New Road Safety Initiative

[H2oDunc]

I see from reading the latest issue of the Gazette that there is to be a new clampdown on helmets and road safety. A worthy effort but feel it will simply fade away after the initial burst. The level of education here on the island coupled with the inefficient policing makes for a poor performance. Contrast this to the level of safety and all round driving in Penang Malaysia.

The last time I went to Penang just befor Xmas I decided to rent a motorbike and have a look around the island instead of just filling my face with Indian food and Malaysian beer I was amazed that 99.9% of both riders and passengers wore a helmet. The general standard of driving on the island was also far superior to Samui where everybody seems to think it is a race track and that by simply flashing their lights at you gives them freedom to run you off the road.

I for one would welcome a sustained campaign to make both riders and passengers wear helmets and to keep it going. They also say they are to start to instil safety in the schools as well. Lets see if they can actually make good on their promises and we see a drop in the needless deaths that occur on a far to regular basis. Maybe to Samui Rotary club can have a fund raiser to buy a couple of radar guns for the BIB to use as well

[carmine]

Nothing will happen because the authorities are not interested in deaths and injuries on the road.

[smokie36]

Nothing will happen because the authorities are not interested in deaths and injuries on the road.

Integrated public health and road safety? Seems to be a conflict of interest somewhere.....

[NHJ]

hope we can keep our freedom of choice to wear a helmet or not.

[H2oDunc]

hope we can keep our freedom of choice to wear a helmet or not.

What choice ?

It isn't a choice it is the law ! So you are saying it is OK to break the laws you feel you don't like ? Drink driving maybe, not wearing a seat belt ? theft ? Just curious

[NHJ]

as i said previously, hopefully in thailand, the rules can be made supple otherwise no entertainement after 2AM, no foreigners could buy a house/land with a company etc etc helmet is one the rules i appreciate to be supple in here.

[H2oDunc]

So if someone burgles your house and the police are " supple " about finding them that will be fine then ? How can you pick which laws you want to abide by and others you do not ?

So according to you it is perfectly fine for me to get drunk and drive my car possibly running over you without a helmet and that is OK as well as it is your choice ?

Your logic is flawed I am afraid.

[NHJ]

well police should concentrated on what puts others life in danger, bikes without lights, highly modified engines, dangerous driving habits, etc etc.

what kills others is bad driving behaviour, not wearing a helmet won't kill anyone exept maybe the one not wearing one...

[Rooo]

hope we can keep our freedom of choice to wear a helmet or not.

I really do not understand this. The law is the law. So according to you it's OK just to break it for freedom of choice? Come on you really don't mean that.?

So technically killing someone is ok with you then? Because really it's a freedom of choice?

Again we all complain about lack of rules here, but here we go the people that should know better making statements like this.

[Boater]

it was the satistics that got me on this article

between the 30th of Dec - 5 th Jan, on the WHOLE of samui there where only 16 Accidents, resulting in 15 Injuries and 3 deaths ?? .. <deleted> i personally saw this myself !!, and i am only on the road about an hour of the day ! who makes this up.. i would believe more with the figures 350 Acceidents, 220 injuires and 66 deaths ( during the period, i heard an ambulance during the day every 10 mins or so going past my office with the horns blaring )

[limbos]

well police should concentrated on what puts others life in danger, bikes without lights, highly modified engines, dangerous driving habits, etc etc.

what kills others is bad driving behaviour, not wearing a helmet won't kill anyone exept maybe the one not wearing one...

Investigations shows that wearing helmets drastically increase survival chances when caught in a bike accident.

Fair enough, possibly not the flimsy Thai helmet quality but decent helmets, which are available on the island or in your home country.

Edited January 23, 2011 by limbos

[carmine]

hope we can keep our freedom of choice to wear a helmet or not.

I really do not understand this. The law is the law. So according to you it's OK just to break it for freedom of choice? Come on you really don't mean that.?

So technically killing someone is ok with you then? Because really it's a freedom of choice?

