starcandle Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Twice within a week I have noticed a massive leap in Russian tourism ( I do not have an axe to grind and have no bias towards our Russian friends, this is an observation). On one of my rare trips along Chaweng after visiting a friend at the Samui inter Hospital, I popped into a Bar that also has rooms for rent, it's now under Russian ownership, although the Bar is at the far end of Chaweng they had a good number of patrons enjoying a beer or 2, after striking up a conversation with a chap in there, over a few beers told me that they had purchased the business less than 2 years ago and the Bar and room rental was going great, in fact the room occupancy was at 100% for the next 2 months and had been for the previous 2 months, his business had grown so fast he had taken on another hotel about 250 meters away and that to was at 100%, good luck to him I say. The second occasion that I was a little suprised with, on Thursday evening I went to a Bar in Bangrak to watch Liverpool play in the Europa League, now with this game not kicking off until midnight I was not really expecting to many folk watching the game, I watch the football here regular and normally Liverpool have a small following with half of them being Thai, only this week I counted about 17 of our Russian friends, both ladies and gents, it was only when I realised that Liverpool were playing Zenit of St Petersburgh the penny dropped. As I said earlier, this is only an observation and in no way am I trying to offend anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 noticed that too e.g. at the 7/11/Familys, most other Farang customers now are Russians. Even at the most remote 7/11s on the island Russian Ladys with baby buggies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 karasho nasdrovie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
churchill Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 and the next wave ' Chinese " .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Actually I have seen here in KPG and much more in Samui, several car with Malayan plates. Maybe just some local holiday or a new trend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post longtom Posted February 16, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted February 16, 2013 Actually I have seen here in KPG and much more in Samui, several car with Malayan plates. Maybe just some local holiday or a new trend? That would be the local holiday called chinese new year . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Red dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Actually I have seen here in KPG and much more in Samui, several car with Malayan plates. Maybe just some local holiday or a new trend? That would be the local holiday called chinese new year . Forgot to say most of the women in the cars and buses were wearing the hijab, so I'm not so sure the connection was the Chinese new year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacedcowboy Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I was going to post my similar observations from my recent stay in Samui, it's was really noticeable to me as well, the change in the usual ages and nationalities of people I used to bump into seems to of changed considerably in under a year. Also the fact that Samui seems to be the new Ibiza with Club Resorts springing up catering for the younger market. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 what Club Resorts? didn't notice that. Where? which kind of clubs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtom Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Actually I have seen here in KPG and much more in Samui, several car with Malayan plates. Maybe just some local holiday or a new trend? That would be the local holiday called chinese new year . Forgot to say most of the women in the cars and buses were wearing the hijab, so I'm not so sure the connection was the Chinese new year. Then I understand your confusion, escpecially in KPG I wouldn't expect many muslim tourists. But most of the malaysian tourist last week on Samui were ethnic chinese, many busloads full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsamui Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 And the Koreans? I came back from a border bounce last week and the ferry was CRAMMED with Koreans. My work takes me round quite a number of resorts here and everywhere I go, there they are again. Russians have been here in quantity for quite a few years now, but this huge upsurge in Koreans is something new. R 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsamui Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Actually I have seen here in KPG and much more in Samui, several car with Malayan plates. Maybe just some local holiday or a new trend? That would be the local holiday called chinese new year . Forgot to say most of the women in the cars and buses were wearing the hijab, so I'm not so sure the connection was the Chinese new year. Then I understand your confusion, escpecially in KPG I wouldn't expect many muslim tourists. But most of the malaysian tourist last week on Samui were ethnic chinese, many busloads full. Chinese New Year for certain R Edited February 17, 2013 by robsamui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkie100 Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Actually I have seen here in KPG and much more in Samui, several car with Malayan plates. Maybe just some local holiday or a new trend? That would be the local holiday called chinese new year . Forgot to say most of the women in the cars and buses were wearing the hijab, so I'm not so sure the connection was the Chinese new year. Then I understand your confusion, escpecially in KPG I wouldn't expect many muslim tourists. But most of the malaysian tourist last week on Samui were ethnic chinese, many busloads full. I've only ever stayed for one night in KPG last year, but was amazed at how many restaurants catered for Muslims. It appeared to me that the farang population at that time (resident and tourist) was predominantly Muslim in comparison to KS where there are only small enclaves dotted around the island like the fishing families living between the market and the BBC in Bangrak. As said before, the number of eastern Europeans visiting KS has increased considerably over the last couple of years or so, evident with the restaurants offering their menus in Russian(?) and shop signs now also in the same language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Mass tourism sucks. Restrict yourself to Thailand's industrial and agricultural hinterlands and you'll never meet a Russian with a baby buggie or a busload of Chinese or Koreans. Really, this is Thailand's hidden secret. Try Phanom Sarakham, Chachoengsao. No Russians there. Also rents probably under half of what they are on Samui. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post angiud Posted February 17, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted February 17, 2013 What wrong to meet Russians, Koreans, Chinese or Muslims tourists? I, for example, I'm happy for 2 reasons: 1st I like other countries' people, not the usual England Germany Sweden France 2nd They are, especially Russians and Chinese, good customers of my business And, although some Russians are noisy, not so well behaved, I like them and I'm bit bored about all the bashing I read from many members. