Smui Stay Aways

[Doppelone]

Whats the point here?

Its a discussion board where people post opinions. If everyone adopted your brevity there wouldn't be any point, would there?

Isn't it more a case of "you don't seem to like it here, apparently it's too expensive for you, there's perhaps better suited places elsewhere so why are you wasting your time with this thread?

The case, if you're prepared to go back a few posts, is that this year I'm spending my paltry 100,000 baht two week holiday money elsewhere because I perceive the 7,600 baht air fair to be a rip off. I realize nobody will mourn my non-attendance, but if I were a business owner over there I'd be remotely concerned that ordinary folk like me are beginning to stay away primarily because of the airfare. I wondered if any lobbying has been done to BKK Airways?

Roo - thanks for your commenst on this.

[Rooo]

Make me laugh when I hear the indignation about Samui and sex tourism. There were certainly girlie bars in Lamai went I visited Samui in the early nineties. Not only that, but Lamai was well known as a place where Scandinavian girls would hook up with Thai boys and have to go home at regular intervals in order to raise cash for life on the island. Not so different from the 'sex tourists' who think 'their girl is different'.

Every time I returned there were more bars with girls for rent. Clearly it wasn't only the tourists who were paying a visit to these bars.

So it amuses me when the 'residents' plead ignorance of the girlie trade on the island, when it was clearly established long before most of them settled there. Yes, shock horror! People have been visiting their 'girlfriends' and 'boyfriends' on Samui for at least fifteen to twenty years.

So the holier than thou remarks from some of the residents sounds disingenuous to say the least...and this assertion that somehow beer should be much more expensive because Samui is a 'paradise' is equally nonsensical.

I remember paying 10 baht for a fried rice with chicken at Charlie's Huts on my first visit. The island was certainly more beautiful than it is now. It's only because there are more people trying to make a living from the island that we here such 'elitist' comment.

Personally, I've not willingly entered a girlie bar and certainly wasn't a fan of the freelancers entering the mainstream bars. Also not a fan of the foreigners obtaining land and selling it at a profit...ruining the island in the process. The place has been spoiled by greedy pigs and speculators. More sex tourists would be the least of it's problems.

No one denied the existence of girlie bars & who said beer should be more expensive, because Samui is paradise? As for the rest of your post about foreigners, way off topic.

[Rooo]

Whats the point here?

Its a discussion board where people post opinions. If everyone adopted your brevity there wouldn't be any point, would there?

Isn't it more a case of "you don't seem to like it here, apparently it's too expensive for you, there's perhaps better suited places elsewhere so why are you wasting your time with this thread?

The case, if you're prepared to go back a few posts, is that this year I'm spending my paltry 100,000 baht two week holiday money elsewhere because I perceive the 7,600 baht air fair to be a rip off. I realize nobody will mourn my non-attendance, but if I were a business owner over there I'd be remotely concerned that ordinary folk like me are beginning to stay away primarily because of the airfare. I wondered if any lobbying has been done to BKK Airways?

Roo - thanks for your commenst on this.

The only way out of this, is for the government to end BKK AIR monopoly, believe me it's not going to happen. Samui airport is listed on the stock exchange,I can't see investors & shareholders forfeiting profits. The only way, is if the government goes ahead with it's on/off plans for a second airport. But then , that's a whole other issue.

[carmine]

Whats the point here?

Its a discussion board where people post opinions. If everyone adopted your brevity there wouldn't be any point, would there?

Isn't it more a case of "you don't seem to like it here, apparently it's too expensive for you, there's perhaps better suited places elsewhere so why are you wasting your time with this thread?

The case, if you're prepared to go back a few posts, is that this year I'm spending my paltry 100,000 baht two week holiday money elsewhere because I perceive the 7,600 baht air fair to be a rip off. I realize nobody will mourn my non-attendance, but if I were a business owner over there I'd be remotely concerned that ordinary folk like me are beginning to stay away primarily because of the airfare. I wondered if any lobbying has been done to BKK Airways?

Roo - thanks for your commenst on this.

truth is, most of us bitterly resent the rip off prices charged by Bangkok Airwats, we also know it is detrimental to our tourism, but at the end of the day we cannot do anything about it. It is actually a done to death subject on here. Their service is generally very good but the fare is ludicrous.

