoughts?? How about "TOTALLY EXPECTED"...perhaps the Gov should start practicing the current PM's line: "I am not the corruption man."

many Samuian's are upset about this fact, in Suratthani the infrastructure is "top notch"!

Wonderful roads.... even in the "middle of nowhere"!

So why should they give up the "golden goose" before any 'deal' is in the coffers... who is running the road construction business in the Province?

just a thought...

Regarding Claude's question "why there are no Asphalt topped roads?"... reckon there ain't enough over to pave 'em with asphalt, after the spoil has been shared... still I think they are dearer then just the normal concrete "Pista's".. but MUCh easier to maintain and repair!

Wonder if there are any experts on this around...?

Edited March 10, 2008 by Samuian

[koheesti]

Agree.

It is really a shame that they still built those cement roads - nowhere else in Thailand (OK -on Koh Tao) you can see this expensive short lasting nonsense. As the airport has a asphalt road to the new departure terminal I ask my self: "Why the Tessaban cannot plan asphalt roads? They are cheaper and faster to built." This is part of the never ending game here "We are friends and we share the big public money cake between us."

Someone told me the cement company was owned by one of the big politcos on the island. In other words, all we're gonna get is cement while he's around.

[suegha]

Agree.

It is really a shame that they still built those cement roads - nowhere else in Thailand (OK -on Koh Tao) you can see this expensive short lasting nonsense. As the airport has a asphalt road to the new departure terminal I ask my self: "Why the Tessaban cannot plan asphalt roads? They are cheaper and faster to built." This is part of the never ending game here "We are friends and we share the big public money cake between us."

Someone told me the cement company was owned by one of the big politcos on the island. In other words, all we're gonna get is cement while he's around.

Maybe he should diversify, there's a market to be tapped!

[MaewNam]

'Surat Thani Governor denies cityhood to samui' says Samui Express - its not on the website yet but its in the newspaper.. any thoughts?

Apparently it wasn't successful. On March 14 the board within the Ministry of Interior responsible for the local administrative units had the issue of Ko Samui on their agenda, and if I read the transcript of the meeting correctly they decided that the upgrade to city status will be done, effective on April 19.

See also on my blog. Strangely I haven't seen about it anywhere else yet, neither this forum, nor the Samui Express website (which is again a month behind the paper version), and also the municipality website still says thesaban tambon. Below is the relevant part from the transscript

3.7 ร่างประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง เปลี่ยนแปลงฐานะเทศบาลตำบลเกาะสมุย

อำเภอเกาะสมุย จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานี เป็นเทศบาลนครเกาะสมุย

ผู้แทนกรมส่งเสริมการปกครองท้องถิ่น ชี้แจงว่า จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานีรายงานขอเปลี่ยนแปลงฐานะเทศบาลตำบลเกาะสมุย อำเภอเกาะสมุย เป็นเทศบาลนครเกาะสมุย โดยเทศบาลตำบลเกาะสมุย จัดตั้งตามพระราชบัญญัติเปลี่ยนแปลงฐานะสุขาภิบาลเป็นเทศบาล ปี 2542 มีพื้นที่ 252 ตารางกิโลเมตร จำนวน 7 ตำบล 39 หมู่บ้าน ประชากร 50,668 คน อาคารบ้านเรือน 33,148 หลังคาเรือน รายได้จริงไม่รวมเงินอุดหนุน 440.96 ล้านบาท รายจ่ายประจำ 45.02 ล้านบาท สมาชิกสภาเทศบาลตำบลเกาะสมุยจะครบวาระในวันที่ 18 เมษายน 2551 และประสงค์จะจัดตั้งเป็นเทศบาลนครเกาะสมุย ตั้งแต่วันที่ 19 เมษายน 2551 เป็นต้นไป

[ClaudeFeller]

This might be "the best post of the decade".

[SamuiJens]

We can only hope!

[mattias33]

This might be "the best post of the decade".