Again we all complain about lack of rules here, but here we go the people that should know better making statements like this.

Now i'm confused. yes, the law is the law. So, how come it appears that burglars can break into houses here with what blatently obviously is complete impunity. I have never known of anyone being caught for the burglary of one of my friends houses.

If people don't want to wear a helmet more fool them but personally i would prefer to see some modicom od law and order first and then tackle the safety helmet issue.

I'm dreaming i know but its a pleasant fiction right?

[robsamui]

Come on fellas - in Thailand it's all about strutting and posturing ... it's all about keeping Face and appearing to be effective. It is not the enforcing of the law that is important but actually having these excellent and socially-benign laws on display.

For example, last year I read a statistic somewhere on the net that Thailand is one of the world's leading anti-smoking nations! And that was presumably based on the comparative laws relating to smoking that are in place in differing countries. Naturally the entire rest of the world (except Nigeria, maybe) just assumes that laws are laws, and breaking them engages the appropriate legal machinery. (Which is actually true for Thailand also ... except there isn't any!)

Yep - back to something I raised last year - when I came to live here the police reported that there were between 25 and 35 road deaths each month. Now it only counts if the victim is dead on the ground - die in hospital tomorrow and you're not a statistic. And to go along with this there is no accountability of any sort here and any spokesman at any level can simply make up any "facts and figures" they feel like.

Witness the utter fiasco 5 or 6 years ago (whenever!) when Taksin began the drugs purge. Some time later he made a press statement saying that yes, there were several thousand deaths but simply because these ruthless criminals shot first. Unknown to either party his deputy had also made a statement the day before denying everything and clearly stating that there were only 92 (I remember the number) shootings involved in the whole year. Just think of a number - any number, the lower the better - and that's suddenly a 'statistic'.

So overnight the City of Samui is a shining example to the world with its rigorous public anti-smoking laws and its extensive laws geared to make it the safest place on the roads of Thailand. I know it's true because I read it in the paper.

R

[robsamui]

ps - for more than 10 years there has been a law that dropping litter on the streets - even a cigarette butt - is subject to a 2,000B spot fine. Anyone ever seen it enforced?

R

[Rooo]

ps - for more than 10 years there has been a law that dropping litter on the streets - even a cigarette butt - is subject to a 2,000B spot fine. Anyone ever seen it enforced?

R

They do in Bangkok

[robsamui]

it was the satistics that got me on this article

between the 30th of Dec - 5 th Jan, on the WHOLE of samui there where only 16 Accidents, resulting in 15 Injuries and 3 deaths ?? .. <deleted> i personally saw this myself !!, and i am only on the road about an hour of the day ! who makes this up.. i would believe more with the figures 350 Acceidents, 220 injuires and 66 deaths ( during the period, i heard an ambulance during the day every 10 mins or so going past my office with the horns blaring )

Yep indeed boaty-man, back to my pet whinge. There are so many accidents now on Samui that a) I don't think anyone (police, hospitals, local Gvt) can truly keep track of them anymore and b)it's a serious embarrassment for the tessaban and c)the 'statistics' that are issued relating to road accidents and deaths are blatant lies, the result of embarrassment and probably panic, too.

My personal opinion is that this little island has one of the highest road-traffic fatality rates in the world - measured as a percentage of the population (which is hard to calculate anyway and varies from month to month). Ten years ago one person a died here on the road every day. And today there are a lot more people here and probably five times the numbers of vehicles. Go figure!

R

[robsamui]

ps - for more than 10 years there has been a law that dropping litter on the streets - even a cigarette butt - is subject to a 2,000B spot fine. Anyone ever seen it enforced?

R

They do in Bangkok

Oh - OK - sorry! Never knew that!