It is also true that Samui is expensive in many respects but not so expensive that people coming on holiday to Thailand cannot afford Samui.

There is one undeniable fact. If you are coming to LOS for beer and women you are always better off going to Pattaya. Samui is not as well catered for in that department. No one is suggesting we don't have a "bar scene", just that Pattaya is cheaper with more ladies

[Birdman]

You are part of a tiny minority. Because people, who want to spent 100.000 for 2 weeks don't care about 1.000 or 2.000 more or less for the airfare.

Sure, it would be better for the customer, if the ticket would be cheaper. But I would say, that there are many people here, who spent considerably less than 100.000 in 2 weeks on Samui and for them the airfare is no issue at all.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Make me laugh when I hear the indignation about Samui and sex tourism. There were certainly girlie bars in Lamai went I visited Samui in the early nineties. Not only that, but Lamai was well known as a place where Scandinavian girls would hook up with Thai boys and have to go home at regular intervals in order to raise cash for life on the island. Not so different from the 'sex tourists' who think 'their girl is different'.

Every time I returned there were more bars with girls for rent. Clearly it wasn't only the tourists who were paying a visit to these bars.

So it amuses me when the 'residents' plead ignorance of the girlie trade on the island, when it was clearly established long before most of them settled there. Yes, shock horror! People have been visiting their 'girlfriends' and 'boyfriends' on Samui for at least fifteen to twenty years.

So the holier than thou remarks from some of the residents sounds disingenuous to say the least...and this assertion that somehow beer should be much more expensive because Samui is a 'paradise' is equally nonsensical.

I remember paying 10 baht for a fried rice with chicken at Charlie's Huts on my first visit. The island was certainly more beautiful than it is now. It's only because there are more people trying to make a living from the island that we here such 'elitist' comment.

Personally, I've not willingly entered a girlie bar and certainly wasn't a fan of the freelancers entering the mainstream bars. Also not a fan of the foreigners obtaining land and selling it at a profit...ruining the island in the process. The place has been spoiled by greedy pigs and speculators. More sex tourists would be the least of it's problems.

No one denied the existence of girlie bars & who said beer should be more expensive, because Samui is paradise? As for the rest of your post about foreigners, way off topic.

Actually, it been the gist of the thread that he should stay away if girls, cheap beer and cheap accommodation were his wont. As to me mentioning foreigners...in fact it is cogent to the argument. If it weren't for their penchant of wanting to acquire a piece of Samui as their own private paradise, prices would not have risen to the levels seen now.

It was much more amazing when is was an unspoilt paradise. Make no mistake, it still has much to offer, but to suggest that someone should stay away because they have a limited budget is frankly hypocritical.

Is there something wrong with buying a beer from a 7/11 or is that a privilege for residents only?

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Obviously you are the type they are trying to keep away. Singha 35 Baht? So you hold a 7/11 loyalty card do you? Last of the big spenders. Better stay in Patters, more your style.

Hmmmmmm....

[Rooo]

Make me laugh when I hear the indignation about Samui and sex tourism. There were certainly girlie bars in Lamai went I visited Samui in the early nineties. Not only that, but Lamai was well known as a place where Scandinavian girls would hook up with Thai boys and have to go home at regular intervals in order to raise cash for life on the island. Not so different from the 'sex tourists' who think 'their girl is different'.

Every time I returned there were more bars with girls for rent. Clearly it wasn't only the tourists who were paying a visit to these bars.

So it amuses me when the 'residents' plead ignorance of the girlie trade on the island, when it was clearly established long before most of them settled there. Yes, shock horror! People have been visiting their 'girlfriends' and 'boyfriends' on Samui for at least fifteen to twenty years.

So the holier than thou remarks from some of the residents sounds disingenuous to say the least...and this assertion that somehow beer should be much more expensive because Samui is a 'paradise' is equally nonsensical.

I remember paying 10 baht for a fried rice with chicken at Charlie's Huts on my first visit. The island was certainly more beautiful than it is now. It's only because there are more people trying to make a living from the island that we here such 'elitist' comment.

