Mark, you have had many responses to your question about living on Samui, some helpful advice and, as usual from the knockers, some not so helpful.

You also asked other questions to which no one has responded.

The following sites may be a start in helping you decide what health precautions are necessary and what visas you should go for.

http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/travel-advice#health

http://www.nathnac.org/ds/c_pages/country_page_TH.htm

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/thailand

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=visa

Hope this helps.

I wouldn't even considerliving in Samui it'sviolent, expensive and overrun with mafia and criminal wannabe expats...but then again six monhs will go in a blink so no big deal anyway.

Enjoy.

Well, your ill-informed contribution goes a long way to answering the OP's questions. I suggest that you start a thread along the lines of "the most inaccurate things I have posted".

To the OP - do not bother with jabs - except perhaps an up-to-date tetanus one. The most common 'illnesses' here are

Road rash (from motorbike accidents)

Hangovers

Ear-ache (from bar-stool philosophers)

Definitely look around the island before you sign a long lease. Cheaper and quieter areas to consider are Choengmon, Maenam and Lamai - not too far from places. There are lots of other areas to live quietly - but a bit of travelling if you want to do anything.

Stay away from Chewang unless you are a party animal, like loud music and sleep during the day time.

That's my view anyway

Ooops nearly forgot - good quality medical insurance of course

Edited October 4, 201213 yr by Tropicalevo

I like Samui, it isn't perfect, but then where is. Sure there are all the associated issues of living in a tourist destination, but I guess that appeals to you, simply keep your wits about you.

Ignore the doom merchants...

I've been living here for 10 years now and love the place...learnt the hard way on a couple of things but all in all a good place to live. I've lived in the north and south of the island and much prefer the south, peace and quite, less traffic etc

German stabbed to death, what a lot of croc, it is not determined if he was stabbed in a bar brawl or motorbike accident.

I was having a little chat to a cop during the seafood evening the other day and though he wouldn't say much, he did say that that the sirt has been ripped in the places either side where the supposted stab wounds happened to be. Not as a puncture hole would look but erm.... imagine a joined horizontal and vertical rip which would result in a small triangle of cloth falling away. Anyway.

I was back in the UK for a few months and the local rag would have detail of 4-5 murders a week. The area covered by the local rag would be far smaller than Samui, no doubt with a higher population density though not by much I would think.

OP

Samui can be costly but that doesn't mean it has to be costly. Just make sure you start to make friends here and prices drop like a stone.

There was one visa run company that went out of business 6 months ago when a Van crashed and it turn out they did not have any insurance (one dead).

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/577099-what-do-people-know-about-samuipedia-visa-runs/

good luck with those visa runs

and walking around Chaweng feels more like talking a walk by the M25 than a tropical island

each time I set food on the island I got food poisoning, never happened to me anywhere else in Thailand. The safe alternatives (McDonalds & Burger King) are completely overprice and there's no proper hospitals You want a tropical paradise move to St-Barth

Ignore the doom merchants...

I've been living here for 10 years now and love the place...learnt the hard way on a couple of things but all in all a good place to live. I've lived in the north and south of the island and much prefer the south, peace and quite, less traffic etc

Please tell me thats you pictured in your avatar

There was one visa run company that went out of business 6 months ago when a Van crashed and it turn out they did not have any insurance (one dead).

http://www.thaivisa....edia-visa-runs/

good luck with those visa runs

and walking around Chaweng feels more like talking a walk by the M25 than a tropical island

each time I set food on the island I got food poisoning, never happened to me anywhere else in Thailand. The safe alternatives (McDonalds & Burger King) are completely overprice and there's no proper hospitals You want a tropical paradise move to St-Barth

I think its important to recognise that just because your business here failed it doesn't make you a failure. The vast majority of businesses fail anywhere in the world but it takes courage to give it a go. well done for that.

Equally if you have a poor constitution then the chilli, spiced diet is not for you.

Are there any other reasons you such a chip about samui or is that it?

There was one visa run company that went out of business 6 months ago when a Van crashed and it turn out they did not have any insurance (one dead).

http://www.thaivisa....edia-visa-runs/

good luck with those visa runs

and walking around Chaweng feels more like talking a walk by the M25 than a tropical island

each time I set food on the island I got food poisoning, never happened to me anywhere else in Thailand. The safe alternatives (McDonalds & Burger King) are completely overprice and there's no proper hospitals You want a tropical paradise move to St-Barth

Now we know the truth.

Ignore the doom merchants...

