Koh Som

[marcus]

i don't think Marcus Eco friendly resort with a few wooden houses is viable to the owner..

To this owner...probably not I don't know what he paid for this land, but I suppose far too much, so he has to build on every sqm. to make his project profitable. I remember that years ago I was offered the whole island for 30 mio and if I had bought it then, it would have been very profitable just to build a couple of very expensive houses on it (or even better, sell it to the Beckhams )

My advise to every would be developer : buy land at a decent price everywhere except Samui (for instance Koh Yao) and build something which fits on the land (as myself and many people here probably did years ago when we still could buy land at a normal price)

[PoorSucker]

Is Koh Som private?

About 9 years ago I was told that is belonged to the Thai Navy.

Some scam papers going around again?

Not the first time with navy property and Koh Samui.

Also according to the plans they are planning to build on the beach.

All beach land belongs to his Majesty the King.

Edited March 13, 2009 by PoorSucker

[longtom]

Highdiver, the magic word is zoning-plan. Protect a reasonable amount of beach-, plain- and hillside land. I know the zoning plan would cause a lot of 'discussion' (actually I think hel_l would break loose), but it's done everywhere on the world. I know, TiT, but would it be so bad to once learn of other's mistakes? Would it not be a perfect time to learn about the destructive power of unlimited greed?

Reminder to self: You are in Thailand you silly dreamer.

[sbk]

It appears the Treasury Dept/navy are not averse to development on koh Samui either. I found this old article from last year (March 24, 2008) online

Here is the link to the Samui archives (you must be a member to read the article here) Samui archives story

and here is the full article online: google translated page

Hardly a week passes without an announcement of a new resort or property development on Koh Samui. The island has enjoyed booming popularity over the past several years from tourism and long-stay foreign residents, the island has enjoyed booming popularity over the past several years from tourism and long-stay foreign residents.

But one potential property developer is a newcomer to the island: The Treasury Department. It's mulling a one-billion-baht investment to develop a five-star resort on 30 rai of state property. .

[highdiver]

Is Koh Som private?

About 9 years ago I was told that is belonged to the Thai Navy.

Some scam papers going around again?

Not the first time with navy property and Koh Samui.

Also according to the plans they are planning to build on the beach.

All beach land belongs to his Majesty the King.

1.yes koh som is private. there are from what i have been told 4 or 5 land plots owners.

2. you may have not understood the plan. the plan that i took a picture of is for only 13 rai of the land the whole island is about 27 rai.

if you have time go and look at it in person and see that they actually left a lot of landscape between the units.

3. according to the plan all the units are after the 10 meter from the beach line.

[highdiver]

Highdiver, the magic word is zoning-plan. Protect a reasonable amount of beach-, plain- and hillside land. I know the zoning plan would cause a lot of 'discussion' (actually I think hel_l would break loose), but it's done everywhere on the world. I know, TiT, but would it be so bad to once learn of other's mistakes? Would it not be a perfect time to learn about the destructive power of unlimited greed?

Reminder to self: You are in Thailand you silly dreamer.

totlay agree with you.. if only we lived in Eutopia but we don't we live in Samui.

Edited March 13, 2009 by highdiver

[pothai]

Ko Som have the family at Nakon Si Tamarat. Is some land for slae now on Ko som

[mattias33]

They are building bungalows on 13 rai, on a 27 rai island. Its half of the island. The argumentation "you didnt complain when they build a tesco lotus on samui so you can´t complain now" sounds very strange and unvalid in my ears.

So, this is private land and the landowner can do what he wants with it and nothing said on this forum will ever change that fact. Im with you on that highdiver. Still i dont think we have to defend the greedyness destroying every single little rock that popps up in the gulf of Thailand. We seen it happen to samui already and kohpagnan don´t seem to be that far behind. Even if probably most of the posters here, including myself, were not demostrating outside the big constructions for the last 5 years, we can all see what it does to the islands. Me personally gets more and more annoyed when i see new constructions popping up in Samui. We have it all already and we dont need more empty houses on this island. It´s leading to nothing but destruction of a once beutiful nature. And to start on Koh som, i call that very un-needed and disrespectful against nature. We will not be able to do anything about it except airing our oppinions about it. But there is nothing wrong with doing so.

[angiud]

They are building bungalows on 13 rai, on a 27 rai island. Its half of the island. The argumentation "you didnt complain when they build a tesco lotus on samui so you can´t complain now" sounds very strange and unvalid in my ears.

So, this is private land and the landowner can do what he wants with it and nothing said on this forum will ever change that fact. Im with you on that highdiver. Still i dont think we have to defend the greedyness destroying every single little rock that popps up in the gulf of Thailand. We seen it happen to samui already and kohpagnan don´t seem to be that far behind. Even if probably most of the posters here, including myself, were not demostrating outside the big constructions for the last 5 years, we can all see what it does to the islands. Me personally gets more and more annoyed when i see new constructions popping up in Samui. We have it all already and we dont need more empty houses on this island. It´s leading to nothing but destruction of a once beutiful nature. And to start on Koh som, i call that very un-needed and disrespectful against nature. We will not be able to do anything about it except airing our oppinions about it. But there is nothing wrong with doing so.

