Living On Samui Full Time . Can It Be Done ?

[head1]

Can anyone live here full time without going abit crazy threw boredom ?

I have a resturant here but that is sort of for my Thai wife. But i have another business for my self where i am self employed and it takes me to other countrys in Asia. I am always happy to get away from koh samui / thailand after 3 or 4 months of staying here non stop.

Is this just me ? or can westerns really stay here for 10 or 20 years or so without leaving the island at all ( apart from the visa runs ) ?

I like island life but after a few weeks it really starts to bring me down about how laid back ( or as alot of people see it , lazy ! ) people are on this island. Lazy can be good for some people i know some people have earned it and worked hard for there retirment... Good luck to them .. i am talking about youngish people of working age. below 50 / 55

[stolidfeline]

Judging by the foreigners I see in Bangkok, most people cope with it by drinking themselves to death.

[BusyBee123]

Judging by the foreigners I see in Bangkok, most people cope with it by drinking themselves to death.

aint that the truth, same for lamai too

[samuibeachcomber]

young and not working or retired.i cant see it,you'd have to do something or go nuts.The 30,s and 40's are your optimum years to acquire financial wealth,and from what i have seen its not easy earning a crust in thailand.I see young guys on samui in project mamagement,real estate etc.but i have no idea how well they do.

As for living full time on an island,i find that easy,although i'm not in the OP's age bracket,but a retired old fart who does n't want to work anymore.

[itishothere]

"Can anyone live here full time without going abit crazy threw boredom ?"

Well, I guess if you were a bit crazy before you came here, then the answer is YES!

[brzy]

I agree with you, I also take a break every 3-4 months, even its only to goto Bkk for some clothes shopping. Sometimes i need to see and live the city life, maybe this is from my time living in Tokyo.

Edited January 23, 2010 by brzy

[screamingeagle]

I like to get off the island at least once a month and ride on the mainland. Very difficult to make a good living here. You know what they say: "how do you make a small fortune in Thailand? Stat with a large one!"

[Samuian]

Take knitting classes, or fruit carving, learn how to chew betel!

I live and work here for 2 decades, never had to face a single minute of boredom!

Some days could easily have 48 hrs. not overworking, just for the fun of it and not working on a cirrhosis either!

How do they say here?

Up to you!

[PoorSucker]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

[screamingeagle]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

Bit cold for a summer house!

[head1]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

PoorSucker. I hope you some how have a thai passport ??? Otherwise you really are what your names suggests... Why would any farang want to own ( rent land ) for 2 homes in thailand. Losing one home will be bad enough if the goverment decides to crack down on farangs having companys that own homes which is not legal. But losing 2 homes will be so much worse.

[carmine]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

PoorSucker. I hope you some how have a thai passport ??? Otherwise you really are what your names suggests... Why would any farang want to own ( rent land ) for 2 homes in thailand. Losing one home will be bad enough if the goverment decides to crack down on farangs having companys that own homes which is not legal. But losing 2 homes will be so much worse.

Yeh right, and they're really going to do that arn't they!

This is a view most commonly held by people who cannot afford to buy here.

[kosh]

Can anyone live here full time without going abit crazy threw boredom ?

Good question, every year i'll try to stay longer but I always end up searching for a flight home....

It is very difficult to do nothing for long periods .

And even working for free is not legal....

So drinking o marrying seems the only solutions....

[screamingeagle]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

PoorSucker. I hope you some how have a thai passport ??? Otherwise you really are what your names suggests... Why would any farang want to own ( rent land ) for 2 homes in thailand. Losing one home will be bad enough if the goverment decides to crack down on farangs having companys that own homes which is not legal. But losing 2 homes will be so much worse.

Yeh right, and they're really going to do that arn't they!

This is a view most commonly held by people who cannot afford to buy here.

We are superior, aren't we.....

[carmine]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

PoorSucker. I hope you some how have a thai passport ??? Otherwise you really are what your names suggests... Why would any farang want to own ( rent land ) for 2 homes in thailand. Losing one home will be bad enough if the goverment decides to crack down on farangs having companys that own homes which is not legal. But losing 2 homes will be so much worse.

Yeh right, and they're really going to do that arn't they!

This is a view most commonly held by people who cannot afford to buy here.

We are superior, aren't we.....

Don't know mate, i rent

[PoorSucker]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

Just rent and have business on Samui.

"Working" 16 hours/ day 7 days a week.

Buying something on Samui?

1 rai + 3 bedroom house = 500.000 baht (in rural Chiang Mai)

Edited January 23, 2010 by PoorSucker

[screamingeagle]

Yeh right, and they're really going to do that arn't they!

This is a view most commonly held by people who cannot afford to buy here.

We are superior, aren't we.....

Don't know mate, i rent

Me too!

