No More Soaks For Samui

[webfact]

SAMUI

No more soaks for Samui

By PHOOWADON DUANGMEE

THE NATION

Koh Samui

Shocked by this month's flash floods, officials vow to plan better

The southern resort destination of Samui got an urgent call from the Mother Nature when a relentless downpour turned into flash floods earlier this month.

The catastrophe was deeply worrying for everyone on the island, not least because hotel occupancy dropped 40 per cent amid a slew of cancellations. Many hotels have been completely deserted since news of the flooding spread around the globe.

"We must deal with the flooding issue seriously," Mayor Ramnate Jaikwang said as he joined thousands of airline and hotels workers and tour operators for the spirit-lifting Samui Cleanup Day last Sunday.

"People here have always taken the flooding problem for granted, but we've never had flash floods this serious. We always just love to think that we can handle the rain."

Three days of unending precipitation - depositing 1,000 millimetres in all - provided a reality check.

The island - which is known around the world as a tropical paradise - was paralysed. Water streamed down the hills, submerging the town itself for several days. The surrounding sea was too turbulent to allow easy access - or escape. Thousands of tourists were stranded at the piers and airport.

Last Sunday, residents showed up in the hundreds with booms and trash bags for the big cleanup, and by now Samui, Phangan and Tao are fully recovered from the mess - in appearance, at least.

The coconut-fringed beaches are blissful again, the sun has taken to shining once more, and there is indeed a mojito to enjoy at storm's end.

What's still missing, though, are the tourists. Cheap publicity won't win them back overnight.

To get them back to the island, Samui needs better land management and better ways to cope when disaster strikes, says the president of Bangkok Airways, which flies to and from Samui more than 40 times a day.

"Like it or not, we're going to have to deal with unseasonable weather amid global warming," Dr Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth declared during the cleanup on Sunday. "I suggest the town practise for the worst-case scenario, at least once a year - for everything that could go wrong during a natural disaster.

"Practice is very important for everyone - the medical teams, the foreign-speaking guides and the emergency responders," Prasert said. "It helps us handle an emergency situation smoothly."

Needless to say, an efficient disaster-management plan would also go a long way toward regaining tourist confidence.

Bangkok Airways and Samui's Bangkok Hospital, with its emergency helicopter service, will give full support to the town in order to recover tourist trust, said Prasert, who runs the hospital as well as the airline.

"In case of emergency, the town can access our assets," he said. "Our airline kitchen, for example, can feed hungry travellers basic meals for a good many days. The hospital will ensure tourists proper medical care, even for those who can't afford the bill."

Resembling in contour a great bell emerging from the Gulf of Thailand, Samui has a range of mountains stretching north to south from Yai Cape to Bang Namchuet Bay. Its beaches ring the island, from Bo Phut to Chaweng to Nathon, and they're all fully commandeered by hotels and resorts.

Above the hotels, the interior is a mottle of scattered shophouses, beer bars, motorbike shops and garages.

Imagine rivers of rainwater suddenly sweeping down from the mountains. The wall of hotels completely blocks the water from the sea. A poorly planned drainage system does little to help the situation.

"Samui needs to shape up its city plan a lot because it's sprawled out so rapidly," Mayor Ramnate admitted. "There used to be sluices and other means to carry the water to the sea, but unfortunately they've disappeared as developers made way for more resorts and hotels."

The new city plan, he vowed, will take sustainable land use into serious consideration. Landholders, for example, would be obliged to spare a portion of their property for water drainage.

Redesigning the city will be difficult, the mayor acknowledged. Samui is full of fortune-hunters who care only about hatching more golden eggs.

"We need to talk," Ramnate said. "We have to live with nature."

-- The Nation 2011-04-27

[John 1]

Come on guys should be able to do some bashing on this story especially Bkk airways and town planning

[sbk]

1000 mm of rain in 3 days was a large part of the problem. Yes drainage was a serious problem and has been on Samui for some years. Zero planning and environmental evaluation exacerbated the problem. But seriously, a 1000 mm of rain in 3 days.

The rainiest months of the year are November (269mm average) and October (254mm average).

February and March are usually the driest months. (Rainfall in February 11mm and in March 25mm).

