Attidude On Samui

[carmine]

@BigC:

I dont think that these changes were made to kick out backpackers per se it's just development. As a consequence of overdevelopment (which happens whenever lots of money comes in very quickly), it loses its appeal to that group. Look, I am by no means a backpacker any longer and like a bit of luxury myself while travelling nowadays. I can see why someone who lives on Samui permanently would welcome these changes. Personally, I could never live on any island (emphasis on live!!) and get bored after 3-4 weeks. Islands are really just for holidays for me and I prefer the big cities. More exciting, but, hey, each to their own.

I believe that there is a policy on Samui to replace the 'low end' tourists with 'high end' tourists. I seem to remember as few articles along these lines quite a while back.

Since then we have a rash of 'high end' resorts having been built or being built. We also had the higher than normal Bandit Airways increases. We have the 'minimum charge' taxis. We have hotels posting inflated fix-price taxi fares to local villages and sites - thus promoting the taxi rip-off.

I stayed in one hotel last year and saw a sign in reception "If you leave the resort grounds - we cannot guarantee your safety".

To me all of these things point to a definite 'we want rich people only' policy.

We should make everyone welcome to Samui and make the island affordable for all. (We can put up walls so that the rich ones can think that they are alone!)

AND I fully agree with beachcomber and BigC. The island can be frustrating at times, but I would rather be here on a bad day than back in the UK on a good one!

Mind you - every day here is great!

I know this might sound facetious but i really think that baring in mind Bangkok Airways fares we have little choice but to go for the high end tourists.

I would also say that if you want rich tourists bring lots of dosh then it would be a smart idea to install a fully operational police force to stop crime. Novel i know, but worth a try.

Lastly, yes i'd rather live here than say most parts of England but if for example it was a decent area of London and i was ten years younger and could jump back into my old career i'd leave here without the slightest hesitation. Samui still has some nice areas and at times still beautiful but its going downhill at a rate of knots. However i would fully agree that there are a lot worse places to live and its not overly difficult to meet the compromises necessary to live on the island.

The one thing i deplore about the place more than anything else is the very prevelent local attitude that everything is our fault because if we were'nt here it would'nt have happened, and it concerns me as to how dreadful an instance could be when this repulsive attitude is still held.

[NALAK]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

[smokie36]

Can't argue with the last couple of posts!

Edited to add...there are some unspoilt places on Samui well worth visiting but there are wholly unspoilt places within Thailand and SEA as a whole which are much cheaper to get to and with cheaper beer so....

Edited July 2, 2011 by smokie36

[maccaroni man]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Edited July 2, 2011 by maccaroni man

[doingok]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Will i cannot argue with that i have been all over the world well must places and every thing move's on like bali was there 8 years ago went back with my wife last year big differences in 8 years. its funny how people go some where and fall in love with a place and expect it to be the same many years on. if you build it they will come money money money is the way of the world looking forward to seeing phuket after 10 years?

[BigC]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Will i cannot argue with that i have been all over the world well must places and every thing move's on like bali was there 8 years ago went back with my wife last year big differences in 8 years. its funny how people go some where and fall in love with a place and expect it to be the same many years on. if you build it they will come money money money is the way of the world looking forward to seeing phuket after 10 years?

thing is if u fall in love with the place then u have to make money to savive. u need a stable income to keep your life style.

this is when the change in the person arrives from holiday fun person to running around chasing paper in a effort to avoid going home at all costs. probably to main reason why stupid forangs sell drugs. end up staying here longer just inside rarther than home work and come back.

[doingok]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Will i cannot argue with that i have been all over the world well must places and every thing move's on like bali was there 8 years ago went back with my wife last year big differences in 8 years. its funny how people go some where and fall in love with a place and expect it to be the same many years on. if you build it they will come money money money is the way of the world looking forward to seeing phuket after 10 years?

thing is if u fall in love with the place then u have to make money to savive. u need a stable income to keep your life style.

this is when the change in the person arrives from holiday fun person to running around chasing paper in a effort to avoid going home at all costs. probably to main reason why stupid forangs sell drugs. end up staying here longer just inside rarther than home work and come back.

Well selling drugs in any country is a no no and as for flights to koh samui back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people

Edited July 2, 2011 by doingok

[spacedcowboy]

I like Samui

[smokie36]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Will i cannot argue with that i have been all over the world well must places and every thing move's on like bali was there 8 years ago went back with my wife last year big differences in 8 years. its funny how people go some where and fall in love with a place and expect it to be the same many years on. if you build it they will come money money money is the way of the world looking forward to seeing phuket after 10 years?

thing is if u fall in love with the place then u have to make money to savive. u need a stable income to keep your life style.

this is when the change in the person arrives from holiday fun person to running around chasing paper in a effort to avoid going home at all costs. probably to main reason why stupid forangs sell drugs. end up staying here longer just inside rarther than home work and come back.

