What do you make of this

[BigC]

Is there any room for any more concrete

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Boater]

been there a while - http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/thailand/conrad-koh-samui-USMKSCI/gallery/index.html

Edited October 23, 2013 by Boater

[manarak]

it will look better once the pillars will be hidden by trees

[Maipenrai007]

That's a very old picture right?

[Boater]

That's a very old picture right?

looks like this now

[robsamui]

That's a bit of an antique, Large C, where did you dig that out from?

And why post it now?

R

[Goshawk]

first quick glance at the OP's pic.... looked like a distant shot of large group of extra long tusked walrus's sunbathing on an outcrop.

[Mole]

In July 2013 I was walking on the beach during extreme low tide. Once I got in the area of Conrad, a security guard immediately asked me my intentions. I told I was just walking on the beach and he followed me like a shadow till I was outside their area.

[yorkie100]

Was he blowing a whistle and waving a glowing red baton?

[Gatorade]

Big C that is an old picture but nevertheless even now looking at it from the sea it looks like a group of fighting machines from the "war of the worlds".

It is hideous.

[Maipenrai007]

Big C that is an old picture but nevertheless even now looking at it from the sea it looks like a group of fighting machines from the "war of the worlds".

It is hideous.

War of the Worlds - <deleted>!

[BigC]

From one of he samui locals site

Locals are not happy as they don't know whey they buildings was not stopped?

No one really knew what was going on with this building but no one seemed to do anything about it and it carried on being built

The local people want to know how long until all the natural beauty from the island has been sold off

In other words they are not happy

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[BigC]

That's a very old picture right?

Yes seems so but it is still taking away he natural landscape

More trees being cut down means more. Flooding

More house being built means more water

More electric

More resources

Question is will there ever be a time where they say enough building on the island before it gets over spoilt and ruined to the point that it look not attractive to anyone and the value of the land goes down

Only have to look at Spain

Cost del sol

Some of the whole maintains have been concreted there

Look like one big sunny council estate

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[BigC]

Doesn't look very safe to me at the moment

Give it about 5 or 7 monsums then take a photo

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[BigC]

In July 2013 I was walking on the beach during extreme low tide. Once I got in the area of Conrad, a security guard immediately asked me my intentions. I told I was just walking on the beach and he followed me like a shadow till I was outside their area.

1373156862179.jpg 1373157054449.jpg 1373157335989.jpg 1373157349627.jpg 1373157415542.jpg 1373157502812.jpg 1373157561343.jpg 1373157573529.jpg 1373157710985.jpg

should have videoed him and sat down. if he tried to kick you off the beach then go down the police station. if they do nothing then send a copy to the DSI

[ikbenhet]

Samui locals worrying about the environment.

Learn something new every day.

[robsamui]

In July 2013 I was walking on the beach during extreme low tide. Once I got in the area of Conrad, a security guard immediately asked me my intentions. I told I was just walking on the beach and he followed me like a shadow till I was outside their area.

1373156862179.jpg 1373157054449.jpg 1373157335989.jpg 1373157349627.jpg 1373157415542.jpg 1373157502812.jpg 1373157561343.jpg 1373157573529.jpg 1373157710985.jpg

Well good for him. What's wrong with that?

It's out in the middle of nowhere, unlike Chaweng Beach. And all there is, is Conrad. So passers-by can't be that common.

Unless he was rude or aggressive I think that's fine.

Yes, I realise it's not Conrad's private beach. And I think if you had stopped to swim or sunbathe he wouldn't have tried to interfere or move you on. But nearly all resorts on Samui have had problems with security, especially folks wandering in off the beach. So the guy was only doing what he is paid to do, politely and efficiently.

R

Edited October 24, 2013 by robsamui

[robsamui]

That's a very old picture right?

Yes seems so but it is still taking away he natural landscape

More trees being cut down means more. Flooding

More house being built means more water

More electric

More resources

Question is will there ever be a time where they say enough building on the island before it gets over spoilt and ruined to the point that it look not attractive to anyone and the value of the land goes down

Only have to look at Spain

Cost del sol

Some of the whole maintains have been concreted there

Look like one big sunny council estate

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

You are muddling up two quite separate issues here, Biggie.

