Expat Stats On Samui

[BangrakBob]

I know it is probably going to be a guess but am interested to know a ball park figure of expats living on Samui and neighbouring islands

[John 1]

4,895

[Mole]

Must be over 9000...

[Boater]

4,895

there was a report some time ago , around 6,000-7,000 , but of you mean expat as in a non thai , 300,000

[BangrakBob]

4,895

there was a report some time ago , around 6,000-7,000 , but of you mean expat as in a non thai , 300,000

Cheers Boater, yeah I did mean non-Thai, how many do you think would be western?

[PoorSucker]

Depends how you define it.

There are around 70.000 Swedish citizen living in Thailand.

Only 286 have their permanent address in Thailand. (I'm one)

[Boater]

4,895

there was a report some time ago , around 6,000-7,000 , but of you mean expat as in a non thai , 300,000

Cheers Boater, yeah I did mean non-Thai, how many do you think would be western?

just brits there are around 6,000 , but hard to number due to differnet visa's ect. and maybe 1 in 10 are on locate at the embassey.

but i would thinig number k maybe aroud 25,000 here on samui with all nationalitys, the russian now make up a number

[samuijimmy]

4,895

there was a report some time ago , around 6,000-7,000 , but of you mean expat as in a non thai , 300,000

Cheers Boater, yeah I did mean non-Thai, how many do you think would be western?

just brits there are around 6,000 , but hard to number due to differnet visa's ect. and maybe 1 in 10 are on locate at the embassey.

but i would thinig number k maybe aroud 25,000 here on samui with all nationalitys, the russian now make up a number

You been taking spelling lessons from Big C???? Boater.... or one or two many beers doing the lawyers work?

If you had not missed the T V party tonight you could have counted a good many of us expats! From UK, Canada, Sweden, U S of A, and probably some other countries as well, including one real Thai member... !

[BangrakBob]

4,895

there was a report some time ago , around 6,000-7,000 , but of you mean expat as in a non thai , 300,000

Cheers Boater, yeah I did mean non-Thai, how many do you think would be western?

just brits there are around 6,000 , but hard to number due to differnet visa's ect. and maybe 1 in 10 are on locate at the embassey.

but i would thinig number k maybe aroud 25,000 here on samui with all nationalitys, the russian now make up a number

25 000, that's basically half the population of Samui or half of the population i'm lead to believe reside on Samui

thanks again

[BangrakBob]

If you had not missed the T V party tonight you could have counted a good many of us expats! From UK, Canada, Sweden, U S of A, and probably some other countries as well, including one real Thai member... !

stuck in Abu Dhabi for a few more months, i won't be missing the next one

[robsamui]

It's impossible to even try to find out how many tourists arrive on Samui each week! And how much simpler could that be!

Simple fact - there's no way with the way the current administration works to even make a guess which might be accurate. There is no available information at all. None.

This is an emerging nation after all. It would be far toooo much to expect for someone in immigration to add all the numbers of all the different visa-holders (even with a calculator) and then try to factor-in the ones who take breaks here for 6 months a year on a tourist visa and keep houses and cars full-time. Plus all the ones that are living and working without WPs for the majority of each year. Nightmare.

And ask them again 3 months later and the chances are you'd get a totally different number, depending on what nong got lumbered with the calculator this time round.

Somewhere between a 1,000 and 8,000? And that's as accurate as you're going to get - in my lifetime anyway. It's anybody's guess!

Move on dude, move on.

R

Edited May 27, 2011 by robsamui

[Boater]

It's impossible to even try to find out how many tourists arrive on Samui each week! And how much simpler could that be!

Simple fact - there's no way with the way the current administration works to even make a guess which might be accurate. There is no available information at all. None.

This is an emerging nation after all. It would be far toooo much to expect for someone in immigration to add all the numbers of all the different visa-holders (even with a calculator) and then try to factor-in the ones who take breaks here for 6 months a year on a tourist visa and keep houses and cars full-time. Plus all the ones that are living and working without WPs for the majority of each year. Nightmare.

And ask them again 3 months later and the chances are you'd get a totally different number, depending on what nong got lumbered with the calculator this time round.

