Any Signs Of Civil Unrest On Samui/kpg?

[koheesti]

I assume the answer is NONE. When I lived there it seemed that Samui was immune from anything happening in the south, in BKK, etc. It might have meant less tourists but that was it. Now that I read about US/UK embassy closings, red shirt leaders getting shot, etc, it has become more intense than anything during my time on Samui. So has anything changed on Samui or is it still business as usual? If someone flew in from Singapore or Hong Kong would they even know by looking around that the country was experiencing big problems?

[smokie36]

I'm not on the island at the moment either koheesti but from what I hear the tourist business is suffering big time. Looks like lean times ahead for the islands.

Must be much worse in Bangkok now though.

[Birdman]

Business as usual on the island. Would not say that tourism is hurt, at least at the 3-stars up hotels. Many bypass their BKK-program and come here directly. European tourists know, that there are no troubles on Samui. Their main concern are the unpredictable clouds from Eyjafjallajokull.

[maccaroni man]

May is low season on samui anyway but it seems to be clicking along as usual, the reds keep their cloros hidden here.

[jackdawson]

u mean people still go to chawang beach ?

who knew ?

[Samui Coconut]

u mean people still go to chawang beach ?

who knew ?

Business is down in Samui for sure, overall I would guess 20%.....

Nothing to worry in regards to red shirts here.......

We are in low season, BKK problems don't help, volcano, BA strikes, low exchange rates = less business.....

KPG is the same.......

[BigC]

there is no protests if thats wjat u mean but tourist levels have proper dropped but then it is low season anyway. so yes business as usual. hope it all gets sorte by august. i am not here for pollitics. just business and entertainment. same like most of us here. so politics are really a big thing unlesss it is for voting for mayors and vilage cheifs

[carmine]

I'm finding business is very down. Just how down is difficult to ascertain due to it being low season anyway. Next month is the real test.

[Birdman]

That all depends on what business people are talking about. The 4-5 stars hotels and major tour agencies are doing well........bars, small guest houses...don't know....

[Boater]

seems all normal here on samui, even the princess is visitng today !, and chaweng beach was packed last night

[MSingh]

I have never heard of anythign being Civil on the Island let alone there being Civil Unrest..

[livinthailandos]

Don't think we will see signs of Civil Unrest here, as we are not the capital and the head government offices are in bangkok. On top of that Since our airport is not government owned and its private owned can't see any more protests by the reds happening there again. From the small - big travel agencies I do business with I can tell you though customers are either canceling not at a high rate since it is low season or customers are being informed to simply skip bangkok and go to other areas in thailand.

[koheesti]

If tourism is down then it is "business as usual". I was on Samui from Sept 2007 thru Feb 2010 and on this forum I don't think I ever read that tourism was on the island was anything but down.

[carmine]

If tourism is down then it is "business as usual". I was on Samui from Sept 2007 thru Feb 2010 and on this forum I don't think I ever read that tourism was on the island was anything but down.

It has'nt been the case that business has always been down. It's a case of people having too high asperations that were built up by the abnormally high levels of tourism in the aftrmath of the tsunami.

But they keep on building more shops to let.......

[starcandle]

well my friend I have to tell you that the only sign of mayhem is that there is nobody here.

Bangrak has tumbleweed blowing down it, and ALL them bars are suffering, not sure it.s 100% but i have been told solo bar is going

to open only 4 nights a week, I was in chaweng last sunday night, I arrived about 1,30am and most places where shut already.

It'll still cost you an arm n leg to fly here from BKK thanks to you know who.

by the way, they have knocked down the end bungalow where you lived in bangrak and are building a shop. so there will be yet another to rent sign appearing.

[crusty]

I'm not on the island at the moment either koheesti but from what I hear the tourist business is suffering big time. Looks like lean times ahead for the islands.

Must be much worse in Bangkok now though.

Thank goodness for the Samui Regatta. The boats start arriving from 15 May and some are still here 15 June so the crews are spread all over town injecting money and other things into the commiunity. Most of the resorts in the area are fully booked 25 May to 6 June as up to a thousand, crews, families and supporters will be here.

[BigC]

well my friend I have to tell you that the only sign of mayhem is that there is nobody here.