Personally, I've not willingly entered a girlie bar and certainly wasn't a fan of the freelancers entering the mainstream bars. Also not a fan of the foreigners obtaining land and selling it at a profit...ruining the island in the process. The place has been spoiled by greedy pigs and speculators. More sex tourists would be the least of it's problems.

No one denied the existence of girlie bars & who said beer should be more expensive, because Samui is paradise? As for the rest of your post about foreigners, way off topic.

Actually, it been the gist of the thread that he should stay away if girls, cheap beer and cheap accommodation were his wont. As to me mentioning foreigners...in fact it is cogent to the argument. If it weren't for their penchant of wanting to acquire a piece of Samui as their own private paradise, prices would not have risen to the levels seen now.

It was much more amazing when is was an unspoilt paradise. Make no mistake, it still has much to offer, but to suggest that someone should stay away because they have a limited budget is frankly hypocritical.

Is there something wrong with buying a beer from a 7/11 or is that a privilege for residents only?

The OP is not on a limited budget, but that is besides the point.Foreigners are not the only greedy people as you mention, many Thais have also invested very heavily on Samui.

You have choices of transport to Samui, that was mentioned, but you failed to notice. Honestly at the end of the day, you travel according to your budget & Samui is affordable if you look in the right places.

As for 7/11 that was tongue in cheek, re the beer price & no, O don't sit on the foot[ath & drink there either

[grumpyoldman]

So why come up with this post?

Why bash a member? Coming from a mod especially, you're able to get away with it because you throw in a couple gay little emoticons?

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Make me laugh when I hear the indignation about Samui and sex tourism. There were certainly girlie bars in Lamai went I visited Samui in the early nineties. Not only that, but Lamai was well known as a place where Scandinavian girls would hook up with Thai boys and have to go home at regular intervals in order to raise cash for life on the island. Not so different from the 'sex tourists' who think 'their girl is different'.

Every time I returned there were more bars with girls for rent. Clearly it wasn't only the tourists who were paying a visit to these bars.

So it amuses me when the 'residents' plead ignorance of the girlie trade on the island, when it was clearly established long before most of them settled there. Yes, shock horror! People have been visiting their 'girlfriends' and 'boyfriends' on Samui for at least fifteen to twenty years.

So the holier than thou remarks from some of the residents sounds disingenuous to say the least...and this assertion that somehow beer should be much more expensive because Samui is a 'paradise' is equally nonsensical.

I remember paying 10 baht for a fried rice with chicken at Charlie's Huts on my first visit. The island was certainly more beautiful than it is now. It's only because there are more people trying to make a living from the island that we here such 'elitist' comment.

Personally, I've not willingly entered a girlie bar and certainly wasn't a fan of the freelancers entering the mainstream bars. Also not a fan of the foreigners obtaining land and selling it at a profit...ruining the island in the process. The place has been spoiled by greedy pigs and speculators. More sex tourists would be the least of it's problems.

No one denied the existence of girlie bars & who said beer should be more expensive, because Samui is paradise? As for the rest of your post about foreigners, way off topic.

Actually, it been the gist of the thread that he should stay away if girls, cheap beer and cheap accommodation were his wont. As to me mentioning foreigners...in fact it is cogent to the argument. If it weren't for their penchant of wanting to acquire a piece of Samui as their own private paradise, prices would not have risen to the levels seen now.

It was much more amazing when is was an unspoilt paradise. Make no mistake, it still has much to offer, but to suggest that someone should stay away because they have a limited budget is frankly hypocritical.

Is there something wrong with buying a beer from a 7/11 or is that a privilege for residents only?

The OP is not on a limited budget, but that is besides the point.Foreigners are not the only greedy people as you mention, many Thais have also invested very heavily on Samui.

You have choices of transport to Samui, that was mentioned, but you failed to notice. Honestly at the end of the day, you travel according to your budget & Samui is affordable if you look in the right places.

As for 7/11 that was tongue in cheek, re the beer price & no, O don't sit on the foot[ath & drink there either

No, I didn't miss it. Yes, I know about greedy Thai landowners and foreigners alike.