R

[robsamui]

it was the satistics that got me on this article

between the 30th of Dec - 5 th Jan, on the WHOLE of samui there where only 16 Accidents, resulting in 15 Injuries and 3 deaths ?? .. <deleted> i personally saw this myself !!, and i am only on the road about an hour of the day ! who makes this up.. i would believe more with the figures 350 Acceidents, 220 injuires and 66 deaths ( during the period, i heard an ambulance during the day every 10 mins or so going past my office with the horns blaring )

Yep indeed boaty-man, back to my pet whinge. There are so many accidents now on Samui that a) I don't think anyone (police, hospitals, local Gvt) can truly keep track of them anymore and b)it's a serious embarrassment for the tessaban and c)the 'statistics' that are issued relating to road accidents and deaths are blatant lies, the result of embarrassment and probably panic, too.

My personal opinion is that this little island has one of the highest road-traffic fatality rates in the world - measured as a percentage of the population (which is hard to calculate anyway and varies from month to month). Ten years ago one person a died here on the road every day. And today there are a lot more people here and probably five times the numbers of vehicles. Go figure!

R

To expand -

Assume Samui has 10 deaths a month. One of the (several) ways to calculate this comparatively is to take it as a number per million per year. (European calculation method.)

Assume Samui has 500,000 inhabitants. That would make it 20 'per million' for a month and thus 240 deaths per million per year.

(There is no certain figure for the population of Samui: it shifts depending on the number of visitors from one month to the next. Any follow-up posts contending how many people are actually on Samui please modify the death rate accordingly - thus if you reckon Samui has a million people staying here each month, then the figure would be 120 deaths per million per year.)

For Bangkok to compare on the same basis that would infer that Bangkok (20x more inhabitants) would proportionately have a death rate of 4,800 per million per year! (Meaning that this would be the case if a proportionate number of people were to be killed on the roads in BKK.)

Please note this which is a very recent report that Sophia in Bulgaria has the highest fatality rate in the EU at (merely!) 72 people per mil per year.

http://sofiaecho.com/2010/11/26/1000729_sofia-has-highest-road-accident-death-rate-among-european-cities-report

And london has a rate of 23 per mil per year.

Back to what I said about Samui having the highest road death rate in the world ... ??

R

[wasas]

it was the satistics that got me on this article

between the 30th of Dec - 5 th Jan, on the WHOLE of samui there where only 16 Accidents, resulting in 15 Injuries and 3 deaths ?? .. <deleted> i personally saw this myself !!, and i am only on the road about an hour of the day ! who makes this up.. i would believe more with the figures 350 Acceidents, 220 injuires and 66 deaths ( during the period, i heard an ambulance during the day every 10 mins or so going past my office with the horns blaring )

Yep indeed boaty-man, back to my pet whinge. There are so many accidents now on Samui that a) I don't think anyone (police, hospitals, local Gvt) can truly keep track of them anymore and b)it's a serious embarrassment for the tessaban and c)the 'statistics' that are issued relating to road accidents and deaths are blatant lies, the result of embarrassment and probably panic, too.

My personal opinion is that this little island has one of the highest road-traffic fatality rates in the world - measured as a percentage of the population (which is hard to calculate anyway and varies from month to month). Ten years ago one person a died here on the road every day. And today there are a lot more people here and probably five times the numbers of vehicles. Go figure!

R

To expand -

Assume Samui has 10 deaths a month. One of the (several) ways to calculate this comparatively is to take it as a number per million per year. (European calculation method.)

Assume Samui has 500,000 inhabitants. That would make it 20 'per million' for a month and thus 240 deaths per million per year.

(There is no certain figure for the population of Samui: it shifts depending on the number of visitors from one month to the next. Any follow-up posts contending how many people are actually on Samui please modify the death rate accordingly - thus if you reckon Samui has a million people staying here each month, then the figure would be 120 deaths per million per year.)

For Bangkok to compare on the same basis that would infer that Bangkok (20x more inhabitants) would proportionately have a death rate of 4,800 per million per year! (Meaning that this would be the case if a proportionate number of people were to be killed on the roads in BKK.)

Please note this which is a very recent report that Sophia in Bulgaria has the highest fatality rate in the EU at (merely!) 72 people per mil per year.

http://sofiaecho.com...n-cities-report

And london has a rate of 23 per mil per year.