[BigC]

i think turning back on the govement water full time might also help. just sickining in some places. we have the most water ever this year but the govement taps are still off most of the time

last year we had a drowt and i half understood it nor whtere is no excuss. all i rmemeber is water trucks driving at 100 miles an hr to deleiver water and buy the govement water ofice every 100 meters there is a deep well.

well i recon that is suspicious. if the pipe is broken then how long does it take to fix. we have had 1 wet season and one reak storm so don't tell me there is not enough water on the island if that is true then did a big whole and make a resavoir

Bangkok airways could earn some budda points and put there prices down for promotion for 1 month if they are religious. they could do their bit but maybe they are not. whats the thai expresson. "Make tumbon"

[carmine]

Come on guys should be able to do some bashing on this story especially Bkk airways and town planning

Ofcourse we can but isn;t it just too easy seeing as one aspect is so crap and the other is such a monumental rip off.

What could be done is to question the powers that be in Bangkok for letting it all happen.

[Boater]

[devdrinker]

"Our airline kitchen, for example, can feed hungry travellers basic meals for a good many days. The hospital will ensure tourists proper medical care, even for those who can't afford the bill."

Hasnt this got to get a memorandum of understanding first (2yrs), debated for another 22.3 years and then scrapped. Id love to see anyone getting free medical care. Just another pointless saying, unless someone/some company is explicitly underwriting this its all talk. again..

[smokie36]

I have plenty I'd like to say on this article but then.....I ask myself....is it worth it?

Maybe a few others would do well to read this again.....its Rupert Murdoch...no no Saddam Hussein maybe??

Edit: In fact its Comical Ali again...well it would be if it were at all funny.

Edited April 27, 2011 by smokie36

[sungod]

'To get them back to the island, Samui needs better land management and better ways to cope when disaster strikes, says the president of Bangkok Airways, which flies to and from Samui more than 40 times a day.'

40 times a day, am I reading that right?

Edited April 27, 2011 by sungod

[carmine]

'To get them back to the island, Samui needs better land management and better ways to cope when disaster strikes, says the president of Bangkok Airways, which flies to and from Samui more than 40 times a day.'

40 times a day, am I reading that right?

Its actually quite depressing reading stuff like this because you just now things here just won't change and BKK's strangle hold on the island is here to stay.

This island does'nt stand a chance of keeping up with Phuket, the TAT knows it, knows why, as does everyone. Mindyou, on a plus side, atleast we are never going to get crowded.

[yorkie100]

"Bangkok Airways and Samui's Bangkok Hospital, with its emergency helicopter service, will give full support to the town in order to recover tourist trust, said Prasert, who runs the hospital as well as the airline."

Is this true that Prasert (BKK Airways) also runs Bangkok Hospital?

I wouldn't be surprised knowing they (BKK Hospital)charge extortionate rates as well.

[Boater]

I have plenty I'd like to say on this article but then.....I ask myself....is it worth it?

Maybe a few others would do well to read this again.....its Rupert Murdoch...no no Saddam Hussein maybe??

Edit: In fact its Comical Ali again...well it would be if it were at all funny.

To get them back to the island, Samui needs better land management and better ways to cope when disaster strikes, says the president of Bangkok Airways, which flies to and from Samui more than 40 times a day.

NO , the airline needs to reduce its prices to fall in line with the competition !!!, people are not coming here because they can fly for a 1/4 of the price to phuket !

Our airline kitchen, for example, can feed hungry travellers basic meals for a good many days. The hospital will ensure tourists proper medical care, even for those who can't afford the bill."

since when have they treated people for free???????????? ............... more like Wheel them out into the road for free, call the samui rescue for free so they can be shipped to Nathon !

This is the worst PR stunt ever by BKK Air, they had NO crisis managment in place during the floods, with customer service and other BKK air staff either hinding or breaking down in tears at the airport.

[OzMick]

'To get them back to the island, Samui needs better land management and better ways to cope when disaster strikes, says the president of Bangkok Airways, which flies to and from Samui more than 40 times a day.'

40 times a day, am I reading that right?

20 in, 20 out, makes 40 flights in thai logic.

[OzMick]

My observed experience of BKK Samui patient treatment:

1/ Ask for insurance details

2/ Obtain passport

3/ Cancel insurance because insured was intoxicated - saves waiting for insurance to cough up. A blood sample is NOT kept for the patient.

4/ Demand cash for highly inflated charges, some for imaginary services, some completely unnecessary, quite often both.

