Koh Samui Tourism Future In Doubt?

[livinthailandos]

I thought about bringing up this post for quite a while now, in which I simply want to bring up an issue which I have yet to really find a answer for. I’ve gone through many articles in the bangkok post, the nation, tried to go through quite a bit of postings on here as well, even so far to spend a day going through google searches. my question is this

1. When are the oil rigs going to start being put up near koh samui island

2. Does koh samui, koh phangan, koh tao even have any future regarding tourism once all the oil rigs and gas platforms go up

3. What kind of air pollution will the surrounding areas face once they go up

Keep in mind from what little information I’ve read it would seem they can put an oil rig within 5km of the island. If any of you have any further information I would gladly like to read it

I look forward to all your answers and comments on this matter

[BigC]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

[itishothere]

To the OP:

Your information is not that accurate, I am pleased to say. There was a thread on here last year all about this. Maybe worth a read?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/380813-community-protest-against-drilling-in-the-gulf-of-siam/page__st__200__p__3869639__hl__community__fromsearch__1#entry3869639

[H2oDunc]

There are many gas rigs South of Samui already and they have been there for years. They have to date caused no ill effect on any of the surrounding islands or mainland or effected the tourism of the area. I also do not understand about the air pollution you refer to ? What air pollution ?

I would put it that the monstrosity of a wind turbine they placed on Koh Tao has done more to effect the beauty and tourism of the island than the possibility of having some gas rigs near by.

[bangkokgas]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

[carmine]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

There is little or no comparison to Pattaya.

samui is however being held back by Bangkok Airways and the existance of illegal scumbag taxi drivers, both of which give us persistent negative comments and leave a bad impression with many tourists that feel fleeced by their overcharging. Through their greed and selfishness they cause everyone else here loss of business in a round about way but this won't change so best to learn to live with it.

Edited February 12, 2011 by carmine

[bangkokgas]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

There is little or no comparison to Pattaya.

samui is however being held back by Bangkok Airways and the existance of illegal scumbag taxi drivers, both of which give us persistent negative comments and leave a bad impression with many tourists that feel fleeced by their overcharging. Through their greed and selfishness they cause everyone else here loss of business in a round about way but this won't change so best to learn to live with it.

Yes, those taxi drivers!!! What is to stop the local gov from introducing a cheap bus service.....or are there really too many 'dark forces' for that? I imagine a pleasant experience can still be had at the likes of mae nam, but such a shameshame to see chaweng and lamai fall into such a state.

[bangkokgas]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

There is little or no comparison to Pattaya.

samui is however being held back by Bangkok Airways and the existance of illegal scumbag taxi drivers, both of which give us persistent negative comments and leave a bad impression with many tourists that feel fleeced by their overcharging. Through their greed and selfishness they cause everyone else here loss of business in a round about way but this won't change so best to learn to live with it.

Yes, those taxi drivers!!! What is to stop the local gov from introducing a cheap bus service.....or are there really too many 'dark forces' for that? I imagine a pleasant experience can still be had at the likes of mae nam, but such a shameshame to see chaweng and lamai fall into such a state.

Ooops...shameshame but different!

[Tropicalevo]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

There is little or no comparison to Pattaya.

samui is however being held back by Bangkok Airways and the existance of illegal scumbag taxi drivers, both of which give us persistent negative comments and leave a bad impression with many tourists that feel fleeced by their overcharging. Through their greed and selfishness they cause everyone else here loss of business in a round about way but this won't change so best to learn to live with it.

Well said Carmine. Sadly I can see no way to fix the above two issues

Samui will never become another Pattaya - it's too far and too expensive for the Bangkok folk to come.

[bangkokgas]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

There is little or no comparison to Pattaya.

samui is however being held back by Bangkok Airways and the existance of illegal scumbag taxi drivers, both of which give us persistent negative comments and leave a bad impression with many tourists that feel fleeced by their overcharging. Through their greed and selfishness they cause everyone else here loss of business in a round about way but this won't change so best to learn to live with it.

Well said Carmine. Sadly I can see no way to fix the above two issues

Samui will never become another Pattaya - it's too far and too expensive for the Bangkok folk to come.

Just to add that I didn't say that Samui would become ' pattaya, just that there are similarities in the general degeneration of the two. I have spent many months in both over the years, and the only thing saving Samui, is, if, you have a few satangs, you can rent somewhere nice on Samui and not witness said deterioration. Same I guessin pattaya, but, those who defend either destination these days have an awful lot to convince with little or no backup.

