Samui - Lawless?

[Major Major]

Now lived in samui for almost a year and have enjoyed the beautiful island. The shooting of a property agent today however spells out the danger for anyone involved in property here, which frankly to some extent is nearly everyone. The end of the dream?

[Voo Doo]

Now lived in samui for almost a year and have enjoyed the beautiful island. The shooting of a property agent today however spells out the danger for anyone involved in property here, which frankly to some extent is nearly everyone. The end of the dream?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Been away for few days in China and don't know anything about it. Will appreciate any info. Thx

[britmaveric]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=45658

Already another threadon this see above!

[Voo Doo]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=45658

Already another threadon this see above!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thx for info mate,

Bad bad news indeed.

Long story short:

Don't want to go too deep in this, but as we all know, South Thailand always have had it's own law, so let just hope they will get well soon.

You never know who do you deal with, especially when it comes to "big" money...

Hope I'm wrong.

[thaidinnotts]

So the bad guys sell, or " persuade " someone to sell the land to the good guys.

The good guys then build on the land.

The bad guys then want the land back.

Realistically what could you do about it?

A deed is no use if you are deed

[taxexile]

if there are a few baht to be made there then i doubt if the shooting of one falang will make the slightest bit of difference to the land business down there. it will just remove one player. 10 will probably be queuing up to step into his shoes.

the atmosphere of greed and avarice down there pervades the place like a putrid fog.

tourists and short stayers wont see it.

many regular "chao samui" folk are sickened by whats happened to the island and by the influx of carpetbagging foriegners , but they are enjoying the financial rewards.

local landowners are making so much by selling to both falang agents and thai big business (hotels ,etc) that jealousies are bound to develop.

i would expect more shootings.

opening a firearms shop would be a good business opportunity down there now.

[Khun Jean]

Now you understand Major Major. It is sad to see it happen, but it happens all the time, although not with gunshots. Been there a little longer than you and i don't feel safe. Remember story about someone who had an accident and was brought to a hospital so they get a kick back. Money Money Money Money.... and no enforcement or anything that resembles a law.

If you start something in Samui and you stick out a little, you are a target, you play along or you get out. Such a shame because there are still wonderfull people on the island, but getting fewer every year, being surpressed or replaced by greedy and lawless Thai and -i use the word correct here- Farang.

[Duality]

Samui is more like Sicily with all the gangsters controlling the real estate, hotels, bars etc...but i still feel safe there.

Edited September 24, 2005 by Duality

[bartender100]

Glad this sort of thing does not happen in Pattaya.

[davethailand]

I'll drink to that

[khall64au]

Would never happen on Phuket either.... no no no no!!!

Edited September 24, 2005 by khall64au

[pyros]

Samui is more like Sicily with all the gangsters controlling the real estate, hotels, bars etc...but i still feel safe there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed completely ...

Everybody who lives there or comes there many times knows it ,feels it and heard about it many times .Some of us also have been in "closer" contact with these persons and some of the names are very popular around . Minding your own business is a good thing when it comes to safety . Always surprises me that not more people get shot every year , guns are wide spread , so are knives and people willing to use them also . Don't know about this story but i wish him and her the best of luck and health .

[Malice in Wonderland]

if there are a few baht to be made there then i doubt if the shooting of one falang will make the slightest bit of difference to the land business down there. it will just remove one player. 10 will probably be queuing up to step into his shoes.

the atmosphere of greed and avarice down there pervades the place like a putrid fog.

tourists and short stayers wont see it.

many regular "chao samui" folk are sickened by whats happened to the island and by the influx of carpetbagging foriegners , but they are enjoying the financial rewards.

local landowners are making so much by selling to both falang agents and thai big business (hotels ,etc) that jealousies are bound to develop.

As a friend of the gentleman in question let me tell you that he is well liked and respected by the "Chao Samui" you speak of.Gary has put much back into his local community over the last decade.His recent fundraising efforts for the Tsunami victims with the Rotary Club being a good example."Carpetbagger" he certainly is not and tarring everybody with the same brush certainly doesn't help matters....

[snoophound]

Same as anywhere

Stay clean

Be nice

Be ethical

Pay your bills.

No problem.

Unfort not too many of the above qualities in the game today.

Now lived in samui for almost a year and have enjoyed the beautiful island. The shooting of a property agent today however spells out the danger for anyone involved in property here, which frankly to some extent is nearly everyone. The end of the dream?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[womble]

Any of you guys that think samui is lawless, better go read pattaya city news.

Pattaya may be bigger, but i'm pretty sure as an average the murder rate and crime rate involving farangs is considerably higher than it is on samui.

Edited September 26, 2005 by womble

[Eric Davis]

http://www.samui-info.com/forum/read.php?id=6137

Can anyone translate this link.Tis in French I think.