I am also one of the people who choose to no longer spend my baht on Samui. I would spend a minimum of 100,000 baht a month, in general up to 150,000 baht per month there and would stay up to six months. I certainly resented the Bangkok Airways price rises and attempts at exorbitant airport tax charges. They applied for a 1000 baht airport tax charge. Thankfully it was rejected. The having to argue with the taxis about the price of a short trip and the emergence of the new kind of tourist. Precisely the kind who would fly directly to Samui with Bangkok Airways.

I visit from time to time to confirm that it wasn't only in my imagination. Many of the Thais I know there want to get out and go back to their home towns in the South and many of the foreigners who could afford to, decamped to Chiang Mai and other places.

I guess the place depends on the ten day or weekend tourists now. The potentially long staying backpackers choose to stay elsewhere.

I mean to whom does it make a difference if your two week tourist spends 5000 baht a night on a hotel room or 2000 baht for a meal in it's attached Italian restaurant. At least with backpackers the wealth was spread more evenly.

[smokie36]

You weren't being serious were you? If so, oh, dear... you might want to save some of your moral indignation for the un-evolved sub-culture of ex-cons on Samui, the scammers and the property developers who wantonly despoil the once beautiful island and its environs out of sheer, unapologetic greed. Or are you quite happy in their company?

PMSL. Lessons in morality and ecology from a bloke who chooses to spend his holiday in Pattaya over Samui due to the oh dear WAAAAY too expensive airfare. You should simply have started yet another Bangkok Airways thread.

scammers? Well that's the only bit of your post which makes any sense to me....alright singhy?

I would ask you what's being done about the flooding in Jomtien due to the ripping up of the trees on the beach there OP but I doubt you made it that far from Walking St.

[smokie36]

You crease me up Mr Pattaya....ex cons eh? You really are the dogs <deleted>!

[carmine]

So why come up with this post?

Why bash a member? Coming from a mod especially, you're able to get away with it because you throw in a couple gay little emoticons?

That's hardly bashing a member. You should read some of the "comments" made to me on TV

I just can't get my head round what the OP is getting at with this discussion. Yes. its a bit more expensive that other places. Yes we've had a fair deal of construction like everywhere else. Singha is 60 baht

We have bar girls here. BKK Airways is overpriced. So what. What about the good points. If they are not enough to swing Samui in your favour then fine, go to Pattaya. End of story. Can we just get to the point of the thread if there is one? (other than the fact that it might cost you marginally more to come here than some other places in Thailand and it's acknowledges that we don't really cater for pikeys.)

[limbos]

So why come up with this post?

Why bash a member? Coming from a mod especially, you're able to get away with it because you throw in a couple gay little emoticons?

Not too hard to understand your board name.

[Rooo]

So why come up with this post?

Why bash a member? Coming from a mod especially, you're able to get away with it because you throw in a couple gay little emoticons?

Very deep. Appreciate the time you have spared us to read the whole topic & your comment.Thank you very much, I hope you have a great day .

PS, Moderators are also members, they are entitled to their opinions.Oh & if you quote, use the whole response, not selected lines.

[itishothere]

the un-evolved sub-culture of ex-cons on Samui, the scammers and the property developers who wantonly despoil the once beautiful island and its environs out of sheer, unapologetic greed.

I was on your side at the beginning but am now not sure.

Comments like the above clearly show that there are aspects of Samui that you do not like at all. But despite this, you still want to come here, but now won't because of maybe a 2,000 BHT extra bill from Bangkok Airways. That is only 2% of your budget. Your budget has declined in value already by maybe 20% simply by the exchange rate.

If Bangkok Airwyas is the straw that broke the camels' back, then you have support, but won't find a solution for it here!

Or is there something else that is preventing you from coming here?

[carmine]

the un-evolved sub-culture of ex-cons on Samui, the scammers and the property developers who wantonly despoil the once beautiful island and its environs out of sheer, unapologetic greed.

I was on your side at the beginning but am now not sure.

Comments like the above clearly show that there are aspects of Samui that you do not like at all. But despite this, you still want to come here, but now won't because of maybe a 2,000 BHT extra bill from Bangkok Airways. That is only 2% of your budget. Your budget has declined in value already by maybe 20% simply by the exchange rate.