One is the utter fright-show of Conrad, as it was in the beginning. The other is the general over-development of Samui.

In the case of Conrad, a couple of years ago I would very much have agreed with you. But from what you say I reckon you've never set foot in the place or been able to examine the construction close-up. It's quite a project. The engineers have driven hundreds of gigantic steel beams deep into the cliff face and keyed them all together. It's then been faced with reinforced concrete - and the photo you show is as it was before it was even completed, which is why I am puzzled why you are holding it up for everyone to look at.

The concrete facing was then covered in thick steel mesh, and along the base of each face was planted trees, bushes, shrubs and climbers. These are still far from mature, but the other photos (thanks everyone for this) show the dramatic difference in just a couple of growing seasons. The intention is that eventually the faces of the suites will peep out from top to bottom through the greenery. Of course they will be visible, but far, far less so than every other hilltop all around Samui that is now glaringly studded with luxury villas.

And there is no way the light monsoon we get here is going to bring that lot down. The entire peninsular would have to split away from the headland for that to happen.

The over-development of the island is quite a different matter. As it stands at the moment, I fully agree that there really needs to be effective and enforced planning permission in place. Samui is developing, and mostly that's for the better. I doubt that we'll ever get to the built-up level that somewhere like Phuket has reached, simply because of the mountain, and the huge comparative costs involved in building up there. I hope not anyway. But the unchecked construction that seems to just happen here overnight really needs to be regulated.

Seeing that the local government have yet to be able to get together a coherent policy in policing and enforcing all the road traffic infringements that happen here every minute, (and the horrific state of the traffic on Samui is far more every-day and in-yer-face than houses on hills somewhere) I think it's likely to take a while before this kind of check will happen with Samui's construction industry!

R

Edited October 24, 2013 by robsamui

[marstons]

That's a very old picture right?

Yes seems so but it is still taking away he natural landscape

More trees being cut down means more. Flooding

More house being built means more water

More electric

More resources

Question is will there ever be a time where they say enough building on the island before it gets over spoilt and ruined to the point that it look not attractive to anyone and the value of the land goes down

Only have to look at Spain

Cost del sol

Some of the whole maintains have been concreted there

Look like one big sunny council estate

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

For most houses built trees where cut down, resources used, more electric consumed, Bohput hills good example of concrete replacing vital trees and torrential run offs that the drains cant cope with and floods the road. . Cant really expect it to stop for those who did there bit of damage to Samui already and got settled. Yes very old picture OP. There are those of us that thought enough was enough 14-15 years ago but!!!

[Tropicalevo]

In July 2013 I was walking on the beach during extreme low tide. Once I got in the area of Conrad, a security guard immediately asked me my intentions. I told I was just walking on the beach and he followed me like a shadow till I was outside their area.

1373156862179.jpg 1373157054449.jpg 1373157335989.jpg 1373157349627.jpg 1373157415542.jpg 1373157502812.jpg 1373157561343.jpg 1373157573529.jpg 1373157710985.jpg

Lovely beach. A great advert for Samui.

I can see why people are queuing up to stay there.

[Mole]

In July 2013 I was walking on the beach during extreme low tide. Once I got in the area of Conrad, a security guard immediately asked me my intentions. I told I was just walking on the beach and he followed me like a shadow till I was outside their area.

Well good for him. What's wrong with that?

It's out in the middle of nowhere, unlike Chaweng Beach. And all there is, is Conrad. So passers-by can't be that common.

Unless he was rude or aggressive I think that's fine.

Yes, I realise it's not Conrad's private beach. And I think if you had stopped to swim or sunbathe he wouldn't have tried to interfere or move you on. But nearly all resorts on Samui have had problems with security, especially folks wandering in off the beach. So the guy was only doing what he is paid to do, politely and efficiently.

R

He didn't actually come down to the beach area, but stayed at the top of the concrete area within their premises.

He was polite and we actually had a rather nice chat about things. I asked him a few questions etc.

He told people aren't allowed to walk from the beach up into their area at all, and I wasn't planning to either.

