Was extremely surprised viewing several farangs doing their laundry themselves in the evening on the beachroad of Lamai. Are the usual 30 to 50 Baht per kg what has only to be brought and picked up really too much for people??

Is there any camping ground on Samui? If not I am sitting on 2 Rai - investors welcome.....

I see the benefit of the coin operated washing machines. We have a laundry lady for mine & hubbies clothes but my sons clothes I like to wash myself as he has sensitive skin & I like to control what powder/conditioner is used. I have a small twin tub & cold water & normally use this but after seeing the machines in Ban Rak think I will use them instead as it i much more convenient. Also sometimes you want something washed & dry on the same day & laundry services are usually a 24-48hr deal.

Always do my own washing. When you have your own house, 30 baht/kg would work out far to expensive, what with washing bedding as well as jeans etc plus fuel to get to a laundry. If I ever was to use a laundry though, it would be the Lamai Laundry, as they have tumble driers.

My laundry lady is 500baht a month per adult unlimited, including towels & bedding & she irons the lot too but like I say, she doesn't use the best powder. Last time I lived here I did all my own too but had a better machine then but as I hate ironing I happily put up with the cheap powder situation

500 Baht a month for all laundry is a bargain!

If it needs ironing, like trousers or business shirts, then professional help is a must, but everything else gets done once a week for a 20 baht load, which I bring back and hang on the balcony to dry.

It's a very complex operation to manage without the expertise of the laundry lady to guide us, I realise, however with some practice under supervision of qualified personnel, now I've got it mastered and it only takes up around 90 minutes once a week for the whole procedure, even hanging it out to dry!

If anyone requires a step-by-step guide with photos for this delicate operation, then do let me know and I'll get down to the laundromat this afternoon and take a few snapshots to demonstrate how it's done.

Guess now I know every advantage these machines offer for residents.... But when you are on holidays, having paid the flight tickets and some more keeping the relatively low cost for F & B in mind (if you don't stay at certain places) is it necessary to spend some time on the pavement of Lamai beach road to wash your things saving some Baht?

Ok it's not a touristy destination like Samui or Phuket but there is a laundry in Pak Chong with coin operated machines that cost 20 bht for an 8 kilo load.

We've got our own machine so it costs peanuts but as a guide to the cost of ironing, my BIL buys second hand clothes from Poipet and pays a girl one baht per item for ironing before selling them at the local market.

I do my own ironing because I like it (and thais are hopeless at it)

PS. Tried to edit my 'guide' typo but it still won't let me.

(help me out here george)