Urgent Wake-Up Call For Koh Samui

[thaibeachlovers]

For those who find Samui has become so terrible bad, I do not understand why they come back or still stay here

I came, I saw, I left.

Paradise lost imo, but for me it was a great couple of years to get my thoughts together and make a plan. Met some great people who I still keep in touch with but I met a lot more bitter and twisted individuals (foreign and domestic). And I understand why, usually they came to Samui with wide eyes and just wanted to live the dream (nothing wrong with that) and for whatever reason it didn't work out. Or its a lot harder work than anticipated (not helped by exchange rates plummeting and things outside of our control) and now they are fearful of failing and having to go back to their country of origin broke. Very normal feelings I think most of us have to some degree.

Anyway, back to the original post.

I believe its too late, the wake up call should have been at least 15 years ago. Samui is a five star favela because it is foreigners that pumped the money into building dreams, but under Thai authority. These two are the antithesis of each other and unfortunately, the rot had been set in concrete from day one and no foreigner will ever change it. Even if the infrastructure is miraculously fixed overnight, it will never fix the underlying problem of systemic corruption combined with (rich) island mentality. In fact, that would probably only multiply the island mentality exponentially.

However if you still have the will then corruption must be exposed and fought because no matter how ingrained, under Thai Law corruption is illegal.

So the wake up call is this-

Go with the flow, fight it or get out.

Most whine but go with the flow. Some just move on but very few do something about it.

Which one are you?

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

Edited January 3, 2013 by thaibeachlovers

[samuijimmy]

For those who find Samui has become so terrible bad, I do not understand why they come back or still stay here

I came, I saw, I left.

Paradise lost imo, but for me it was a great couple of years to get my thoughts together and make a plan. Met some great people who I still keep in touch with but I met a lot more bitter and twisted individuals (foreign and domestic). And I understand why, usually they came to Samui with wide eyes and just wanted to live the dream (nothing wrong with that) and for whatever reason it didn't work out. Or its a lot harder work than anticipated (not helped by exchange rates plummeting and things outside of our control) and now they are fearful of failing and having to go back to their country of origin broke. Very normal feelings I think most of us have to some degree.

Anyway, back to the original post.

I believe its too late, the wake up call should have been at least 15 years ago. Samui is a five star favela because it is foreigners that pumped the money into building dreams, but under Thai authority. These two are the antithesis of each other and unfortunately, the rot had been set in concrete from day one and no foreigner will ever change it. Even if the infrastructure is miraculously fixed overnight, it will never fix the underlying problem of systemic corruption combined with (rich) island mentality. In fact, that would probably only multiply the island mentality exponentially.

However if you still have the will then corruption must be exposed and fought because no matter how ingrained, under Thai Law corruption is illegal.

So the wake up call is this-

Go with the flow, fight it or get out.

Most whine but go with the flow. Some just move on but very few do something about it.

Which one are you?

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

Oh the troll is back... my guess a bad relationship with boy or girl friend and he can't let go.... a bit sad really you missed some of the nice beaches here:

some nice beaches on Koh Phangan too, within a 1/2 hour boat ride...

How many more would you like to see....? It sure ain't what you describe....

Not everybody's so dumb, say what you like... !

[Neilly]

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

I read that same post earlier today and my initial knee-jerk reaction was ‘here we go again’. But it is well balanced...as opposed to yours which is vitriolic...no idea what happened to you in Samui but suggest you let it go.

There are thousands of us (expats) who live here, and all is good in this green and pleasant land...it has it's off days, but we still love it so do us all a favour and pi55 off

Edited January 3, 2013 by Neilly

[notmyself]

For those who find Samui has become so terrible bad, I do not understand why they come back or still stay here

I came, I saw, I left.

Paradise lost imo, but for me it was a great couple of years to get my thoughts together and make a plan. Met some great people who I still keep in touch with but I met a lot more bitter and twisted individuals (foreign and domestic). And I understand why, usually they came to Samui with wide eyes and just wanted to live the dream (nothing wrong with that) and for whatever reason it didn't work out. Or its a lot harder work than anticipated (not helped by exchange rates plummeting and things outside of our control) and now they are fearful of failing and having to go back to their country of origin broke. Very normal feelings I think most of us have to some degree.