[Khun Jean]

."Carpetbagger" he certainly is not and tarring everybody with the same brush certainly doesn't help matters....

You read that wrong i think. Most of the times the target is a honest, friendly doing good person that are intimidated by the other scum. Scum that is not afraid to use violence if necessary. I know few people who would not hurt a fly, defending someone with words only, or being a competitor in the same type of shop, and getting threatened to be killed or loved ones hurt. By farang and Thai carrying arms visibly. The rednosed ones of course with no respect for anyone. Even in the relatively quiet south of Samui.

[taxexile]

As a friend of the gentleman in question let me tell you that he is well liked and respected by the "Chao Samui" you speak of.Gary has put much back into his local community over the last decade.His recent fundraising efforts for the Tsunami victims with the Rotary Club being a good example."Carpetbagger" he certainly is not and tarring everybody with the same brush certainly doesn't help matters....

i never implied that gary pearmain was a "carpetbagger" , he was there for the long term and from what i know of him and read about him he seems decent enough. i met him a couple of times when he showed me around the santi thani development where he worked. i do not know him socially. what happened to him and his girlfriend was terrible.

but there are plenty of land agents and business people there whose ethics leave a lot to be desired .

its usually the honest ones who get hurt , either financially , physically or both.

it would be the same in any location where powerful people and vested interests control business and to a certain extent law enforcement as well.

i heard from thai residents there of many cases of falangs intimidating thais too and some quite awful stories about tactics used by one or two of the big hotels to "persuade" locals to sell up land for development .

[Mister Fixit]

if there are a few baht to be made there then i doubt if the shooting of one falang will make the slightest bit of difference to the land business down there. it will just remove one player. 10 will probably be queuing up to step into his shoes.

the atmosphere of greed and avarice down there pervades the place like a putrid  fog.

tourists and short stayers wont see it.

many regular "chao samui" folk are sickened by whats happened to the island and by the influx of carpetbagging foriegners , but they are enjoying the financial rewards.

local landowners are making so much by selling to both falang agents and thai big business (hotels ,etc) that jealousies are bound to develop.

i would expect more shootings.

opening a firearms  shop would be a good business opportunity down there now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I couldn't agree more. I spent 3 months on Samui last year and it was more than enough for me. Quite a few (not all) of the farangs were the worst sort of people I have ever come across, the sort of people who would not be welcome in their home country, so have had to get away.

One chap I know, who'd been there for 14 years, said that in the last 2 or 3 years, many of the people coming to live there had dropped to a pretty low social class level. I agree with him - I met some. Rough, thick and of questionable background.

Another friend who has lived in Bangkok for 12 years said that it was only fit for dropping a bomb on. I also agree. It's become a sinkhole for all that is worst in people.

[womble]

Rubbish, absolute rubbish.

Like everywhere in the world samui has good and bad, as the island grows expect more bad eggs to arrive.

"many of the people coming to live there had dropped to a pretty low social class level"

What does that mean, do you think that your middle class upbringing somehow makes you better than working class people?

I guess the type of people you meet depends on where you hang around. If you hang in red light bars, expect to meet a few scum bags, however samui now has it's fair share of decent bars, clubs and restaurants so you can go out without having to hang with people who are 'below you in social standing'.

Might I also add that the rise in land and house prices shows that there is a lot of money coming to samui these days, I guess where there's money there's success, those 20m baht villa's have to be owned by someone, maybe they are on the same rung of the social ladder as yourself.

Edited September 28, 2005 by womble

[Khun Jean]

Rubbish, absolute rubbish.

Like everywhere in the world samui has good and bad, as the island grows expect more bad eggs to arrive.

Oh my god, more are to arrive!!!

What does that mean, do you think that your middle class upbringing somehow makes you better than working class people? 

You have high class, middle class, working class, low class and absolutely no class.

The last category is in the majority.

I guess the type of people you meet depends on where you hang around.  If you hang in red light bars, expect to meet a few scum bags, however samui now has it's fair share of decent bars, clubs and restaurants so you can go out without having to hang with people who are 'below you in social standing'.

Might I also add that the rise in land and house prices shows that there is a lot of money coming to samui these days, I guess where there's money there's success, those 20m baht villa's have to be owned by someone, maybe they are on the same rung of the social ladder as yourself.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Woble, Woble. It is great this "ignorance is bliss" isn't it. Are you still sitting by your swimming pool with a cold beer in your hand? If you do i applaud you, you are more adaptable than i am.

Try walking around with your wife and children and have low-lives make a pass at your wife and offer money, and if you say something about it threaten to "punch your lights out"! I know i am no match to a big guy with too much muscle tissue and experience beating people up. No it is not at night time, not in a bar area but right there in a restaurant or of all places Lotus. Yep they are already drunk 10 o'clock in the morning.