I've been living here for 10 years now and love the place...learnt the hard way on a couple of things but all in all a good place to live. I've lived in the north and south of the island and much prefer the south, peace and quite, less traffic etc

Please tell me thats you pictured in your avatar

Afraid not...LOL

Ignore the doom merchants...

I've been living here for 10 years now and love the place...learnt the hard way on a couple of things but all in all a good place to live. I've lived in the north and south of the island and much prefer the south, peace and quite, less traffic etc

Please tell me thats you pictured in your avatar

Afraid not...LOL

You have no idea how disappointed i am currently feeling!

Ignore the doom merchants...

I've been living here for 10 years now and love the place...learnt the hard way on a couple of things but all in all a good place to live. I've lived in the north and south of the island and much prefer the south, peace and quite, less traffic etc

Please tell me thats you pictured in your avatar

Afraid not...LOL

You have no idea how disappointed i am currently feeling!

+ 1 - another burst bubble

+ 1 - another burst bubble

Carmine & Trop, keep dreaming. Isn't old age catching up yet?

+ 1 - another burst bubble

Carmine & Trop, keep dreaming. Isn't old age catching up yet?

I thought it was quite nice to see a bit of online flirting

There was one visa run company that went out of business 6 months ago when a Van crashed and it turn out they did not have any insurance (one dead).

http://www.thaivisa....edia-visa-runs/

good luck with those visa runs

and walking around Chaweng feels more like talking a walk by the M25 than a tropical island

each time I set food on the island I got food poisoning, never happened to me anywhere else in Thailand. The safe alternatives (McDonalds & Burger King) are completely overprice and there's no proper hospitals You want a tropical paradise move to St-Barth

Having read your post - I think that you should see a doctor. Your symptoms look more serious than food poisoning. I fear that you may have the dreaded "Samui Verbal Diarrhoea" - complicted by what may be the Chang virus. Unfortunately there is a bit of an epidemic of this on this forum at the moment.

The good news is that it is not usually fatal, but be careful. Say the wrong thing in the wrong place and who knows?

The

Stay safe, lots of farangs getting in trouble there lately

Hi Yoslim, I'm curious; I've never had trouble there before, what sort of trouble is going on lately?

http://www.thaivisa....25#entry5720800

German Tourist Stabbed To Death

http://www.thaivisa....on-koh-phangan/

Israeli Tourist Injured And Raped

http://www.thaivisa....ting-blai-leam/

Man Shoot to Death

and that's only the tip of the iceberg

isreali tourist was phangan if you are going to spread doom and gloom, then get it right.

to the OP, if i were to do it for that lenght of time, id be heading for phangan over samui. Chaloklum is the ticket for me

Edited October 4, 201213 yr by tinfoilhat

after reading some of the comments on here I have to ask myself am I living on another island rather than Samui because after 7 years living on both Samui and Phangan which is the sister island I have never heard so much clap trap. Koh Samui I believe is a lot safer than what I read about Phuket or Pattaya of course there will be the odd murder or mugging that I am afraid happens all over the world what I can say is I have never ever come across a brawl or been threatened by anyone however if you are a loud mouthed drunken tourist type then you can expect trouble and it will come from the tourist police if you misbehave. As far as I and my wife are concerned and we are both from the UK we have never encountered any problems both on Samui or Phangan but there again we came to enjoy living in paradise not to be propped up in some lady bar day in and day out There are a lot of ops who talk total rubbish indeed I would not be surprised if some of them had never set foot on the island and have just gone on here to scaremonger . Always look at the glass half full and not half empty and give it a try if at the end of the day samui is not for you then you can always move on and try elswhere !!!!!

I wouldn't even considerliving in Samui it'sviolent, expensive and overrun with mafia and criminal wannabe expats...but then again six monhs will go in a blink so no big deal anyway.

Enjoy.

What part of Samui do you live in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I know not to go there or is it a fabrication of your imagination !!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't listen to these doom and gloom merchants. I didn't...

I remember being in a bar about 7 years ago talking to some old timer that had lived here 20 years. He told me to forget living here and just come for a holiday.

I'm glad I never listened. I've been living here 7 years now, have a successful business and I'm extremely happy.