Somewhere between a 1,000 and 8,000? And that's as accurate as you're going to get - in my lifetime anyway. It's anybody's guess!

Move on dude, move on.

R

i think they base the offical numbers through BKK air , as easy to calculate.... but this fails to add everyone who arrive on the ferry, via x amount of ports

but as you said impossible to calcualte the exact amount

PS remember a few months ago we all had to fill in a censor which is done every 10 years ... no one will be able to avoid it ?? ... well i was never asked, and i have not met one expat who filled one in !!!!!!!!

[robsamui]

It's impossible to even try to find out how many tourists arrive on Samui each week! And how much simpler could that be!

Simple fact - there's no way with the way the current administration works to even make a guess which might be accurate. There is no available information at all. None.

This is an emerging nation after all. It would be far toooo much to expect for someone in immigration to add all the numbers of all the different visa-holders (even with a calculator) and then try to factor-in the ones who take breaks here for 6 months a year on a tourist visa and keep houses and cars full-time. Plus all the ones that are living and working without WPs for the majority of each year. Nightmare.

And ask them again 3 months later and the chances are you'd get a totally different number, depending on what nong got lumbered with the calculator this time round.

Somewhere between a 1,000 and 8,000? And that's as accurate as you're going to get - in my lifetime anyway. It's anybody's guess!

Move on dude, move on.

R

i think they base the offical numbers through BKK air , as easy to calculate.... but this fails to add everyone who arrive on the ferry, via x amount of ports

but as you said impossible to calcualte the exact amount

PS remember a few months ago we all had to fill in a censor which is done every 10 years ... no one will be able to avoid it ?? ... well i was never asked, and i have not met one expat who filled one in !!!!!!!!

But as has been pointed out people flying in include Thai nationals and business people also, and makes no allowance for people arriving on the ferry - many of whom are now set for KPG abd Koh Tao instead of Samui.

It would be extremely easy to actually work out the precise numbers of holiday-makers here - simply check all passports on the planes and ferries. But even that wouldn't take into account the increasing number of Thais taking a break here.

And all immigration needs to do to get an official figure is to actually tally how many farangs are here with tourist and also with non B visas or on retirement/resident. But why would they ever want to bother doing that!!

R

What census (censor)? I haven't met anyone who filled this in!!

R

[itishothere]

What census?

I am assuming that refers to the UK census earlier this year. Never heard of one for Thailand, although I could be wrong?

But back to the stats, I have to ask the question ....... does it matter how many are here? Samui is an island of flux; people come and go all the time be they islanders, workers, tourists, expats etc etc. I am guessing this is the reason there is no official number - no one so far needs to know it?

[BangrakBob]

What census?

I am assuming that refers to the UK census earlier this year. Never heard of one for Thailand, although I could be wrong?

But back to the stats, I have to ask the question ....... does it matter how many are here? Samui is an island of flux; people come and go all the time be they islanders, workers, tourists, expats etc etc. I am guessing this is the reason there is no official number - no one so far needs to know it?

Well my reason for asking was purely business, just trying to gauge whether something was worthwhile

[itishothere]

Well my reason for asking was purely business, just trying to gauge whether something was worthwhile

A fair response.The numbers are not huge - whichever way they can be calculated - and pretty fast moving. I know of at least 2 sets of expats that will be leaving after only having spent a year here sadly. Mt gut feeling tells me there will be more. Either way ...... good luck!

[BangrakBob]

Well my reason for asking was purely business, just trying to gauge whether something was worthwhile

A fair response.The numbers are not huge - whichever way they can be calculated - and pretty fast moving. I know of at least 2 sets of expats that will be leaving after only having spent a year here sadly. Mt gut feeling tells me there will be more. Either way ...... good luck!

Cheers itishotthere

[joe84330]

i've been here 5 years now and know quite a few of the americans on the island. my best guess for that flag only, residing here permanently or using it as a home base would be less than 250. hope that helps.

[BigC]

Have to check how mAny people have any visa for retiredment or some sorte of business on the island. Toursit visa don't count

[ESB7]

Too many