Back to what I said about Samui having the highest road death rate in the world ... ??

R

yes you all know how many accidents happen and we all personally know someone on this island that died, in motor bike accident and ,you still go round wearing no helmet.Wise up everybody, those who don,t wear a hat are risking your own lives every time you go out.

You have come to samui for a better life,dont risk it all for not wearing a hat.

It is hard at first but you get used to wearing one,and then you think of it natually.

Also why give these hotels,{sorry i mean hospitals} your hard earned money,when you do have an accident.

[dansat]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

[notime]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

Agree to pretty everything you said with an exception that locals don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing - enriching themselves while screwing up the tourists, the resident Farangs, Samui and her environment. Samui had been a duck lying golden eggs to them for a very long time. And they are also quite skillful in keeping the "main-lander Thais" at bay and not interfering into the little corrupt heaven that we have here. Future of Samui? The same as past and present - corrupt and bleak unless some miracle happens.

[robsamui]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

Agree to pretty everything you said with an exception that locals don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing - enriching themselves while screwing up the tourists, the resident Farangs, Samui and her environment. Samui had been a duck lying golden eggs to them for a very long time. And they are also quite skillful in keeping the "main-lander Thais" at bay and not interfering into the little corrupt heaven that we have here. Future of Samui? The same as past and present - corrupt and bleak unless some miracle happens.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and so is making sweeping statements based on assumptions - no matter how reasonable they might be!

I can't profess to be close to the current administration but I am good friend with one person who is - and other sources confirm partly all of what I'm about to say: that the present mayor and deputy are much more concerned about the state and image of the island than the last regime.

I have no doubt that they also share favours with family and friends now and again: it would be unrealistic to assume otherwise.

But other and previous administrations have been openly blatent about not bothering to conceal feathering their nests and lining their pockets - it's traditional and expected, after all - avoiding mentioning any names ...

As long as there is a local government there will be local local voting for their representatives, and nobody with the right to vote will go for someone from off the island. What is suggested about a central government from BKK is unrealistic and also would create exactly the same self interest you talk about but far less accountably (speaking relatively!) and all hidden away in BKK.

From what I have personally seen and heard (I have had occasion to talk to the mayor and his deputy several times) and from what others in far closer contact than than I have said, I have reason to now think that we have the best local administration we've ever had.

I am certain that it is far from perfect. But things have to begin somewhere. Ten years ago everything here was run by locals who had no awareness of their environment, who had no contact with or regard for farangs, and with no accountability at all to anyone. Today it's run by locals who have some awareness of their environment, working closely with numerous and different influential groups of farangs, and whose dealings are far more open to scrutiny, and rapidly broadcast and/or questioned.

And ten years ago I had never heard of any Thai person here who was in the slightest bit worried about or concerned with (or had even heard of) ecology, conservation or preservation (although I am sure there must have been some ...) Today I know of several bodies of Thai residents, some local some not, working steadily to improve all aspects of Samui, not just the tourist ones, and who really do have no (or little!) self-interest.

I really do think that Samui now has a governing body that is more aware than any other before it. Nothing anywhere will ever be perfect. But now, speaking personally, I am sure that this island has a sustainable future. Just after the Tsunami I believed that Samui would soon be milked dry and abandoned to decay. But not any more.

There are a hundred things about Samui and how it's run and managed that I moan about daily. But if it was all that disturbing I would have left a long time back. The good bits far outweigh the bad (although the yellow taxis here and the blind and grasping selfishness of all to do with them tip the scales mightily ... )

R

Edited January 23, 2011 by robsamui

[BigC]

Nothing will happen because the authorities are not interested in deaths and injuries on the road.