Live the dream the man!

did not like samui that much. too touristy, the really nice oceanfront resorts are very pricey. not my style.

top island for fatal motorbike accidents i think. many newbies spinning around drunk.

almost 2 pages of this thread dedicated to personal opinions on Samui and whether the OP should come to Samui or not......I don't see any question in the OP asking whether he should do or not

There was one visa run company that went out of business 6 months ago when a Van crashed and it turn out they did not have any insurance (one dead).

http://www.thaivisa....edia-visa-runs/

good luck with those visa runs

and walking around Chaweng feels more like talking a walk by the M25 than a tropical island

each time I set food on the island I got food poisoning, never happened to me anywhere else in Thailand. The safe alternatives (McDonalds & Burger King) are completely overprice and there's no proper hospitals You want a tropical paradise move to St-Barth

UTTER RUBBISH and total nonsense.... no good hospital, yeah right... only witch doctors here... Never accidents in other parts of the world???

Obviously you spent too much time holding up bars, while you where here...and never opened your eyes to anything.... some people are really amazing...

I will just get to the point. Yoslim in your profile page you say this ......

"Livin the dream

Why don't you stop with your trolling & let other people get on with their dreams.

Any further off topic remarks will be deleted , anymore trolling by certain dedicated offenders suspensions issued.

Can we get back on topic now please.

To the OP, you can also have a look at visas HERE .As for accommodation as previously advised, check in somewhere for a few nights, till you discover the island and find a suitable area. Your next step the accommodation.

As for a job, have a look HERE various sub forums

Good luck..

Mark, you have had many responses to your question about living on Samui, some helpful advice and, as usual from the knockers, some not so helpful.

You also asked other questions to which no one has responded.

The following sites may be a start in helping you decide what health precautions are necessary and what visas you should go for.

http://ukinthailand....l-advice#health

http://www.nathnac.o...try_page_TH.htm

http://www.fco.gov.u...ceania/thailand

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/

http://www.immigrati...e.php?page=visa

Hope this helps.

Goodbye Rain, Welcome to the form. It can be quite entertaining some days.

I hope your transition to Samui is good and you find as much enjoyment on the island as most of us here do.

Stay positive and don't buy into the negativity. If it was such a dangerous island there wouldn't be so many families here or

the large and very diverse amount of foreigners.

Thank you Rooo......

To the OP, there are many options to types of accommodation in all prices ranges and styles... You need to find some temporary place first and perhaps spend a few months, "getting the feel" of different areas... only you know what suites you... but there choices in quiet "jungle" areas or "suburban" living, if that's your bag.... and places in between... near the beach or one the beach... up to you!.... but take some time to feel different areas, before committing to a long term rental... (which should be cheaper)...

The price of goods and services varies... Service in some shops is out standing, were other places not so good, but that is no different than else where in the world....

Patience is needed sometimes, especially getting used to different customs.... you'll get used to the quirks (well maybe not all ) but it's not that bad, provided you have a bit of an "open mind"

But as many positive posters have said here, it's not a bad place to live... never expect things to be the same as there were "back home"... it never will be, regardless to what new country you move too... or even moving around different parts of the UK...

as the saying goes,.... Same Same, but different!!!

Be positive.... have fun! ..... lots of stuff to read up on too...

Ignore the doom merchants...

I've been living here for 10 years now and love the place...learnt the hard way on a couple of things but all in all a good place to live. I've lived in the north and south of the island and much prefer the south, peace and quite, less traffic etc

Please tell me thats you pictured in your avatar

Afraid not...LOL

You have no idea how disappointed i am currently feeling!

That's her ...

after reading some of the comments on here I have to ask myself am I living on another island rather than Samui because after 7 years living on both Samui and Phangan which is the sister island I have never heard so much clap trap. Koh Samui I believe is a lot safer than what I read about Phuket or Pattaya of course there will be the odd murder or mugging that I am afraid happens all over the world what I can say is I have never ever come across a brawl or been threatened by anyone however if you are a loud mouthed drunken tourist type then you can expect trouble and it will come from the tourist police if you misbehave. As far as I and my wife are concerned and we are both from the UK we have never encountered any problems both on Samui or Phangan but there again we came to enjoy living in paradise not to be propped up in some lady bar day in and day out There are a lot of ops who talk total rubbish indeed I would not be surprised if some of them had never set foot on the island and have just gone on here to scaremonger . Always look at the glass half full and not half empty and give it a try if at the end of the day samui is not for you then you can always move on and try elswhere !!!!!

Well said. Same here. Wifey and I have been here 12 years - never a problem

Samui is anyway a lot better than Phuket and my second choice after Koh Panghan when I will own this 20 millions boat to be able to go to Samui supermarket or hospital quickly (not safe to rely on locals).

Samui is with Koh Chang the only big island in Thailand where you still feel like to live on an island and not in a city.