5/ Refuse to return passport until paid in full

6/ Conspire with BIB to inform you that step 5/ is legal. It isn't.

[smokie36]

I have plenty I'd like to say on this article but then.....I ask myself....is it worth it?

Maybe a few others would do well to read this again.....its Rupert Murdoch...no no Saddam Hussein maybe??

Edit: In fact its Comical Ali again...well it would be if it were at all funny.

To get them back to the island, Samui needs better land management and better ways to cope when disaster strikes, says the president of Bangkok Airways, which flies to and from Samui more than 40 times a day.

NO , the airline needs to reduce its prices to fall in line with the competition !!!, people are not coming here because they can fly for a 1/4 of the price to phuket !

Our airline kitchen, for example, can feed hungry travellers basic meals for a good many days. The hospital will ensure tourists proper medical care, even for those who can't afford the bill."

since when have they treated people for free???????????? ............... more like Wheel them out into the road for free, call the samui rescue for free so they can be shipped to Nathon !

This is the worst PR stunt ever by BKK Air, they had NO crisis managment in place during the floods, with customer service and other BKK air staff either hinding or breaking down in tears at the airport.

Trouble is its not a bad PR stunt to those who don't know the truth.

I admit like others here you just read the nonsense in sheer disbelief. Bit like a tobacco retailer puffing away as he tells us its all good folks...!!

[harleyclarkey]

The wall of hotels completely blocks the water from the sea. A poorly planned drainage system does little to help the situation.

Indeed. It doesn't take a genius to know that when you fill a ditch the water will find another route. Rotten planning...or just another cae of "I'll do what I like. I know the boys in charge"??

Bangkok airways...forty flights a day...yes. If you add the inbound and outbound flights.

By the way I tried to book a Bangkok Airways flight last November for the following January, over 2 months ahead. Guess the single fare to Bkk. A not unreasonable 3-4,000 baht? Maybe even 5-6,000 baht. Nope. They wanted 10,000 baht for 1 person, 1 way!!! Sure the kitchen is available, they can afford it.

I flew Nok from the mainland and saved the two of us 16,800 baht! Now that I really like!! That paid for the hotel on Samui.

Will we be going back to Samui?....No.

Edited April 27, 2011 by harleyclarkey

[Jirapa]

Come on guys should be able to do some bashing on this story especially Bkk airways and town planning

It's laughable! Samui doesn't even have proper tarmac roads without potholes built on a proper foundation of rocks and gravel. They just have those crappy wire mesh and concrete roads (full of potholes) or dirt roads.No one invests in infrastructure on that island they just keep lining there pockets so they're gonna have to take a pretty drastic cut in corruption to invest in a canal system to channel water to the ocean. I'll believe it when I see it?

[Jirapa]

My observed experience of BKK Samui patient treatment:

1/ Ask for insurance details

2/ Obtain passport

3/ Cancel insurance because insured was intoxicated - saves waiting for insurance to cough up. A blood sample is NOT kept for the patient.

4/ Demand cash for highly inflated charges, some for imaginary services, some completely unnecessary, quite often both.

5/ Refuse to return passport until paid in full

6/ Conspire with BIB to inform you that step 5/ is legal. It isn't.

I'd crawl on my broken hands and knees to Nathorn rather than part with a single Baht in that hospital. Last time they charged me 2000B for taking a mate there who'd broken his jaw in a car accident! That's a joke they didn't charge me anything but you know what I mean?

[ESB7]

Same old dribble that was spouted in 2005/6........things cant change, fawna has been culled and there just isnt anywhere for the rains to soak away

[Lozman]

Forget the propaganda from the vested interested parties....Thailand will experience the Climate Change phemonmina largely as a result from the countries we expats emanate from. Planning is important. The 1 in a thousand will soon be the one in a hundred. The one in a hundred will soon be the one in ten. Its happening everywhere and Thailand is not immune. Planning is important and this country is not immune from global change caused by the changes in weather caused by massive pollution. Weather is global...not local.

[BangrakBob]

Forget the propaganda from the vested interested parties....Thailand will experience the Climate Change phemonmina largely as a result from the countries we expats emanate from. Planning is important. The 1 in a thousand will soon be the one in a hundred. The one in a hundred will soon be the one in ten. Its happening everywhere and Thailand is not immune. Planning is important and this country is not immune from global change caused by the changes in weather caused by massive pollution. Weather is global...not local.