Integrated public health and road safety? Seems to be a conflict of interest somewhere.....

yep allot of expensive hospitals quite ready to pick up the peaces and send of a big bill..... welcome to the dark side of the force luke

Edited January 23, 2011 by BigC

[BigC]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

Agree to pretty everything you said with an exception that locals don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing - enriching themselves while screwing up the tourists, the resident Farangs, Samui and her environment. Samui had been a duck lying golden eggs to them for a very long time. And they are also quite skillful in keeping the "main-lander Thais" at bay and not interfering into the little corrupt heaven that we have here. Future of Samui? The same as past and present - corrupt and bleak unless some miracle happens.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and so is making sweeping statements based on assumptions - no matter how reasonable they might be!

I can't profess to be close to the current administration but I am good friend with one person who is - and other sources confirm partly all of what I'm about to say: that the present mayor and deputy are much more concerned about the state and image of the island than the last regime.

I have no doubt that they also share favours with family and friends now and again: it would be unrealistic to assume otherwise.

But other and previous administrations have been openly blatent about not bothering to conceal feathering their nests and lining their pockets - it's traditional and expected, after all - avoiding mentioning any names ...

As long as there is a local government there will be local local voting for their representatives, and nobody with the right to vote will go for someone from off the island. What is suggested about a central government from BKK is unrealistic and also would create exactly the same self interest you talk about but far less accountably (speaking relatively!) and all hidden away in BKK.

From what I have personally seen and heard (I have had occasion to talk to the mayor and his deputy several times) and from what others in far closer contact than than I have said, I have reason to now think that we have the best local administration we've ever had.

I am certain that it is far from perfect. But things have to begin somewhere. Ten years ago everything here was run by locals who had no awareness of their environment, who had no contact with or regard for farangs, and with no accountability at all to anyone. Today it's run by locals who have some awareness of their environment, working closely with numerous and different influential groups of farangs, and whose dealings are far more open to scrutiny, and rapidly broadcast and/or questioned.

And ten years ago I had never heard of any Thai person here who was in the slightest bit worried about or concerned with (or had even heard of) ecology, conservation or preservation (although I am sure there must have been some ...) Today I know of several bodies of Thai residents, some local some not, working steadily to improve all aspects of Samui, not just the tourist ones, and who really do have no (or little!) self-interest.

I really do think that Samui now has a governing body that is more aware than any other before it. Nothing anywhere will ever be perfect. But now, speaking personally, I am sure that this island has a sustainable future. Just after the Tsunami I believed that Samui would soon be milked dry and abandoned to decay. But not any more.

There are a hundred things about Samui and how it's run and managed that I moan about daily. But if it was all that disturbing I would have left a long time back. The good bits far outweigh the bad (although the yellow taxis here and the blind and grasping selfishness of all to do with them tip the scales mightily ... )

R

Problem is that samui used to be an amper. in most ampers around thailand. They are like villages and people pop around on theere quet places from A - B. Problem is that samui used to be probably the biggest amper in thailand. so it is now an amper muang which means that. politically samui is a city inside a city. which also means laws and how they are enforced probably get very confussed.

The locals want to get away with the same minor stuff that they used to get away with when they were young but at the same time th4e island has mulitpied like gremlins.

sometimes i am not even sure that the law enforcers know what the law is when it comes to certain things.

there is a book it is a called thai law for forangs though it was written in 2005 but interesting.

As for road safety. I over hear toursits thinking that police just do road blocks and fines to get the tourists but they do arrest thais aswell.

Now the police are doing road blocks for

. no number plate

. no driver lisence

. sometime random breathalising for drink driving

. Random vechele searches, for guns and drugs

they normally do it one time a week at each police station.

oh yes just for u newbeeies. in thailannd u must have your driver licence on u at alll times when u r drivig. u don't get the 7 days to produce like back in the UK.

Even if it is in your room 1 km from where you are stopped they will do u.

[notime]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

Agree to pretty everything you said with an exception that locals don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing - enriching themselves while screwing up the tourists, the resident Farangs, Samui and her environment. Samui had been a duck lying golden eggs to them for a very long time. And they are also quite skillful in keeping the "main-lander Thais" at bay and not interfering into the little corrupt heaven that we have here. Future of Samui? The same as past and present - corrupt and bleak unless some miracle happens.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and so is making sweeping statements based on assumptions - no matter how reasonable they might be!