I wish I could place my bets on the unblikered horse but they've already left the ring a ding ding....

[BigC]

"back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people "

sorry u completely lost me ???

"

[smokie36]

"back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people "

sorry u completely lost me ???

"

No worry no hurry innit?

[Tropicalevo]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Well said maccaroni man. I am with you 100%

I am not sure where nalak is coming form - he talks about the rip offs as a tourist. When you live here - it does not happen so much.

Nalak - if you are happy where you are then just stay there. There is no need to keep coming back to slag off Samui on the Samui forum.

[smokie36]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Well said maccaroni man. I am with you 100%

I am not sure where nalak is coming form - he talks about the rip offs as a tourist. When you live here - it does not happen so much.

Nalak - if you are happy where you are then just stay there. There is no need to keep coming back to slag off Samui on the Samui forum.

Don't worry Mr tropicalevo...keeping an eye out on the Pattaya forum as well....

[baneko]

Hi guy reading this i might have to cancel my trip for 6 months with all the bad things i have read here,was going to make samui my base then do bits and bobs,if its that bad why do people come and stay as it's very expensive all round?

Bad plan anyway, Samui as a base means limited and sometimes expensive options for getting off your base to do your "bits and bobs".

I'd point you towards Krabi, international airport and more direct ground options for travel.

This is good advice baring in mind Bangkok Airways prices for Samui.

Nonsense. Samui is the perfect base if you want to travel to Koh Phangan for the FMP.

Edit: I forgot to add...why would you want to go anywhere else?

Someone needs to open their eyes! Thailand is a big place! As for the full moon party, It's about as Thai as fish and chips!

[smokie36]

Nonsense. Samui is the perfect base if you want to travel to Koh Phangan for the FMP.

Edit: I forgot to add...why would you want to go anywhere else?

Someone needs to open their eyes! Thailand is a big place! As for the full moon party, It's about as Thai as fish and chips!

Nope its quite small and parochial really.

[kkrash]

Nonsense. Samui is the perfect base if you want to travel to Koh Phangan for the FMP.

Edit: I forgot to add...why would you want to go anywhere else?

Someone needs to open their eyes! Thailand is a big place! As for the full moon party, It's about as Thai as fish and chips!

Nope its quite small and parochial really.

I hate the place, give me anywhere in Europe anyday, i spent most of last year on the island and all i saw were ego-tistical stuck up pricks who think they are gods gift.

i saw far more corruption then anywhere i have ever been before

A sinister motive behind the thai/falang relationship, could not trust a thai person ever, they would kill you in a heartbeat

I was offered by a thai gangster to deal with a thai person, i could have had her shot for 6000 baht, if her life is that cheap, how is mine.

I came thinking it was a paradise and i saw it as being one of the most awful places on earth, give me Northern England anyday....

[carmine]

Nonsense. Samui is the perfect base if you want to travel to Koh Phangan for the FMP.

Edit: I forgot to add...why would you want to go anywhere else?

Someone needs to open their eyes! Thailand is a big place! As for the full moon party, It's about as Thai as fish and chips!

Nope its quite small and parochial really.

I hate the place, give me anywhere in Europe anyday, i spent most of last year on the island and all i saw were ego-tistical stuck up pricks who think they are gods gift.

i saw far more corruption then anywhere i have ever been before

A sinister motive behind the thai/falang relationship, could not trust a thai person ever, they would kill you in a heartbeat

I was offered by a thai gangster to deal with a thai person, i could have had her shot for 6000 baht, if her life is that cheap, how is mine.

I came thinking it was a paradise and i saw it as being one of the most awful places on earth, give me Northern England anyday....

I'm presuming from your post you now live in lala land.

[smokie36]

Yeah 8000 is a tad high for an opening offer.He needs to learn the art of bartering.

Edit sp

Edited July 3, 2011 by smokie36

[corkman]

I'm an expat, living in Bangkok. I go to Samui alot, and I have been going there for over 10 years. I think the image of the place for having become expensive is perhaps something to do with perception and expectation, to a certian extent.