Bangrak has tumbleweed blowing down it, and ALL them bars are suffering, not sure it.s 100% but i have been told solo bar is going

to open only 4 nights a week, I was in chaweng last sunday night, I arrived about 1,30am and most places where shut already.

It'll still cost you an arm n leg to fly here from BKK thanks to you know who.

by the way, they have knocked down the end bungalow where you lived in bangrak and are building a shop. so there will be yet another to rent sign appearing.

fusions seems to be more full thsan the solo bar

[BigC]

I'm not on the island at the moment either koheesti but from what I hear the tourist business is suffering big time. Looks like lean times ahead for the islands.

Must be much worse in Bangkok now though.

Thank goodness for the Samui Regatta. The boats start arriving from 15 May and some are still here 15 June so the crews are spread all over town injecting money and other things into the commiunity. Most of the resorts in the area are fully booked 25 May to 6 June as up to a thousand, crews, families and supporters will be here.

its a shame that harldy anybody can see it. it is not on telly and not many of us have expesnive boats that we can follow them arround.

[crusty]

I'm not on the island at the moment either koheesti but from what I hear the tourist business is suffering big time. Looks like lean times ahead for the islands.

Must be much worse in Bangkok now though.

Thank goodness for the Samui Regatta. The boats start arriving from 15 May and some are still here 15 June so the crews are spread all over town injecting money and other things into the commiunity. Most of the resorts in the area are fully booked 25 May to 6 June as up to a thousand, crews, families and supporters will be here.

its a shame that harldy anybody can see it. it is not on telly and not many of us have expesnive boats that we can follow them arround.

Well you can blame Samui Channel for that ! You don't advertise you don't get coverage. Selfish gits !

[koheesti]

well my friend I have to tell you that the only sign of mayhem is that there is nobody here.

Bangrak has tumbleweed blowing down it, and ALL them bars are suffering, not sure it.s 100% but i have been told solo bar is going

to open only 4 nights a week, I was in chaweng last sunday night, I arrived about 1,30am and most places where shut already.

It'll still cost you an arm n leg to fly here from BKK thanks to you know who.

by the way, they have knocked down the end bungalow where you lived in bangrak and are building a shop. so there will be yet another to rent sign appearing.

I lived next to that one. I wonder what the shop will be? Another pharmacy perhaps? There are only two almost next to each other across the road. But who wants to cross the road?

Since business is down, I suspect that in typical Thai fashion prices are going up to make up for the loss of revenue?

[koheesti]

I'm not on the island at the moment either koheesti but from what I hear the tourist business is suffering big time. Looks like lean times ahead for the islands.

Must be much worse in Bangkok now though.

Thank goodness for the Samui Regatta. The boats start arriving from 15 May and some are still here 15 June so the crews are spread all over town injecting money and other things into the commiunity. Most of the resorts in the area are fully booked 25 May to 6 June as up to a thousand, crews, families and supporters will be here.

its a shame that harldy anybody can see it. it is not on telly and not many of us have expesnive boats that we can follow them arround.

Last year they had a large party boat that sat out there for a few hours. The cost them was 1500 baht but the buffet, drinks, beer were included in the price. It seems expensive compared to doing the same ol' sitting in a roadside bar sipping Changs.

[maccaroni man]

I'm not on the island at the moment either koheesti but from what I hear the tourist business is suffering big time. Looks like lean times ahead for the islands.

Must be much worse in Bangkok now though.

Thank goodness for the Samui Regatta. The boats start arriving from 15 May and some are still here 15 June so the crews are spread all over town injecting money and other things into the commiunity. Most of the resorts in the area are fully booked 25 May to 6 June as up to a thousand, crews, families and supporters will be here.

yep one of the managers at the centara was saying the same; the regatta will make the month and carry over into june.

[lazygourmet]

Last year they had a large party boat that sat out there for a few hours. The cost them was 1500 baht but the buffet, drinks, beer were included in the price. It seems expensive compared to doing the same ol' sitting in a roadside bar sipping Changs.

THB 1,500 for being on a boat with all you can eat and drink... expensive!?!

[koheesti]

THB 1,500 for being on a boat with all you can eat and drink... expensive!?!

It wasn't to me, I paid it. But on Samui there are free or cheap buffets all over the place so unless you are really interested in the regatta then 1500 is hard to justify.

At least there's no civil war to worry about.