Anyway, back to the original post.

I believe its too late, the wake up call should have been at least 15 years ago. Samui is a five star favela because it is foreigners that pumped the money into building dreams, but under Thai authority. These two are the antithesis of each other and unfortunately, the rot had been set in concrete from day one and no foreigner will ever change it. Even if the infrastructure is miraculously fixed overnight, it will never fix the underlying problem of systemic corruption combined with (rich) island mentality. In fact, that would probably only multiply the island mentality exponentially.

However if you still have the will then corruption must be exposed and fought because no matter how ingrained, under Thai Law corruption is illegal.

So the wake up call is this-

Go with the flow, fight it or get out.

Most whine but go with the flow. Some just move on but very few do something about it.

Which one are you?

I too read this post earlier but I was going out for dinner so left off a reply. I'd like to say 'balanced' but I really can't, I also can't be bothered to point as to why either. Well thought out is another matter and it is this I will address.

These two are the antithesis of each other and unfortunately, the rot had been set in concrete from day one and no foreigner will ever change it.

I'm not sure I fully agree but let's roll with it.....

Go with the flow, fight it or get out.

Most whine but go with the flow. Some just move on but very few do something about it.

How can a foreigner do something about 'it' when by your own admission 'it' is set in concrete and no foreigner will ever change it? Well thought out..... I think not.

Leaving that aside. I am a guest in this country and believe it is up to the Thai people to decide what they wish to do with their own country.

Enough of that.

Samui is not the place to cut your teeth, not the place to gain your wings. Even if Samui is a five star favela, what of it? The tourists are pumping the money in that allows the well seasoned traveler to settle here, using ingenuity they have come by, by way of experience. If you are not at the top of your game then Samui can and in time will kick the living [comment not entered] out of you. People don't like to lose and when they do it often causes an irrational resentment.

[Tropicalevo]

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

Yawn

Feel better now do we?

You actually go out and tell people not to come here?

How sad is that? Why not try and get a life instead?

[BusyBee123]

For those who find Samui has become so terrible bad, I do not understand why they come back or still stay here

I came, I saw, I left.

Paradise lost imo, but for me it was a great couple of years to get my thoughts together and make a plan. Met some great people who I still keep in touch with but I met a lot more bitter and twisted individuals (foreign and domestic). And I understand why, usually they came to Samui with wide eyes and just wanted to live the dream (nothing wrong with that) and for whatever reason it didn't work out. Or its a lot harder work than anticipated (not helped by exchange rates plummeting and things outside of our control) and now they are fearful of failing and having to go back to their country of origin broke. Very normal feelings I think most of us have to some degree.

Anyway, back to the original post.

I believe its too late, the wake up call should have been at least 15 years ago. Samui is a five star favela because it is foreigners that pumped the money into building dreams, but under Thai authority. These two are the antithesis of each other and unfortunately, the rot had been set in concrete from day one and no foreigner will ever change it. Even if the infrastructure is miraculously fixed overnight, it will never fix the underlying problem of systemic corruption combined with (rich) island mentality. In fact, that would probably only multiply the island mentality exponentially.

However if you still have the will then corruption must be exposed and fought because no matter how ingrained, under Thai Law corruption is illegal.

So the wake up call is this-

Go with the flow, fight it or get out.

Most whine but go with the flow. Some just move on but very few do something about it.

Which one are you?

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

not well thought out at all just a typical narrow minded short term view, ever heard of building for the future? It may not happen in your lifetime but chipping away at things that aren't working and changing for the better is what happens but it isn't for impatient people. Samui is no worse or better than anywhere else, you can talk about corruption until the cows come home but it is just more open here, western governments keep it more discreet but it is in no way different they are probably better than Thailand at it.