10 years ago, there were practicaly no wanna be "hi-so" type places, particularly along chaweng beach road. The suddenly, especially on soi green mango, all the cheap and cheerful bars started closing and more expensive air-con type places opening in their place..... 50 baht vodka red bull replaced by 130 baht bangkok priced drinks. The strip has become over inflated, and the masses continue to fan the flames. More and more of the little more "traditional" bars and restaurants are replaced by the bright lights type places, and chaweng / soi green mango is becoming Samui's Silom. So when it comes to nightlife, just stay away from the pricey places...... and don't expect "sound bar" with its "relatively" plush decor and high end sound & lighting systems to charge the same low prices the appropriately modelled cheap and cheerful places. Instead, perhaps take a walk down the soi where The Club used to be, or avoid Chaweng altogether.

In my opinion, the number one thing that is hampering tourism to Samui is the cost of getting there. For both international, and domestic tourists. As a Bkk expat, going to Samui for a long weekend simply isn't feasible. It costs about THB30,000 for 2 adults and a child to fly down; the alternative is to drive which takes a day. So, if I'm going for a week, driving is an option, but for a weekend - well if I go to Hua Hin that 30k will pay for drink, food, and accomodation. If I want the Island experience, then Ko Samet is nice too. For the interational traveller, half of whom are on packaged holidays, the other half believing themselves to be back packers, then the travel & accomodation costs are considerably higher...... and I beleive this to be linked directly to the cost of the flight, which is rediculous.

Power, roads, traffice, flooding, etc. - all a bloody nuisance, especially for long term stay, but it doesn't stop people going there, and honestly does not affect my decision to go there - it would affect my decision to live there however - that and the crappy schools, hospitals, and infastructure in general.

In summary - a fool and his money are easily parted - if you opt to walk into bars and restuarants aimed at the high end, then you should expect to be taken for the mug that you are...... plenty of happy hour, and beer-bar type places left all over the island, and plenty of smaller food joints along the beach and road where you'll get decent grub for a few hundred baht on a cheap plate with a tinny knofe and fork and served by a waitress with crappy english......

[NALAK]

well i would sooner be sat here where i am now than in Samui, as i guess would some body in UK in office. dont think there are to many other peole in Thailand sitting wishing i was in Samui. it will never come back, its the biggest rip off going from the minute you book the flight to get there, followed by transport to hotel, then food and drinks, sontauws, taxi what ever shop always the Thai farang charging system. in the real Thailand all shops have scan cuns and everybody pays same, prices are put on product, immigration dont rip you off. just read thread chicken pox 4 nights Banagkok Samui Hospital 62k, another rip off

i would sooner be sat any where else in Thailand than in Samui exception maybe being BKK but then it would still be debatable.

as i said before i wished i had left 5 years before i did knowing what i know now.

now this post is the samui attitude of a person that left and is happier some where else. I think it comes down to the color of the lens we are looking through, some see everything black and others everything in rose or in grey, i see things clearly. Samui is my home, i have been here longer then anyplace i have ever lived. i remember needing to park my car the night before to catch the morning ferry and sitting in ques in donsak for 6 hrs to return to samui. As for immigration I have never been ripped off and in the last 10 yrs i have only given them a thank you bottle 2x, I am no fan of the taxies and when i arrived here the 1st time i rented a jeep it was around 700 baht a day and as far as i know they can still be rented for that amount. I like the white sand beaches, and cool sea breezes,I have a comfortable home, the wifi is much faster then it was in 2000, there are plenty of phone lines available now, back then people would sell their phone numbers for 10k baht because the wait was 6 mos to 1 yr. I have health insurance with evac options so medical services are not an issue. I just dont understand how anyone can expect a place to stand still and then complain because it has changed, please name one place on the planet that is a tourist destination that has not changed in the last decade. Nepal? Bali? Hong Kong? London? New York? San Fran? Calcuta and Bombai? even Burma? imo Flexability is a key ingrediant in being happy. Samui is changing and i choose to change with it.

Well said maccaroni man. I am with you 100%

I am not sure where nalak is coming form - he talks about the rip offs as a tourist. When you live here - it does not happen so much.