[PoorSucker]

THB 1,500 for being on a boat with all you can eat and drink... expensive!?!

It wasn't to me, I paid it. But on Samui there are free or cheap buffets all over the place so unless you are really interested in the regatta then 1500 is hard to justify.

At least there's no civil war to worry about.

Who cares about the regatta.

What kind of beer?

[koheesti]

THB 1,500 for being on a boat with all you can eat and drink... expensive!?!

It wasn't to me, I paid it. But on Samui there are free or cheap buffets all over the place so unless you are really interested in the regatta then 1500 is hard to justify.

At least there's no civil war to worry about.

Who cares about the regatta.

What kind of beer?

Lapin Kulta and Koff if I remember correctly.

[crusty]

I'm not on the island at the moment either koheesti but from what I hear the tourist business is suffering big time. Looks like lean times ahead for the islands.

Must be much worse in Bangkok now though.

Thank goodness for the Samui Regatta. The boats start arriving from 15 May and some are still here 15 June so the crews are spread all over town injecting money and other things into the commiunity. Most of the resorts in the area are fully booked 25 May to 6 June as up to a thousand, crews, families and supporters will be here.

its a shame that harldy anybody can see it. it is not on telly and not many of us have expesnive boats that we can follow them arround.

Last year they had a large party boat that sat out there for a few hours. The cost them was 1500 baht but the buffet, drinks, beer were included in the price. It seems expensive compared to doing the same ol' sitting in a roadside bar sipping Changs.

Boy, are you clueless, you're on a boat for chrissake ! Try most of the boats in Bangrak all you can eat and drin for Baht 4000 !

[koheesti]

Thank goodness for the Samui Regatta. The boats start arriving from 15 May and some are still here 15 June so the crews are spread all over town injecting money and other things into the commiunity. Most of the resorts in the area are fully booked 25 May to 6 June as up to a thousand, crews, families and supporters will be here.

its a shame that harldy anybody can see it. it is not on telly and not many of us have expesnive boats that we can follow them arround.

Last year they had a large party boat that sat out there for a few hours. The cost them was 1500 baht but the buffet, drinks, beer were included in the price. It seems expensive compared to doing the same ol' sitting in a roadside bar sipping Changs.

Boy, are you clueless, you're on a boat for chrissake ! Try most of the boats in Bangrak all you can eat and drin for Baht 4000 !

I guess if it was considered such a great bargain, they would have sold a lot more tickets. As it was, most people I told about the boat deal balked at shelling out that much. Did you go out on the boat?

btw, Crusty, I AM A SUPPORTER OF THE REGATTA. I went to the awards dinner. I bought all the souvenirs they had to offer (hard to find). I went on the boat and had a good time even though the food was nothing to write home about and I wasn't drinking beer at the time. In fact, I spent 1500 to nibble on average-at-best food, drink water and look at a bunch of sails miles away. I guess it was a bargain afterall.

Sort of back on topic, if the Red Shirts had the same marketing bunch as the Regatta last year, Thailand wouldn't be in this mess because only a handful of protesters would show up.

Edited May 17, 2010 by koheesti

[loupatterson]

THB 1,500 for being on a boat with all you can eat and drink... expensive!?!

It wasn't to me, I paid it. But on Samui there are free or cheap buffets all over the place so unless you are really interested in the regatta then 1500 is hard to justify.

At least there's no civil war to worry about.

Who cares about the regatta.

What kind of beer?

One of the English-Thai newspapers quoted that the Airport at this time of year recieve 30,000 visitors a day. Sounds a bit much to me and that it was down to 10,000 a day. If that is true, it's got to effect tourism around the country

[koheesti]

THB 1,500 for being on a boat with all you can eat and drink... expensive!?!

It wasn't to me, I paid it. But on Samui there are free or cheap buffets all over the place so unless you are really interested in the regatta then 1500 is hard to justify.

At least there's no civil war to worry about.

Who cares about the regatta.

What kind of beer?

One of the English-Thai newspapers quoted that the Airport at this time of year recieve 30,000 visitors a day. Sounds a bit much to me and that it was down to 10,000 a day. If that is true, it's got to effect tourism around the country

Whether 10,000 or 30,000 that has to be both coming and going. If each plane had 200 people on board, that would be between 50 and 150 flights per 18 hour day.