If Bangkok Airwyas is the straw that broke the camels' back, then you have support, but won't find a solution for it here!

Or is there something else that is preventing you from coming here?

OP is bitter about something here methinks. Frankly, if it's just about the marjinaly greater expense of coming to Samui, (and i don't think it is) you perhaps should be questioning the affordability of holidaying in Thailand generally.

[Doppelone]

So why come up with this post?

I just can't get my head round what the OP is getting at with this discussion.

The point of the thread (and it is only a subjective opinion and hardly a polemic) is that 12 years ago I would have quite happily swum to Samui and paid 7,600 baht for my pains.

What Samui had then it no longer has (IMO). What it has become doesn't make it the irresistable holiday destination it once was.

As I say, it's only my opinion. If I want to visit a pristine tropical island, or islands with a lovely startup vibe, I go elsewhere.

And for those Pattaya bashers out there, breaking news. The gap between Pattaya and parts of Samui isn't really all that great.

And I'm no apologist for loutish behaviour, in fact I abhore it (which is why I rarely step foot in Cahewang these days). But the idea that you guys live in a Utopian paradise and have the right to be high minded and slag off other parts of Thailand (or castigate those who visit other mainstream tourist destinations in Thailand) is just plain weeeeirrrd.

[carmine]

You weren't being serious were you? If so, oh, dear... you might want to save some of your moral indignation for the un-evolved sub-culture of ex-cons on Samui, the scammers and the property developers who wantonly despoil the once beautiful island and its environs out of sheer, unapologetic greed. Or are you quite happy in their company?

PMSL. Lessons in morality and ecology from a bloke who chooses to spend his holiday in Pattaya over Samui due to the oh dear WAAAAY too expensive airfare. You should simply have started yet another Bangkok Airways thread.

scammers? Well that's the only bit of your post which makes any sense to me....alright singhy?

I would ask you what's being done about the flooding in Jomtien due to the ripping up of the trees on the beach there OP but I doubt you made it that far from Walking St.

Did'nt you admit once Smokes that you are infact a major high roller and Pattaya just was'nt expensive enough for your tastes

[carmine]

So why come up with this post?

I just can't get my head round what the OP is getting at with this discussion.

The point of the thread (and it is only a subjective opinion and hardly a polemic) is that 12 years ago I would have quite happily swum to Samui and paid 7,600 baht for my pains.

What Samui had then it no longer has (IMO). What it has become doesn't make it the irresistable holiday destination it once was.

As I say, it's only my opinion. If I want to visit a pristine tropical island, or islands with a lovely startup vibe, I go elsewhere.

And for those Pattaya bashers out there, breaking news. The gap between Pattaya and parts of Samui isn't really all that great.

And I'm no apologist for loutish behaviour, in fact I abhore it (which is why I rarely step foot in Cahewang these days). But the idea that you guys live in a Utopian paradise and have the right to be high minded and slag off other parts of Thailand (or castigate those who visit other mainstream tourist destinations in Thailand) is just plain weeeeirrrd.

You will always get the apologists here boring the pants off the rest of us, but generally speaking the vast majority of residents here fully appreciate it's not perfect here but when we way things up it's still a lovely place to live. When that feeling changes each one of us in our own time will choose to move on.

Could'nt you find a better example for your arguement though than Pattaya. Chalk and cheese that is.

[Birdman]

...I visit from time to time to confirm that it wasn't only in my imagination. Many of the Thais I know there want to get out and go back to their home towns in the South and many of the foreigners who could afford to, decamped to Chiang Mai and other places.

I guess the place depends on the ten day or weekend tourists now. The potentially long staying backpackers choose to stay elsewhere.

I mean to whom does it make a difference if your two week tourist spends 5000 baht a night on a hotel room or 2000 baht for a meal in it's attached Italian restaurant. At least with backpackers the wealth was spread more evenly.

Samui is simply a fully blown tourist destination since a while now. One of the 5 main destinations in Thailand, where certain service standards are more expected than, let's say, in Pattaya.

You are living in the Samui past, which is not gone everywhere on this island. Try some small resorts at Menam for instance. You still can have that old feeling there. I know that. I live on this island over 2 decades now.