Nalak - if you are happy where you are then just stay there. There is no need to keep coming back to slag off Samui on the Samui forum.

still have the freedom of speech thankfully not everybody see at as slagging of but as constuctive comment, the regular posters do most of the slagging off who live there. Samui based people use other forums and i am entitled to post on here, so what about my post is slagging off, airline, taxis,prices,infrastucure. what i say is based on living there for 8 years, and still talking regulary to friends still there. my comming form is perssonel between me and the lady concerned . when you are living here it does not happen so much, so it does still happen then but to a lesser extent and i guess you get a taxi meter and tell him i live and he says oh ok i will turn on the meter then! and when you go to see Samui immigration they say oh you live here i will only charge 1900 for your retirement visa not 5000. bangkok airways well sir you live here here is 50% discount or you can become a member and get very resticted privilages.. when you go into the so called bars down soi reggae or green mango i guees they say hey you live here we wont charge you 90-100 baht but only 50% mark up and its 60 baht. free transport from the airport to home??? well i guess after 8 years of living there i was doing it wrong, and all the posters now critising prices have it wrong.

dont worry i am stayng here, but forum rules dont say i cannot post a reply to a question, seems there are quite a few from where i coming from reading other posts.. freedom of speech, if i say something i cannot back up as a fact i will retract it. so what is wrong about what i said, please go through it and say you got this wrong. i am not and was not a tourist so its ok by what you say to rip off tourists!!!!!!!!!!

Edited July 3, 2011 by NALAK

[carmine]

i don't want to go into a lengthy reply to Nalak or tropicalevo but i must say i do think its astonishing jst how much zenophobic and down right criminal behaviour expat residents are prepared to put up with in the name of living in a supposed paradise. Also, why is everything double the price? The probable answer is the unrivalled greed of land owners which seemingly knows no bounds. Corkman is 100% correct in his assessment that the air fares make "long weekend" visiters a thing of the past. Its deluded thinking to say we are a boutique island, because its a simple case of an appalling monopoly given to an airline with friends in the highest levels in power that allow it to continue to the detriment of an entire island.

What would be interesting to know is if, for example, those with properties and businesses could sell up now, what percentage would take the money, pack their bags and go? i have a sneaking feeling that percentage would be rather high.

[Tropicalevo]

I understood the original post to be aimed residents rather than tourists. With this in mind, here are my (obviously blinkered) observations.

Most Thais and farangs that I deal with on a day by day basis are really nice hard-working people. They are usually helpful and great to deal with. The obnoxious ones I try to stay away from.

As in any country that I live in - I stay away from known scams and high priced hotels/tourist rip-offs. I would rather crawl on my knees from Nathon to Chewang than call for a taxi. However, I know that if I made a couple of phone calls, someone would come and give me a lift.

I would never ride or hire a jet-ski.

Yes I get discounts at many bars and restaurants. I have never asked for it, but regular attendance (and being well behaved) means that most establishments are glad to offer me a discount to encourage me to return.

If somewhere or something is double the price - I do not buy it. (Unless I really need it.)

In general, I find that if I am pleasant and polite to people - I am treated in a similar fashion.

Yes - I have been scammed. Learn the lesson and move on. Again, most people that have scammed me or tried to, have suffered from their nefarious ways. Not by my hand I hasten to add. However, bad people soon get a bad reputation.

If I was offered a shed load of money for my property here (and it was a silly number) I would certainly consider it. However, if it was a case of sell and go - I would probably stay. At this point in my life I am very happy to live on Samui.

The OP questioned the 'lack of tourists'. From my very few forays into tourist territory, I think that there are at least the same numbers as in previous years. However, they too seem to be avoiding the usual traps and are now looking, eating, drinking in other areas.

[doingok]

"back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people "

sorry u completely lost me ???

"

Sorry BigC just reading though post and seeing people saying that Bangkok Airways is expensive to get to samui but we booked here in the uk and only cost just under £200 return for the 2 for us, yes expensive.though saying that Bangkok wanted £200 each which is very expensive yet we fly from phuket to bali for £204 with Asia air and again that is return for 2 people,their must have the monopoly on the flight and can charge what they like?

Edited July 3, 2011 by doingok

[hellokitty2010]

"back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people "

sorry u completely lost me ???

"

Sorry BigC just reading though post and seeing people saying that Bangkok Airways is expensive to get to samui but we booked here in the uk and only cost just under £200 return for the 2 for us, yes expensive.though saying that Bangkok wanted £200 each which is very expensive yet we fly from phuket to bali for £204 with Asia air and again that is return for 2 people,their must have the monopoly on the flight and can charge what they like?

The regular price from Bangkok-Samui return is £200 and not a penny more, cheaper on different classes of flight. Really thats not bad for any flight never mind one that gives a 1st class service.

[smokie36]

"back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people "

sorry u completely lost me ???

"

Sorry BigC just reading though post and seeing people saying that Bangkok Airways is expensive to get to samui but we booked here in the uk and only cost just under £200 return for the 2 for us, yes expensive.though saying that Bangkok wanted £200 each which is very expensive yet we fly from phuket to bali for £204 with Asia air and again that is return for 2 people,their must have the monopoly on the flight and can charge what they like?