[2020]

My post was just a reply to a comment about people leaving, which was just my opinion, which was based on my experience and typed out pretty quick so yes, there are discrepancies.

First of all is a missing option which samuijimmy was quick to notice and that is accept the place the way it is, including its faults, and love being there. Credit to Jimmy for the correction, having a great attitude towards his chosen home and posting great pics to back up his claim.

My pre-perception of Samui was different from its reality (and they are already well documented elsewhere) but most reasons for me leaving were to do with my circumstances, and not Samui’s. So when I stated ‘no foreigner will ever change it’ I should have written ‘I will never bother trying to change it, I’ll just move on’.

Apart from a couple of bad attitude taxi drivers, I never had any cause for trouble and I just went along my merry way. My time there was great (edit- note my profile pic, its Samui!) and I don’t talk it down to anybody who mentions going there, apart from some general travel warnings which are mostly about taxis on the island.

Notmyself brought good points to the table which I would certainly agree with. My intention was not to troll and notice I never stated my post was well thought out!

I wish everyone genuine good luck and enjoy the place, I have not found anywhere on the planet perfect yet and know I never will. We just learn to adapt and accept according things to our own lot in life, or do our bit to change the things we can change, even if people say we are crazy for doing so.

Edited January 4, 2013 by 2020

[BangrakBob]

Thaibeachlovers or Samuibeachhaters?

(Not recognised for a sense of humour or banter.....I await dummy spit response)

[monkeycountry]

Garbage is often mentioned as a problem, and I agree that it is a problem, but how come noone from the local government ever mentions the sea? I am aware that the mayor probably never goes swimming in the sea, but the tourists do, and quite often the sea, especially in Chaweng and Lamai is so dirty that people incl. myself avoid swimming in it. The beaches and the sea are afterall by far the most important assets of Samui.

The only way to avoid sewage water running from the klongs into the sea is to build sewage treatment plants, yet noone ever mentions this??

[Tropicalevo]

Samui has a sewage treatment plant. Not sure if it is working

Also - all beach side properties built "back in the good old days", are the ones pumping the sewage directly into the sea.

And yet some people seem to want those "good old days" back.

Imagine the water quality if all of the new properties follwed "the old ways"???

[John 1]

Samui has a sewage treatment plant. Not sure if it is working

Also - all beach side properties built "back in the good old days", are the ones pumping the sewage directly into the sea.

And yet some people seem to want those "good old days" back.

Imagine the water quality if all of the new properties follwed "the old ways"???

Does Samui have a sewerage treatment plant? if so need to tell the local government workers that pump out peoples septic tanks then discharge it into the bush by the side of a back road.

All discharges for septic systems have a over flow so when full it runs into the drains and then into the sea. This is only a guess but i would say 80% of accommodation and business systems eventually run into the sea.

The saving grace for samui it's surround by sea so most of the waste floats away except for a few bays on the island where you see green rocks.

[PoorSucker]

Does Samui have a sewerage treatment plant?

Samui is big, Chaweng has one since the last century.

[thaibeachlovers]

Samui has a sewage treatment plant. Not sure if it is working

Also - all beach side properties built "back in the good old days", are the ones pumping the sewage directly into the sea.

And yet some people seem to want those "good old days" back.

Imagine the water quality if all of the new properties follwed "the old ways"???

In the "good old days", there weren't so many people that the sewage system as it was then couldn't cope. That was because there weren't too many rooms available.

[thaibeachlovers]

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

Yawn

Feel better now do we?

You actually go out and tell people not to come here?

How sad is that? Why not try and get a life instead?

My life partly involves telling as many people as possible not to go to Samui, and other ruined Thai beaches.

[thaibeachlovers]

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

I read that same post earlier today and my initial knee-jerk reaction was ‘here we go again’. But it is well balanced...as opposed to yours which is vitriolic...no idea what happened to you in Samui but suggest you let it go.

There are thousands of us (expats) who live here, and all is good in this green and pleasant land...it has it's off days, but we still love it so do us all a favour and pi55 off

<no idea what happened to you in Samui>

Used to love it, but the greedies destroyed it. Love has turned to anger.