Here tourists can really have everything except cold weather, except at the Ice Bar or at 7/11s. There are many restaurants where you can eat for less than 100 a meal even on Chaweng. Taxis? Local Songtaeows cost between 30 and 60 Baht during daytime....etc etc

Pattaya? was always a top night life fun resort city considering prices and the high quantity of entertainment unmatched worldwide.

[smokie36]

You weren't being serious were you? If so, oh, dear... you might want to save some of your moral indignation for the un-evolved sub-culture of ex-cons on Samui, the scammers and the property developers who wantonly despoil the once beautiful island and its environs out of sheer, unapologetic greed. Or are you quite happy in their company?

PMSL. Lessons in morality and ecology from a bloke who chooses to spend his holiday in Pattaya over Samui due to the oh dear WAAAAY too expensive airfare. You should simply have started yet another Bangkok Airways thread.

scammers? Well that's the only bit of your post which makes any sense to me....alright singhy?

I would ask you what's being done about the flooding in Jomtien due to the ripping up of the trees on the beach there OP but I doubt you made it that far from Walking St.

Did'nt you admit once Smokes that you are infact a major high roller and Pattaya just was'nt expensive enough for your tastes

hahaha you have a long memory carmine! You certainly wouldn't find a hotel like that in Samui....

[smokie36]

So why come up with this post?

I just can't get my head round what the OP is getting at with this discussion.

The point of the thread (and it is only a subjective opinion and hardly a polemic) is that 12 years ago I would have quite happily swum to Samui and paid 7,600 baht for my pains.

What Samui had then it no longer has (IMO). What it has become doesn't make it the irresistable holiday destination it once was.

As I say, it's only my opinion. If I want to visit a pristine tropical island, or islands with a lovely startup vibe, I go elsewhere.

And for those Pattaya bashers out there, breaking news. The gap between Pattaya and parts of Samui isn't really all that great.

And I'm no apologist for loutish behaviour, in fact I abhore it (which is why I rarely step foot in Cahewang these days). But the idea that you guys live in a Utopian paradise and have the right to be high minded and slag off other parts of Thailand (or castigate those who visit other mainstream tourist destinations in Thailand) is just plain weeeeirrrd.

I like to visit many different places in Thailand OP but I don't spend my time criticising them or comparing them to Samui as each place is unique and offers different things. Look a bit further and you'll find the Samui of 12 years ago lurking just under the surface.

Only one person slagging anything off on this thread methinks....

[Birdman]

...

As I say, it's only my opinion. If I want to visit a pristine tropical island, or islands with a lovely startup vibe, I go elsewhere.

And for those Pattaya bashers out there, breaking news. The gap between Pattaya and parts of Samui isn't really all that great.

And I'm no apologist for loutish behaviour, in fact I abhore it (which is why I rarely step foot in Cahewang these days). But the idea that you guys live in a Utopian paradise and have the right to be high minded and slag off other parts of Thailand (or castigate those who visit other mainstream tourist destinations in Thailand) is just plain weeeeirrrd.

breaking news: you have shown, that you clearly are no expert and you don't know jack. Can't even spell the apparently only place you know a bit on Samui, it's Chaweng!

[smokie36]

...

As I say, it's only my opinion. If I want to visit a pristine tropical island, or islands with a lovely startup vibe, I go elsewhere.

And for those Pattaya bashers out there, breaking news. The gap between Pattaya and parts of Samui isn't really all that great.

And I'm no apologist for loutish behaviour, in fact I abhore it (which is why I rarely step foot in Cahewang these days). But the idea that you guys live in a Utopian paradise and have the right to be high minded and slag off other parts of Thailand (or castigate those who visit other mainstream tourist destinations in Thailand) is just plain weeeeirrrd.

breaking news: you have shown, that you clearly are no expert and you don't know jack. Can't even spell the apparently only place you know a bit on Samui, it's Chaweng!

Spot on Birdman the trolls can't spell....back under the bridge pal!

[MSingh]

The Island needs every S*x Tourist it can get imo, like the OP & Friends for example..

I think that it's counterproductive to write off people as being riff-raff merely because they balk at the prices in Samui.

Where did i write him/her off as riff raff then ?