The regular price from Bangkok-Samui return is £200 and not a penny more, cheaper on different classes of flight. Really thats not bad for any flight never mind one that gives a 1st class service.

Not sure what you mean by firss class service. I'd be interested to know exactly how much money BA makes from the route each year given the constant penny pinching I see year on year alongside iridiculous price increases.

The island is a haven for criminals....if I were Thai I'd be considering a new career for sure....

[BigC]

"back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people "

sorry u completely lost me ???

"

Sorry BigC just reading though post and seeing people saying that Bangkok Airways is expensive to get to samui but we booked here in the uk and only cost just under £200 return for the 2 for us, yes expensive.though saying that Bangkok wanted £200 each which is very expensive yet we fly from phuket to bali for £204 with Asia air and again that is return for 2 people,their must have the monopoly on the flight and can charge what they like?

The regular price from Bangkok-Samui return is £200 and not a penny more, cheaper on different classes of flight. Really thats not bad for any flight never mind one that gives a 1st class service.

yes but it is sall relative to how uch cheaper it is else where also rememeber that allot of people have just paid about 1000 pounds or little under or little more just to get to bangkok. then u have families.

if u have a girl friend that adds up to 400 pounds if u have a wife and kid thats 600. plus flights from the uk.

if u fly to spain with your fsamily u can take the whole family for the same price as fly domestic from bangkok to samui. there again u can fly to phukety fpr as little as 20 quid

[doingok]

"back in the uk it still isnt that bad to fly there is £1.398 return for 2 people "

sorry u completely lost me ???

"

Sorry BigC just reading though post and seeing people saying that Bangkok Airways is expensive to get to samui but we booked here in the uk and only cost just under £200 return for the 2 for us, yes expensive.though saying that Bangkok wanted £200 each which is very expensive yet we fly from phuket to bali for £204 with Asia air and again that is return for 2 people,their must have the monopoly on the flight and can charge what they like?

The regular price from Bangkok-Samui return is £200 and not a penny more, cheaper on different classes of flight. Really thats not bad for any flight never mind one that gives a 1st class service.

yes but it is sall relative to how uch cheaper it is else where also rememeber that allot of people have just paid about 1000 pounds or little under or little more just to get to bangkok. then u have families.

if u have a girl friend that adds up to 400 pounds if u have a wife and kid thats 600. plus flights from the uk.

if u fly to spain with your fsamily u can take the whole family for the same price as fly domestic from bangkok to samui. there again u can fly to phukety fpr as little as 20 quid

so why is it so expensive from bangkok to samui?is it cause there is no compensation for bangkok airway? all in we are paying £1389 with emirates from newcastle which i think its not a bad price,and to do it separate its more i.e booking flight to bangokok then bangkok to samui so they must get i discount on netflights?

[BigC]

Sorry BigC just reading though post and seeing people saying that Bangkok Airways is expensive to get to samui but we booked here in the uk and only cost just under £200 return for the 2 for us, yes expensive.though saying that Bangkok wanted £200 each which is very expensive yet we fly from phuket to bali for £204 with Asia air and again that is return for 2 people,their must have the monopoly on the flight and can charge what they like?

The regular price from Bangkok-Samui return is £200 and not a penny more, cheaper on different classes of flight. Really thats not bad for any flight never mind one that gives a 1st class service.

yes but it is sall relative to how uch cheaper it is else where also rememeber that allot of people have just paid about 1000 pounds or little under or little more just to get to bangkok. then u have families.

if u have a girl friend that adds up to 400 pounds if u have a wife and kid thats 600. plus flights from the uk.

if u fly to spain with your fsamily u can take the whole family for the same price as fly domestic from bangkok to samui. there again u can fly to phukety fpr as little as 20 quid

so why is it so expensive from bangkok to samui?is it cause there is no compensation for bangkok airway? all in we are paying £1389 with emirates from newcastle which i think its not a bad price,and to do it separate its more i.e booking flight to bangokok then bangkok to samui so they must get i discount on netflights?

i reckon u r a bangkok airways spook .)

[itishothere]

The regular price from Bangkok-Samui return is £200 and not a penny more, cheaper on different classes of flight. Really thats not bad for any flight never mind one that gives a 1st class service.

Hmmmm ..... BUT ....

Less than 2 years ago the price was HALF that, and ....

A return flight to Samui from BKK with this 1st class service is under £200. A return flight to Chiang Mai, using the same 1st class airline, is less than HALF that, despite it being further to travel.

Why is that?

[doingok]

EH ?