You're off topic but as you mentioned it, Climate Change is caused by the Sun, the Sun controls our climate, man's influence via pollution is minute in comparison. Man-made climate change theory is good for money making. The ice-caps are no longer melting they are freezing up again and quickly, more likely an ice-age approaches.

apologies for digressing

Cheaper flights now!!

[joe84330]

Forget the propaganda from the vested interested parties....Thailand will experience the Climate Change phemonmina largely as a result from the countries we expats emanate from. Planning is important. The 1 in a thousand will soon be the one in a hundred. The one in a hundred will soon be the one in ten. Its happening everywhere and Thailand is not immune. Planning is important and this country is not immune from global change caused by the changes in weather caused by massive pollution. Weather is global...not local.

pollution sucks almost as much as carbon taxes and al gore combined. almost.

[MaiChai]

Ah Samui, I remember thinking that Samui was a microcosm of everything that is wrong with Thailand, but amplified. Greed, get rich mentality, corruption, dodgy electrics, powercuts, no water, flooding when it rains, swamps full of mosquitos, no planning or environmental impact assessment of development, the list is endless. It should have remained an undeveloped national park, but greed got the better of those in charge. Nature revenges itself?

This has happened numerous times before and it will happen many times again. BKK Airways only complaining because it affects their highly profitable business.

[BigC]

"Our airline kitchen, for example, can feed hungry travellers basic meals for a good many days. The hospital will ensure tourists proper medical care, even for those who can't afford the bill."

Hasnt this got to get a memorandum of understanding first (2yrs), debated for another 22.3 years and then scrapped. Id love to see anyone getting free medical care. Just another pointless saying, unless someone/some company is explicitly underwriting this its all talk. again..

what r u going on about it is hospitals like bangkok hospitals that make inssurence harder and more expensive because they basic customer their favourite customer is one with full inssurence then they just run up the bill for everything and there is no guarentee that they have even diagnosed right.

before i went in there sick. without a blood test they told me i had dengy fever and told me i would have to pay min of 50 k for 3 nights.

i even asked the doctor for a blood test. he told me that he did not need to do one as there are many cases tjhe same.

i gave then 2. fingers went to samui inter.

they blood tested me turned out i had food poisoning. then they quoted me on how much for a few nights is was total 18 k with medicine.

it is another manoloply. they have the equipment so there is not much choice if u r desperate.

i tell u what. i would love to have shares in bangkomk airways and hospital. they have probably manopolized that aswel.

[BigC]

Ah Samui, I remember thinking that Samui was a microcosm of everything that is wrong with Thailand, but amplified. Greed, get rich mentality, corruption, dodgy electrics, powercuts, no water, flooding when it rains, swamps full of mosquitos, no planning or environmental impact assessment of development, the list is endless. It should have remained an undeveloped national park, but greed got the better of those in charge. Nature revenges itself?

This has happened numerous times before and it will happen many times again. BKK Airways only complaining because it affects their highly profitable business.

Maichai. chai u have hit the nail on the head i hiope samui does not turn into falaraki or costa del sol.

mountains of concrete and fat lawyers and propety devlopers and police.

Samui has sold out and is still selling. no more excuses. I used to listen but samui has had its chance it is no longer just an amper. some ampoers have better infustrcture than samui.

just one big business island full of fake friends and back stabbing A's

[BigC]

The wall of hotels completely blocks the water from the sea. A poorly planned drainage system does little to help the situation.

Indeed. It doesn't take a genius to know that when you fill a ditch the water will find another route. Rotten planning...or just another cae of "I'll do what I like. I know the boys in charge"??

Bangkok airways...forty flights a day...yes. If you add the inbound and outbound flights.

By the way I tried to book a Bangkok Airways flight last November for the following January, over 2 months ahead. Guess the single fare to Bkk. A not unreasonable 3-4,000 baht? Maybe even 5-6,000 baht. Nope. They wanted 10,000 baht for 1 person, 1 way!!! Sure the kitchen is available, they can afford it.

I flew Nok from the mainland and saved the two of us 16,800 baht! Now that I really like!! That paid for the hotel on Samui.

Will we be going back to Samui?....No.

how much food could u buy with 16 000 baht. more than just a few snacks and sandwiches btwn flights

[smokie36]

BigC you nailed it there.