<do us all a favour and pi55 off>

Well reasoned, mature response there, 55555555555555

Edited January 5, 2013 by thaibeachlovers

[thaibeachlovers]

For those who find Samui has become so terrible bad, I do not understand why they come back or still stay here

I came, I saw, I left.

Paradise lost imo, but for me it was a great couple of years to get my thoughts together and make a plan. Met some great people who I still keep in touch with but I met a lot more bitter and twisted individuals (foreign and domestic). And I understand why, usually they came to Samui with wide eyes and just wanted to live the dream (nothing wrong with that) and for whatever reason it didn't work out. Or its a lot harder work than anticipated (not helped by exchange rates plummeting and things outside of our control) and now they are fearful of failing and having to go back to their country of origin broke. Very normal feelings I think most of us have to some degree.

Anyway, back to the original post.

I believe its too late, the wake up call should have been at least 15 years ago. Samui is a five star favela because it is foreigners that pumped the money into building dreams, but under Thai authority. These two are the antithesis of each other and unfortunately, the rot had been set in concrete from day one and no foreigner will ever change it. Even if the infrastructure is miraculously fixed overnight, it will never fix the underlying problem of systemic corruption combined with (rich) island mentality. In fact, that would probably only multiply the island mentality exponentially.

However if you still have the will then corruption must be exposed and fought because no matter how ingrained, under Thai Law corruption is illegal.

So the wake up call is this-

Go with the flow, fight it or get out.

Most whine but go with the flow. Some just move on but very few do something about it.

Which one are you?

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

Oh the troll is back... my guess a bad relationship with boy or girl friend and he can't let go.... a bit sad really you missed some of the nice beaches here:

some nice beaches on Koh Phangan too, within a 1/2 hour boat ride...

How many more would you like to see....? It sure ain't what you describe....

Not everybody's so dumb, say what you like... !

I guess you were so keen to attack me that you have overlooked the fact that I like most of Phangan ( but obviously not Had Rin ). Still find lovely unruined beaches on Phangan with affordable beach side accomodation. Get in quick though, as once the all weather road and 24/7 electricity go all the way around the island it'll go the same way as Samui. The rot has already set in at Haad Khom and Bottle.

[PoorSucker]

I guess you were so keen to attack me that you have overlooked the fact that I like most of Phangan ( but obviously not Had Rin ). Still find lovely unruined beaches on Phangan with affordable beach side accomodation. Get in quick though, as once the all weather road and 24/7 electricity go all the way around the island it'll go the same way as Samui. The rot has already set in at Haad Khom and Bottle.

Please don't go there, you will ruin them too.

"Get in quick though."

Yes and then bitch about it's not the same anymore.

[carmine]

Well thought out post.

I got out, and I tell as many people as possible not to go there. Internet forums are great for that!

Yawn

Feel better now do we?

You actually go out and tell people not to come here?

How sad is that? Why not try and get a life instead?

My life partly involves telling as many people as possible not to go to Samui, and other ruined Thai beaches.

Well i'm sorry to say this but if you do carry on telling people not to come to samui you are very sad. It does sound from your posts that things didn't in some way work out for you but why spoil a good experience for others to satisfy your grievances with the island. You are also decieving others and yourself describing our beaches as ruined. You talk about well thought out reponses from others on here yet you carry on your daily life "lying' to others about an island you have no intention of revisiting! How sad is that.

I am in regular contact with tourists on a day to day basis and apart from the obvious irritations of the electric (in the process of being sorted out) the feedback is very good.

[notmyself]

I am in regular contact with tourists on a day to day basis and apart from the obvious irritations of the electric (in the process of being sorted out) the feedback is very good.

The short power cuts serve to remind people how fortunate they are back home. If it's dark then within minutes there are candles around and life goes on. Taxis on the other hand are different matter.