[Tony121]

Is there anywhere in the world that you could stay forever and never leave ? I think most people who have the money will still go on holidays somewhere else or back to there home countries. the best part of leaving Samui for me is coming back and realizing how lucky I am to live here.

[BusyBee123]

Can anyone live here full time without going abit crazy threw boredom ?

I don't think so, the island is to small to feel you have had a day out, and days out keep me going at home i love travelling here but samui just doesn't have enough for days out.

[samuibeachcomber]

Is there anywhere in the world that you could stay forever and never leave ? I think most people who have the money will still go on holidays somewhere else or back to there home countries. the best part of leaving Samui for me is coming back and realizing how lucky I am to live here.

yes me too.

[Rooo]

Can anyone live here full time without going abit crazy threw boredom ?

I don't think so, the island is to small to feel you have had a day out, and days out keep me going at home i love travelling here but samui just doesn't have enough for days out.

I've got alzeihmer's, drive around new places & make new friends everyday.

[parallaxtech]

If you can't wait to leave some place and don't miss it so much when you do then you are living in the wrong place. I have frequent flyer tickets up the ..., but hate to leave Samui. Each time I do I regret it. Probably the ideal situation is several homes around the world, but few can afford this. I used to spend six months here and six months in the Caribbean, but the commute was horrendous. Samui is not for everyone and boy does it have its problems, but right now I can not think of a better place to live, for the money!

[screamingeagle]

Can anyone live here full time without going abit crazy threw boredom ?

I don't think so, the island is to small to feel you have had a day out, and days out keep me going at home i love travelling here but samui just doesn't have enough for days out.

I've got alzeihmer's, drive around new places & make new friends everyday.

[samuijimmy]

"I've got alzeihmer's, drive around new places & make new friends everyday".... yes, very good Rooo!

I discovered places on the south west side of Samui recently, that I have not seen before, always an adventure to me to find some of the side roads & see what come or where they go!...I sometimes pop over to KP too, for the day...

I rarely have a dull moment here, between my garden & photography or touring around, keeps me pretty darn busy!

At least twice a year I head down to Thali Noi Lake area in Songkhla, (one of Thailand's best kept secrets.... BTW... shhhh don't tell anyone!) for a total change of scenery, few "white" farangs (Malaysian day trippers mostly) & just friendly "unspoiled Thai's"

There are now a few resorts being built, so I guess things will change!... oh dear!

Easy to get to on public buses, for less than 400 baht each way, including the ferry....

Not recommended for the" bar crowd" though...... it's pretty sleepy there, bed by nine, up before 6 am! at least in the village I stay in

[Birdman]

right jimmy, there are nice excursions possible for a change, best of course with the own car. The quiet mountain range south of Surat Thani, fantastic Khao Sok National Park, Krabi's emerald ponds and hot springs, Khanom, Trang's mountain range, Bay of Phang Nga in the late afternoon, the whole area around Songkhla and Had Yai..............

However staying on Samui without going somewhere is also no problem for me. Longest period without going somewhere, even not to KPG, URT or KT was 3 years, I simple didn't have the urge to leave the island.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Birdman

[alfieconn]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

Just rent and have business on Samui.

"Working" 16 hours/ day 7 days a week.

Buying something on Samui?

1 rai + 3 bedroom house = 500.000 baht (in rural Chiang Mai)

3 bedroom house made of what ? it might be cheaper in chiang mai but it aint that cheap for a decent house, perhaps you could provide me with a link.

Keep talking like that and we will end up with all the dregs from samui here

[PoorSucker]

Twice a year I go to my summerhouse in Chiang Mai.

I really have to get away from all the stress here on Samui.

Just rent and have business on Samui.

"Working" 16 hours/ day 7 days a week.

Buying something on Samui?

1 rai + 3 bedroom house = 500.000 baht (in rural Chiang Mai)

3 bedroom house made of what ? it might be cheaper in chiang mai but it aint that cheap for a decent house, perhaps you could provide me with a link.

Keep talking like that and we will end up with all the dregs from samui here

Concrete, maybe I should have mentioned that all the teak interior came from my father in law "working" in the national park that surrounds the village.

The park was created 1972 and the park and the villagers have mutual understanding that some logging can be made as long as it does not leave the village.

Nice place, waterfalls, hot springs, caves etc..

Never been a beach person myself, found that out after moving to Samui.

All the beaches look the same to me, too sandy.

Edited January 29, 2010 by PoorSucker

[Samuian]

....how about shaving the same face every day, maybe twice,

isn't that massively boring?

...and well, I don't want to go any further into the other details..

[kosh]

....how about shaving the same face every day, maybe twice,

isn't that massively boring?

Sure, i shave every 4/5 days....

[Samuian]

....how about shaving the same face every day, maybe twice,

isn't that massively boring?

Sure, i shave every 4/5 days....

...so you admit that you are able to live with yourself,

being the same again, and again,

over and over again and still not bored

or do you live only all 4/5 days as well?