[bangkokgas]

nd whoever said 'Samui is too far for Bangkok folk to come' - is an xxxxxxxxx I have been goign to Sam,ui from Bkk,Japan,Sp[ain,England for 25 years. No doubt you will wriggle your way out of that but, Saamui is xxxxxxxxxxxx deny it and you are well and truly blind my friend.

Edited February 12, 2011 by Rooo
Removed flame & obscenity.

[starcandle]

on a recent trip into Samui the flight I was on was full.

I would say this flight on general observation was made up of 70% Korean and Russian and the rest westerners.

also the community I live on, 2 years ago tourists renting units where always Brits or Aussies, however now its the larger per cent Russian.

it seem that our eastern European friends and Koreans seem to be quite happy paying high flying prices into Samui.

only yesterday I was talking to a business owner on Samui and as he has a wife and 2 kids, because the flight prices in and out of Samui are so expensive

he actually drives to Surat thani airport for the huge saving.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Korean or Rusian people it's just an observation, and in saying that I also know a couple who rent out a luxury yacht

they are doing so well they have just ordered a new bigger one, 80% of their custom base is Korean...

Tourism may or may not be up or down, but it's quite obvious that the changing nationalities is there for all to see.

Edited February 13, 2011 by starcandle

[robsamui]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

There is little or no comparison to Pattaya.

samui is however being held back by Bangkok Airways and the existance of illegal scumbag taxi drivers, both of which give us persistent negative comments and leave a bad impression with many tourists that feel fleeced by their overcharging. Through their greed and selfishness they cause everyone else here loss of business in a round about way but this won't change so best to learn to live with it.

Yes, those taxi drivers!!! What is to stop the local gov from introducing a cheap bus service.....or are there really too many 'dark forces' for that? I imagine a pleasant experience can still be had at the likes of mae nam, but such a shameshame to see chaweng and lamai fall into such a state.

There is a cheap local bus service already! Haven't you noticed the one small bus that runs round in a circle all day, with the driver also being paid to stop all the time for meals and breaks?

Seriously, though, I can't see it ever happening. Not now the bandits are already in place and a precedent has been established. Can you really envisage all those song thiew drivers saying - "yeah OK fellas - we'll give up our 200 baht-a-head night fares and everyone can ride for a philanthropic 30 baht each"????

It would take nothing for the tesseban to offer a contract out to run 8 mini buses (or similar - mini coaches?). Two running in tandem between Nathon and Mae Nam, two between Mae Nam and Chaweng, two between Chaweng and Lamai and 2 between Lamai and Nathon. (Or whatever ...) Fixed bus stops outside shady cafes. A bus every 30-40 minutes or so. Fixed flat-rate fares of 50 baht (??). No haggles, no hassles. But I suspect that somebody in-house is already getting a substantial kick-back from the underground taxi Mafia - it's worth more to someone in local government to keep things like they are!

R

[oldsailor35]

toursime is fine.

i came here 9 years ago in feb and i could count how many motor bike went past me on my hand sitting on the beach road in chaeweng. it was 3 in 1 hour.

now i cannot move with the amount of traffic.

i don't care what people say toursime is going up and up. i think they might have to limit to amount of residents on the island soon and make it a tax haven like Gernsey. So buy up quick !

If people think that samui is quite then they are blind or there business is out of date and there is some other git doing a bettter business thann u round the corner. if this is the case u should take the owner to the octogon to settle business disputes

LETS GET IT ONNnnnnn!!!!!

I stopped going to Samui 6 years ago after regular visits since 1989. Tourism may well increase there, but is it going to be sustainable,environmentally friendly, and a quality experience? I doubt it if what has been seen in recent years. Samui is on a Pattaya-like slide towards being a downtrodden, filthy, overbearingly noisy island resort.

There is little or no comparison to Pattaya.

samui is however being held back by Bangkok Airways and the existance of illegal scumbag taxi drivers, both of which give us persistent negative comments and leave a bad impression with many tourists that feel fleeced by their overcharging. Through their greed and selfishness they cause everyone else here loss of business in a round about way but this won't change so best to learn to live with it.

I entirely agree with this. Until the stranglehold held on Samui by Bangkok Air is broken, the progress of Samui as a tourist destination will just bounce along on the bottom. The taxi problem is certianly there, but it can be overcome if authorities can get it into their heads that they have to step in and ajust things .