I can't profess to be close to the current administration but I am good friend with one person who is - and other sources confirm partly all of what I'm about to say: that the present mayor and deputy are much more concerned about the state and image of the island than the last regime.

I have no doubt that they also share favours with family and friends now and again: it would be unrealistic to assume otherwise.

But other and previous administrations have been openly blatent about not bothering to conceal feathering their nests and lining their pockets - it's traditional and expected, after all - avoiding mentioning any names ...

As long as there is a local government there will be local local voting for their representatives, and nobody with the right to vote will go for someone from off the island. What is suggested about a central government from BKK is unrealistic and also would create exactly the same self interest you talk about but far less accountably (speaking relatively!) and all hidden away in BKK.

From what I have personally seen and heard (I have had occasion to talk to the mayor and his deputy several times) and from what others in far closer contact than than I have said, I have reason to now think that we have the best local administration we've ever had.

I am certain that it is far from perfect. But things have to begin somewhere. Ten years ago everything here was run by locals who had no awareness of their environment, who had no contact with or regard for farangs, and with no accountability at all to anyone. Today it's run by locals who have some awareness of their environment, working closely with numerous and different influential groups of farangs, and whose dealings are far more open to scrutiny, and rapidly broadcast and/or questioned.

And ten years ago I had never heard of any Thai person here who was in the slightest bit worried about or concerned with (or had even heard of) ecology, conservation or preservation (although I am sure there must have been some ...) Today I know of several bodies of Thai residents, some local some not, working steadily to improve all aspects of Samui, not just the tourist ones, and who really do have no (or little!) self-interest.

I really do think that Samui now has a governing body that is more aware than any other before it. Nothing anywhere will ever be perfect. But now, speaking personally, I am sure that this island has a sustainable future. Just after the Tsunami I believed that Samui would soon be milked dry and abandoned to decay. But not any more.

There are a hundred things about Samui and how it's run and managed that I moan about daily. But if it was all that disturbing I would have left a long time back. The good bits far outweigh the bad (although the yellow taxis here and the blind and grasping selfishness of all to do with them tip the scales mightily ... )

R

Rob, I can only hope that your insight into the current island's administration is correct. But when you say: "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and so is making sweeping statements based on assumptions" you are making a sweeping statement based on assumption that my knowledge is "little" and perhaps that yours is far superior. To answer you I am talking from my direct experience and have proof for everything I said. You are welcome to pvt me if you want to know more or if you feel that perhaps due to your knowledge and influence you could help me with a particular problem reflecting my statements.

[BigC]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

Agree to pretty everything you said with an exception that locals don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing - enriching themselves while screwing up the tourists, the resident Farangs, Samui and her environment. Samui had been a duck lying golden eggs to them for a very long time. And they are also quite skillful in keeping the "main-lander Thais" at bay and not interfering into the little corrupt heaven that we have here. Future of Samui? The same as past and present - corrupt and bleak unless some miracle happens.

i am sorry but i dis agree with u. there are a small amount of locals that are a pain but allot of them are very good people. allot of them ust want to protect their island. Of caorse protecting is done differently here than in other countrys. allot of the thais gangs that come here are from other parts of thailand.

Yes the locals can cause head aches. There kids are the future of samui and alllot of them have been undere expensive education and they are very normal people.

Allot of the thai on thai shootings is gambling related. that is just part of thai culture. nothing u can do about that. ust leave them to it

Anyway if u think that locals are corrupt then that is false only people in uniform have the abilty to corrpt things

[notime]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

Agree to pretty everything you said with an exception that locals don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing - enriching themselves while screwing up the tourists, the resident Farangs, Samui and her environment. Samui had been a duck lying golden eggs to them for a very long time. And they are also quite skillful in keeping the "main-lander Thais" at bay and not interfering into the little corrupt heaven that we have here. Future of Samui? The same as past and present - corrupt and bleak unless some miracle happens.

i am sorry but i dis agree with u. there are a small amount of locals that are a pain but allot of them are very good people. allot of them ust want to protect their island. Of caorse protecting is done differently here than in other countrys. allot of the thais gangs that come here are from other parts of thailand.