I was once there 2 years back when they were still constructing and there were certain parts of the beach which were quicksand (there were pebbles on top, but quicksand underneath) and I immediately sank and tore my sandals.

I was amazed by the transformation and the landscaping of the beach area that they've done. They've even sculpted a small sandy beach there. As far as I remembered, there were no sandy areas around there at all.

I remember back then thinking that the only drawback with this location is that there's no sandy beach, then when I came back this time, there it is, a beach!

Unless it's extreme low tides, it's really not possible to walk to their area since the level of water would go about right up to that concrete beach wall.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Mole

[alfieconn]

From one of he samui locals site

Locals are not happy as they don't know whey they buildings was not stopped?

No one really knew what was going on with this building but no one seemed to do anything about it and it carried on being built

The local people want to know how long until all the natural beauty from the island has been sold off

In other words they are not happy

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Well they need to ask themselves because they're the ones selling it off !

[Gatorade]

Big C I agree with you 100%. Some of the local people were /are totally opposed to this development. Because it had such very well connected investors

in the highest places of Thai society they were powerless to do anything.

And to respond to the apologists who think that this is a great and safe development it might be interesting to know that during the initial opening phase

some of the properties started to slide down the rocks.

Yes, It was a beautiful landscape, but now totally ruined.

[Gatorade]

Agree with you Marstons but surely some lessons could have been learned, but TIT.!

That's a very old picture right?

Yes seems so but it is still taking away he natural landscape

More trees being cut down means more. Flooding

More house being built means more water

More electric

More resources

Question is will there ever be a time where they say enough building on the island before it gets over spoilt and ruined to the point that it look not attractive to anyone and the value of the land goes down

Only have to look at Spain

Cost del sol

Some of the whole maintains have been concreted there

Look like one big sunny council estate








Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

For most houses built trees where cut down, resources used, more electric consumed, Bohput hills good example of concrete replacing vital trees and torrential run offs that the drains cant cope with and floods the road. . Cant really expect it to stop for those who did there bit of damage to Samui already and got settled. Yes very old picture OP. There are those of us that thought enough was enough 14-15 years ago but!!!

[alfieconn]

From one of he samui locals site

Locals are not happy as they don't know whey they buildings was not stopped?

No one really knew what was going on with this building but no one seemed to do anything about it and it carried on being built

The local people want to know how long until all the natural beauty from the island has been sold off

In other words they are not happy

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Did you ask them if they were happy when they got XXX millions of baht when they sold off their land ?

[robsamui]

From one of he samui locals site

Locals are not happy as they don't know whey they buildings was not stopped?

No one really knew what was going on with this building but no one seemed to do anything about it and it carried on being built

The local people want to know how long until all the natural beauty from the island has been sold off

In other words they are not happy

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Why doesn't this ring true . . .??

I read this a couple of days ago and it's been niggling at me so I've come back to it.

Are you talking about the local Thai people? Or a couple of the white people you know around there?

The "natural beauty"?

When has a Thai person ever, ever been concerned about, or even aware of, any kind of environmental aesthetics? (With apologies and respect to the odd .0001% whom I have met and who went to school in BKK and then university in America)

These are people who instinctively drop litter and garbage on the spot. The same ones who sling all their household junk and rubbish over the fence or out of the front door.- and don't even notice it messing up the front of their house. The ones whose idea of 'gardening' is to level every tree, bush and vine to the ground, and who use weedkiller instead of a mower.

Is there even a Thai word or expression for "natural beauty" or was that something you sort of picked out of the air?

Why do I have the feeling that you are some kind of a personal roll here, Big C? It's true what you say, . But don't try and give it weight by saying that all the Thai people agree with you and are worried about spoiling the beauty of Samui. Ask yourself who spends time and money trying to make development blend into the landscape? Thai people? To my knowledge there's only one example of this here and that's at Tongsai Bay and created by a Thai millionaire for his family after he had traveled the world. Your average local family doesn't even notice they are blotting the landscape, I'm sorry to say.

Happily, environmental awareness and conservation is now being taught in all 43 of the Samui government schools, courtesy of the (farang-based) Samui branch of the Thai Hotels Association who have the Mayor's support to sponsor and put money into his schools here - and hopefully the new generation will be more aware. But as things stand now, the parents of these kids can't understand what the all the fuss is about!