And no it doesn't happen only 1 time. Although i must admit in the lowest season of the year it is rather pleasant on Samui. Pity it only lasts 2 months

Ever been to other places in Thailand for a longer period so you can compare?

Bars can be avoided, to avoid neighbours is a lot more difficult.

Try renting a nice bungalow/house/appartment, i have been in ones as cheap as 5000 and more upscale (i thought better) to 40.000 a month. No way you can escape the low-life farang with his ho of the week on Samui. It is too small. Ask any Thai who live there their whole live, it is going downhill fast.

Bottom will be hit soon, after that it hopefully get better as people realize .

[taxexile]

spot on khun jean .

[craigt3365]

My favorite time on Samui is around the full moon party on KPG. With all the incredible low lifes. I can't believe people go through life looking like that...and not all are 19 year old's who will eventually grow up and figure it out. If they would just stick to KPG and leave the other islands alone...

[womble]

I've never had any problems walking with my gf anywhere in Thailand.

Maybe there's a bit of an age gap between yourself and your mrs khun jean?

[Pie Boy]

I've never had any problems walking with my gf anywhere in Thailand.

Maybe there's a bit of an age gap between yourself and your mrs khun jean?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What should that matter? It's no excuse for ass like behaviour.

[rio666uk]

"Try walking around with your wife and children and have low-lives make a pass at your wife and offer money, and if you say something about it threaten to "punch your lights out"! I know i am no match to a big guy with too much muscle tissue and experience beating people up. No it is not at night time, not in a bar area but right there in a restaurant or of all places Lotus."

This **** disgusts me, whether it be in LoS or anywhere else for that matter... what the **** gives these people the right to behave like this.

[Khun Jean]

I've never had any problems walking with my gf anywhere in Thailand.

Maybe there's a bit of an age gap between yourself and your mrs khun jean?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am happy to say that is true. Although it is not a double digit age difference.

It happened to us nowhere else in Thailand i am happy to say. Although i not have been to many other tourist hotspots except HuaHin which was a complete other atmosphere.

Edited September 28, 2005 by Khun Jean

[craigt3365]

I've never had any problems walking with my gf anywhere in Thailand.

Maybe there's a bit of an age gap between yourself and your mrs khun jean?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Depends on where you are walking. I use to love the Swan Bar on Soi 4 for playing pool. Great music! Until my wife got hit on twice...and I almost got into a fight with some drunken lout. Amazing guys will hit on girls even when they are with other guys.

So, I found a new place to play pool and just avoid that whole area...when I am with my wife anyway...

[Johpa]

Samui is more like Sicily with all the gangsters controlling the real estate, hotels, bars etc...but i still feel safe there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't see any differnece between Samui and anywhere else in Thailand other than perhaps more naive Farangs getting involved in areas they have no business getting involved in. Person shot over property or land dealing in Thailand?? Ho hum. This guy got off better than my friend, old Kamnan Seng, who resisted some agribusiness up north, and was subsequently beaten, doused with gasoline and set afire. Now that entire region, once filled with small agricultural plots, is one large corporate orchard.

[taxin]

Samui is more like Sicily with all the gangsters controlling the real estate, hotels, bars etc...but i still feel safe there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't see any differnece between Samui and anywhere else in Thailand other than perhaps more naive Farangs getting involved in areas they have no business getting involved in. Person shot over property or land dealing in Thailand?? Ho hum. This guy got off better than my friend, old Kamnan Seng, who resisted some agribusiness up north, and was subsequently beaten, doused with gasoline and set afire. Now that entire region, once filled with small agricultural plots, is one large corporate orchard.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No difference to the rest of Thailand ? Have you ever spent a considerable ammount of time (considerable being more than a 2 week holiday) in any other part of Thailand ?

The order of preference for me is as follows.....

1. Phuket

2. Bangkok

3. Pattaya

4. Samui

This is only in preference based on what tend to be the top 4 most popular places visited by us farangs, otherwise to rank Samui as a 4th is an insult to the rest of Thailand !

The farang there really have to be the lowest of the lowest when it comes to Expats in Thailand, this im relating to LT expats not holiday makers. As for the owners of 20 million baht homes do they live there ? The answer is no, the majority dont !

Its nothing more than a lawless, lifeless rock in the sea !!! Bangkok (rip off) Airways, who charge 3 times the cost of a flight to Bangkok compared to the same flight from Phuket !..... Rain EVERY day ! ...... Sand all over the road causing more accidents with tourists in one month than the other places get put together..... A beach that has so much sh*t washed upon it nobody even dares to set foot on there anymore….. Fighting in Chaweng almost every night…

The list could go on, im just so glad I don’t have to live there anymore !