[PoorSucker]

I guess you were so keen to attack me that you have overlooked the fact that I like most of Phangan ( but obviously not Had Rin ). Still find lovely unruined beaches on Phangan with affordable beach side accomodation. Get in quick though, as once the all weather road and 24/7 electricity go all the way around the island it'll go the same way as Samui. The rot has already set in at Haad Khom and Bottle.

Please don't go there, you will ruin them too.

"Get in quick though."

Yes and then bitch about it's not the same anymore.

Another well reasoned, mature response there, 55555555555555

I didn't force anyone to pour concrete, but I shall not be responding to any of your posts again.

You already forgot that you would not make responses to my post.

I guess you can not help yourself.

[PoorSucker]

Hmmmmmm. I can only blame age related memory loss. However, I shall do my best to remember in future. Perhaps I can use the block function?

Modified to allow posting.

There's an ignore function in your user panel.

[davo67]

Wow! Some of the negative posts on here make we wonder if some people will ever be happy/satisfied.

I first island hopped nearly 20 years ago, and the changes people are moaning about have happened pretty much everywhere (koh chang, koh samet etc etc) Change is inevitable everywhere and you just weigh up the good and bad aspects and decide if you stay or move on. I love eating at the cheap local food places, but I also like that I can buy some farang food at Tesco.

I've lived on Samui just over 2 years now and I still appreciate how lucky I am. A four week visit to the UK a few months ago only served to reinforce that view.

The grass may be greener, but it's still just grass.

[Tropicalevo]

We should close the troll down - he is becoming boring.

He has hijacked a thread that raised some interesting points.

His points are not interesting - just inflaming people. Not much being added to the conversation here. He is chasing his 'Andy Warhol 15 minutes' ?

[Rooo]

Some off topic posts deleted. I can't be bothered going through cleaning the rest.

But just be aware that this is a discussion forum,both sides have the right to air their views in a responsible manner, it is not a Carte Blanche to slander & wind up members.

This sort of behavior will result in post deletion & further disciplinary action.

Last warning on this matter.

[PoorSucker]

Found a couple of useful things in HomePro today Rooo...can I use them on our pet Troll?

Sorry did not exist 1993.

[oldsailor35]

There are so many better places in Thailand and beyond to spend your holidays than the corrupt, over-built Koh Samui -

Hi KED, and which part of Chaweng did you tour ?

[oldsailor35]

I did indeed, and later than 1993 as well. I visited many times over the years, staying on Chaweng and Lamai, and never had a problem with the place. As close to Paradise as I have ever come.

Sorry to disappoint you but I've been here over 10 years now, and this is As close to Paradise as I have ever come.

Then perhaps you need to get out a bit more.

Well said. To each their own, for sure, but Samui has too much concrete to be my paradise. Many other beaches I've visited have been far better now, since Chaweng went the "upmarket" route.

Its about 56 klm around the island, has it ever occurred to you to move on a bit from Chaweng. Around the south coast there are some pristine quiet sandy beaches. Go on , dare ya , give yourself a treat, have a look around.

[samuijimmy]

Your wasting your time on this Old Sailor .... believe me!!.... this guy has blinders on...

Here's another beach near Soi One in Maenam, you don't need to look far to find lots of nice beaches on the island ....

[LaoPo]

Your wasting your time on this Old Sailor .... believe me!!.... this guy has blinders on...

Here's another beach near Soi One in Maenam, you don't need to look far to find lots of nice beaches on the island ....

Very nice Jimmy!

Q: why did you call your photo "electric" as: Maenam Soi 1 beach electric Jan 17

I didn't see anything electric on the photo?

[samuijimmy]

Your wasting your time on this Old Sailor .... believe me!!.... this guy has blinders on...

Here's another beach near Soi One in Maenam, you don't need to look far to find lots of nice beaches on the island ....

Very nice Jimmy!

Q: why did you call your photo "electric" as: Maenam Soi 1 beach electric Jan 17

I didn't see anything electric on the photo?

Ah....!!! ,.... read my post on the electric on the island, that beach is at the end of that road!! It just got caught up with the others I took with the batch ... but it is where the new electric line will come in from Khanom !