[Doppelone]

breaking news: you have shown, that you clearly are no expert and you don't know jack. Can't even spell the apparently only place you know a bit

on Samui, it's Chaweng!

A bit hard that, stamping on someone's head because of a typo.

Is the spelling (just) Chaweng? I thought you could also spell it Chaweang?

[Jiu-Jitsu]

...I visit from time to time to confirm that it wasn't only in my imagination. Many of the Thais I know there want to get out and go back to their home towns in the South and many of the foreigners who could afford to, decamped to Chiang Mai and other places.

I guess the place depends on the ten day or weekend tourists now. The potentially long staying backpackers choose to stay elsewhere.

I mean to whom does it make a difference if your two week tourist spends 5000 baht a night on a hotel room or 2000 baht for a meal in it's attached Italian restaurant. At least with backpackers the wealth was spread more evenly.

Samui is simply a fully blown tourist destination since a while now. One of the 5 main destinations in Thailand, where certain service standards are more expected than, let's say, in Pattaya.

You are living in the Samui past, which is not gone everywhere on this island. Try some small resorts at Menam for instance. You still can have that old feeling there. I know that. I live on this island over 2 decades now.

Here tourists can really have everything except cold weather, except at the Ice Bar or at 7/11s. There are many restaurants where you can eat for less than 100 a meal even on Chaweng. Taxis? Local Songtaeows cost between 30 and 60 Baht during daytime....etc etc

Pattaya? was always a top night life fun resort city considering prices and the high quantity of entertainment unmatched worldwide.

Service standards? What kind of nonsense is this? Are you saying that you get a better standard of service at a 5 star hotel in Samui, as opposed to one in Pattaya or Bangkok?

I'm not living in the Samui past. I have good contacts there. People who are well placed to be able to judge the current state of the island. In addition to this, I was there earlier this year.

Pattaya? was always a top night life fun resort city

This too is nonsense...I'm sure on reflection this may come to you. It's akin to saying Samui was always a "fully blown tourist destination".

I also know the cost of the Songthaews and the exorbitant meter taxis.

As to that 'old feeling' you think I'm looking for.... it's something to do with the people too. As the island has changed, the people have changed.

Samui just isn't the attraction it once was...it got popular off the back of the backpackers who went back and told others who then visited. But the visitors were probably unimpressed when the roads flooded and couldn't get out of their 5* hotels(so much for the service) or have to wheel their children in the road as their is no proper place to walk with a perambulator.

It's a joke to talk about Samui and service standards. Samui was a nice place, but too many people want to stay there and suck the lifeblood out of it. Now the bloodsuckers are on a bigger scale.

[Birdman]

good reply, Jiu-Jitsu.

So, to answer that: I said Pattaya not Bangkok > I was in the middle of the business there as I am here on Samui as I was in Bangkok too and I can tell you, that customers expect more in Samui than in Patty.

old feeling: there was only one old feeling on Samui, which I have known since the early 80s. You are right, it's almost gone. But if someone would like to get away from the crowds and enjoy a backpacker's cheap bungalow resort and a nice tropical beach, it is still possible at certain places around the island.

Sure like everywhere, backpackers came first, so it was in Crete and Goa. And they moved on to other places they have left for the masses...needless to argue with that, we all know that.

But you are wrong about the rest: Roads on Samui are not that flooded anymore, the infrastructure has improved. Samui is a nice place at least for thousands of European residents and hundred thousands of tourists. Even if you are a die hard hippie, you can enjoy the island, if you know the place.

But I can see where you are coming from and I have to agree with that too.

[Patsycat]

Smui, Chaheweng - where's that?

My tickets have always been Europe - Bangycock- Smui and return. I never quibbled over the fact that the ticket was expensive to Smui. I didn't know the price.

I was just excited to get to the beach, on holiday and get a sun tan in the middle of a depressing European winter. And see Elvis at Trippicle Mimphys.

If I can't afford it and have change, I shall not go on holiday. Save up for the next year.

A friend got us a really good deal to Banycock with Ethihad last month. Then realised the price quoted was only a return flight to Abbibi dabai. Can you imagine patsy stranded in Abbibu dibbu?