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Chachoengsao? why stay there, if you can stay next to a tropical sea under palm trees and fantastic sunsets, fresh seafood, lush forests and waterfalls, fresh air the whole year round etc etc etc? I don't care at all about Russians and many tourists, they stick with themselves and don't bother others.....and Samui is not only Chaweng......don't care about the prices too, but if you want, you can live on Samui for little money too.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 what Club Resorts? didn't notice that. Where? which kind of clubs? Ark bar , Nikki beach , beach republic , swing bar ..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 don't know swing bar, but the other 3 are here for years, nothing new and all of these 4 are miles away from each other. New Ibiza would be at least 10 Club Resorts at the same area, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 don't know swing bar, but the other 3 are here for years, nothing new and all of these 4 are miles away from each other. New Ibiza would be at least 10 Club Resorts at the same area, Not really as a lot of the Ibiza places are spread out , more of a concentration of clubs together What would make samui the Ibiza is cheap flights and a good public transport system Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Rooo Posted February 17, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted February 17, 2013 This thread is turning in either a self promotion or a joke. Samui is what it is , for God's sake stop trying to build it into an Ibiza . 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsala Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 This biggest change I have noticed, is the number of Chineese travelling independently. They used to stick to organised tours, now they are travelling by themselves. Renting bikes, eating in noodle shops and running into trouble wherever there is any water. The good thing is that they spend money in the local shops, and my hotel has had a massive upturn in f&b and spa, where as before they had prepaid everything and no one got a slice of the pie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 This biggest change I have noticed, is the number of Chineese travelling independently. They used to stick to organised tours, now they are travelling by themselves. Renting bikes, eating in noodle shops and running into trouble wherever there is any water.The good thing is that they spend money in the local shops, and my hotel has had a massive upturn in f&b and spa, where as before they had prepaid everything and no one got a slice of the pie. I remember a koren agency stating the Koreans would pay around 50 k just to be in a group , maybe the same with the Chinese , so with that , maybe they now realise the guides are needed Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Chachoengsao? why stay there, if you can stay next to a tropical sea under palm trees and fantastic sunsets, fresh seafood, lush forests and waterfalls, fresh air the whole year round etc etc etc? I don't care at all about Russians and many tourists, they stick with themselves and don't bother others.....and Samui is not only Chaweng......don't care about the prices too, but if you want, you can live on Samui for little money too.... Chachoengsao Tropical Sea Check Palm Trees Check Fresh Sea Food Check Lush Forest Check Waterfalls Check Fresh Air Check No Mass Tourism Check No Mafia Check No Crazy Tourist Prices Check Expand your mind.[in Chachoengsao] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOggMonster Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 The simple fact is that the Western World is bankrupt. The average Brit/European cannot afford to holiday on Samui these days. The Russians, Chinese, Malaysians and other asian countries have been coming to Samui since a few years ago. The balance of power is changing to the Middle east and Asia. The future of tourism in Thailand will depend on Russian, Asian, israeli and maybe a few Aussie tourists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacedcowboy Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) what Club Resorts? didn't notice that. Where? which kind of clubs? KC Bar Resort Chaweng a new one just opened mainly Israelly guests there (not sure that's spellings right) all of the Area around the Ark Beach seems to have developed as well having a non stop Ibiza type feel to it what with surrounding Bars playing music etc. All good for the local economy, just an observation not at criticism. Edited February 17, 2013 by spacedcowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuibeachcomber Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Mass tourism sucks. Restrict yourself to Thailand's industrial and agricultural hinterlands and you'll never meet a Russian with a baby buggie or a busload of Chinese or Koreans. Really, this is Thailand's hidden secret. Try Phanom Sarakham, Chachoengsao. No Russians there. Also rents probably under half of what they are on Samui. well i just cant wait to go to these places...................can i get a tour guide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokerspiv Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 The simple fact is that the Western World is bankrupt. The average Brit/European cannot afford to holiday on Samui these days. Rubbish. Phuket is full of western tourists. Samui is just a pain to get to, because of the airport situation. People are much less likely nowadays to go for a flight with layover time when a direct flight option is available. Since most people probably don't know or care about the differences between Samui and Phuket, they mostly end up in Phuket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuibeachcomber Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 The simple fact is that the Western World is bankrupt. The average Brit/European cannot afford to holiday on Samui these days. Rubbish. Phuket is full of western tourists. Samui is just a pain to get to, because of the airport situation. People are much less likely nowadays to go for a flight with layover time when a direct flight option is available. Since most people probably don't know or care about the differences between Samui and Phuket, they mostly end up in Phuket. well someone must like Samui cos i see many coach tours that originate from phuket,"phuket" i might even go there myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOggMonster Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 (edited) The simple fact is that the Western World is bankrupt. The average Brit/European cannot afford to holiday on Samui these days. Rubbish. Phuket is full of western tourists. Samui is just a pain to get to, because of the airport situation. People are much less likely nowadays to go for a flight with layover time when a direct flight option is available. Since most people probably don't know or care about the differences between Samui and Phuket, they mostly end up in Phuket. As this is the "KOH SAMUI FORUM" we are talking about Koh Samui not Phuket. If you want to talk about Tourists in Thailand then these are the Stats:Top 20 Most visited nationalities Data from Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and sports [20] 2012 ASEAN 6,253,480 1 China 2,789,345 2 Malaysia 2,560,963 3 Japan 1,371,253 4 Russia 1,317,387 5 South Korea 1,169,131 6 India 1,015,865 7 Laos 951,090 8 Australia 930,599 9 United Kingdom 870,164 10 Singapore 821,056 11 United States 767,420 12 Germany 681,566 13 Vietnam 617,804 14 France 572,996 15 Hong Kong 472,699 16 Indonesia 448,748 17 Cambodia 424,766 18 Taiwan 394,475 19 Sweden 350,565 20 Philippines 288,889 Edited February 18, 2013 by TheOggMonster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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