Yes the locals can cause head aches. There kids are the future of samui and alllot of them have been undere expensive education and they are very normal people.

Allot of the thai on thai shootings is gambling related. that is just part of thai culture. nothing u can do about that. ust leave them to it

Anyway if u think that locals are corrupt then that is false only people in uniform have the abilty to corrpt things

Of course not everybody is corrupt. The lady selling vegetarian food near my place is lovely. Thailand wouldn't hold together if not for people like her. And many others working hard at the bottom of the hierarchy observing social norms and even finding energy to be nice to each other. But these people have no opportunity for corrupt practices. My point was that government services and infrastructure is crap and Samui's environment is badly damaged due to people in the positions of power selling the island off for their personal benefit in the past. Has anybody heard of any local people being prosecuted for corruption? Any police, any government; road constructors, Electric Authority or perhaps Land Office? If not, how can anybody believe the practice has decreased? Nice talk? Talk is cheap.

[crusty]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

EXACTLY ! Couldn't put it better myself, though the M.P.'s in Bangkok are no better., mostly uneducated farmers.. Lesson ? Get your money offshore while you can.....

[carmine]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

One of the best posts i've read on here for quite a while.

[BigC]

Koh Samui has problems. The police are not to blame for all these problems. The people who are most to blame for nearly all problems on Koh Samui today are Local Koh Samui islanders. While these people are left in charge of the island it will never improve. Why ? Becuase these local islanders simply just dont have the education or know how on how to deal with the money that is sent to them from the Thai goverment for improvement. Koh Samui will only improve once the Thai goverment send in some high profile outsides ( Mainland Thais ) who have the brains and a education to be able to make the place run in a normal human sort of way. Koh Samui's local education system is miles behind the mainland system and that is by no a good education system. The roads are awful, Locals can do pretty much whatever they like knowing that nothing will happen to them. The place is a mess because it has been left to the locals. Only mainland Thai's Can help and fix it and install some law and order to a place that is basiclly being run by people who dont have a clue what they are doing for the future of Samui i hope the Goverment in Bangkok sends them soon before its to late.

Agree to pretty everything you said with an exception that locals don't know what they are doing. They know very well what they are doing - enriching themselves while screwing up the tourists, the resident Farangs, Samui and her environment. Samui had been a duck lying golden eggs to them for a very long time. And they are also quite skillful in keeping the "main-lander Thais" at bay and not interfering into the little corrupt heaven that we have here. Future of Samui? The same as past and present - corrupt and bleak unless some miracle happens.

i am sorry but i dis agree with u. there are a small amount of locals that are a pain but allot of them are very good people. allot of them ust want to protect their island. Of caorse protecting is done differently here than in other countrys. allot of the thais gangs that come here are from other parts of thailand.

Yes the locals can cause head aches. There kids are the future of samui and alllot of them have been undere expensive education and they are very normal people.

Allot of the thai on thai shootings is gambling related. that is just part of thai culture. nothing u can do about that. ust leave them to it

Anyway if u think that locals are corrupt then that is false only people in uniform have the abilty to corrpt things

Of course not everybody is corrupt. The lady selling vegetarian food near my place is lovely. Thailand wouldn't hold together if not for people like her. And many others working hard at the bottom of the hierarchy observing social norms and even finding energy to be nice to each other. But these people have no opportunity for corrupt practices. My point was that government services and infrastructure is crap and Samui's environment is badly damaged due to people in the positions of power selling the island off for their personal benefit in the past. Has anybody heard of any local people being prosecuted for corruption? Any police, any government; road constructors, Electric Authority or perhaps Land Office? If not, how can anybody believe the practice has decreased? Nice talk? Talk is cheap.

some people have no graps on how this place works ..end off!