Not easy to say, but this time I completely agree with Mattias.

[Gatorade]

Yes I did care.. However, how do you know how many beautiful trees were cut down to make way for my house? As far as I am aware they are all still standing.

Is there any point in discussing any of these issues on this forum if all you can offer as an apologist is to put your hands in the air and say "it belongs to someone therefore they can do what they like to it"

It is a sad indictment of our society.

You are now bringing into the argument many lost causes, Tesco etc which are not related to this debate and perhaps deliberately trying to muddy the water. All the wrongs committed here in Samui and KPH simply reflect that absolutely nothing has been learned.

Your solution to all of this is really most sad. It offers no hope to Fauna or Flora, protected or not which which happens to fall under "private ownership".

This is a shameful situation and if your reaction is typical, offers no hope for the future.

OK, instead of attacking highdiver because you don't agree with his position and instead of bemoaning the fate of this little island, why don't you come up with some solutions instead? I'd be curious to hear what you think could possibly be done to change this outcome.

And lets please keep it within the bounds of reality, ok?

SBK I wasn't "attacking" High Diver but I don't agree with his position. Yes, I am bemoaning the fate of this little island because development like this is not necessary to make a quick buck.

Within reality if was fortunate enough to be the owner, and I needed to develop it I would be looking at a project which would be high end with a vastly reduced (more expensive of course) number of buildings with a supporting infrastructure and which caused minimal destruction.

Such an infrastructure would include Solar power, de-salienation equipment, re-cycleable waste and a programme to improve and encourage the lot of the remaining wildlife. This would make a good selling point and would attract a far higher selling price at the same time. It may be that the developers are already planning to incorporate some of these ideas but it hardly looks like it at this stage.

It would be interesting to see the proposed service charges for the supply of water (by boat), electricity (by cable or generator), and the removal of garbage, sewage etc. by boat? I see no mention of Bio-Sept disposal.

As for the argument that ownership means being able to do what you like with the land. This is simply wrong. In many countries if I had for e.g. a couple of established oak trees on my land I would have to find a damned good argument to have them removed to develop it. However I agree that TIT and such things are unlikely to carry any weight at all. One can only hope that one day the people entrusted with the stewardship of this beautiful country will finally wake up before it's too late.

[sbk]

. One can only hope that one day the people entrusted with the stewardship of this beautiful country will finally wake up before it's too late.

Yes, that would be nice, wouldn't it? But, I have to say, at least for the 20 years that I have lived here, that hasn't happened yet and frankly, it doesn't appear to be happening much with today's kids either.

[Birdman]

. One can only hope that one day the people entrusted with the stewardship of this beautiful country will finally wake up before it's too late.

Yes, that would be nice, wouldn't it? But, I have to say, at least for the 20 years that I have lived here, that hasn't happened yet and frankly, it doesn't appear to be happening much with today's kids either.

maybe with the kids of the kids

[Birdman]

15 years ago most of Samui was flora and fauna as Gator so gently expressed it.

Gators house as well as my own were built on properties that were sold and developed. the roads leading to our properties were constructed because we built houses and needed infrastructure. tesco and other venues were constructed to allow us a better living standards.

all this was done so we can live comfortably in our houses and there were plenty of trees cut down and flora and fauna were devastated because of that.

I am here much longer than that and I can tell you, the first years were the best. Everybody was so relaxed...such a pleasant mood...good vibrations everywhere. But that slowly disappeared.

All the development which happened in the last 10 years or so was way too much and too uncoordinated. That has not changed in the last years and will not change in the near future. I am not whining, 'cause I can live with that as well. Just saying that if it would be up to me I would prefer the simple, natural, almost mystical surroundings from before.

[BusyBee123]

. One can only hope that one day the people entrusted with the stewardship of this beautiful country will finally wake up before it's too late.

Yes, that would be nice, wouldn't it? But, I have to say, at least for the 20 years that I have lived here, that hasn't happened yet and frankly, it doesn't appear to be happening much with today's kids either.

I have to disagree with your statement, maybe the kids on your island are not progressing as much as those on the mainland but with technology the way it is the current generation is getting far more aware of countries outside of thailands borders and all that comes with that knowledge. In my opinion i think some of the next generation will grasp the realisation of conservation albeit in a small way but the markers are down.

On another note it is unfair to expect Thailand to progress rapidly when the western world has royally screwed up the world for the last 60 years and aren't really doing an awful lot to correct their mistakes, however like charity starts at home steps are slowly being made imo.

[tb86]

so i just spent saturday on koh som, poor little island such a shame that it is being destroyed, we saw at least 3 trees cut down in the few hours we were there, the palm grove side of the island will be pretty much scalped, the back side to the rock cliffs looks like its going to be packed with homes, we saw all the mapped out boundry lines for homes, looks terribly compacted..............such a shame

[longtom]

One doesn't need supernatural powers to predict difficulties finding buyers for this project. Somebody must have veeery deep pockets to finance it through the years of depression - apologies, I mean recession - ahead of us. Not another Sad story I hope? Too late anyway.

Edited March 16, 2009 by longtom