R

Edited October 26, 2013 by robsamui

[Gatorade]

From one of he samui locals site

Locals are not happy as they don't know whey they buildings was not stopped?

No one really knew what was going on with this building but no one seemed to do anything about it and it carried on being built

The local people want to know how long until all the natural beauty from the island has been sold off

In other words they are not happy

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Why doesn't this ring true . . .??

I read this a couple of days ago and it's been niggling at me so I've come back to it.

Are you talking about the local Thai people? Or a couple of the white people you know around there?

The "natural beauty"?

When has a Thai person ever, ever been concerned about, or even aware of, any kind of environmental aesthetics? (With apologies and respect to the odd .0001% whom I have met and who went to school in BKK and then university in America)

These are people who instinctively drop litter and garbage on the spot. The same ones who sling all their household junk and rubbish over the fence or out of the front door.- and don't even notice it messing up the front of their house. The ones whose idea of 'gardening' is to level every tree, bush and vine to the ground, and who use weedkiller instead of a mower.

Is there even a Thai word or expression for "natural beauty" or was that something you sort of picked out of the air?

Why do I have the feeling that you are some kind of a personal roll here, Big C? It's true what you say, . But don't try and give it weight by saying that all the Thai people agree with you and are worried about spoiling the beauty of Samui. Ask yourself who spends time and money trying to make development blend into the landscape? Thai people? To my knowledge there's only one example of this here and that's at Tongsai Bay and created by a Thai millionaire for his family after he had traveled the world. Your average local family doesn't even notice they are blotting the landscape, I'm sorry to say.

Happily, environmental awareness and conservation is now being taught in all 43 of the Samui government schools, courtesy of the (farang-based) Samui branch of the Thai Hotels Association who have the Mayor's support to sponsor and put money into his schools here - and hopefully the new generation will be more aware. But as things stand now, the parents of these kids can't understand what the all the fuss is about!

R

Rob

You are absolutely wrong. The Thais I know personally have lived in the area for generations and are appalled at the way the development took place.

Their objections were totally ignored. It is presumptious for you to say that the only objectors were "white" people.

You accuse Big C of being on a personal roll but it really sounds as though you have a very vested interest in the development.

Try taking a boat past the place. Even though there has been planting of some greenery. It will never replace the original landscape. Perhaps you never saw it when it was unspoilt?

You talk of Thais unable to comprehend environmental aesthetics I think that this is patronising. You may not come into contact with the Thais who

appreciate their surroundings but I do, and even though they may be in the minority it is a step in the right direction.

You made a statement previously as to how well constructed the site is but conveniently ignored the fact that some of the villas/concrete pillboxes started to slip downhill when originally built.

[BigC]

Don't get me wrong I am all for capitalism

( that shall piss the hippies off lol)

But for business to grow in samui we have to remember why people come here in the first place

You can build some nice villas and hotels but where is the cut off point before all the natural beauty has gone

Then we have to ask our selves do we want to live on a tropical island or a city island where all the beaches are blocked access by big complains even though the beaches are for everybody

Mountains seemed to be full with very dodgy looking villas that even some 4 wheel trucks have trouble accessing them let alone loving I them

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Rooo]

Very disturbing to read such an attack on locals & such generalization. A shame really.

[robsamui]

Oh dear. Looks like I've got it wrong . . . apologies to those Thai people who seem quite evidently concerned.

I'm just going on my personal experience of have been here quite a while. Everywhere around me have always been people who simply sling their rubbish around - including where I'm right now, again. And the comments about the schoolkids and their parents came directly from a speech made from a top person at the THA - that's not my personal observation as I have no experience of this. For years I was in the habit of handing back the litter that people just dropped in the street where they were standing, saying "sorry but you dropped this . . ." but I've just given up now.

I'd dearly like to meet Thai people living around me who were concerned about their environment. I have met one notable and significant Thai family here who were most concerned. But every beach clean-up I've been on or have heard about has been organised by 'outsiders'; that I find significant.

And no, no connection at all with Conrad, other that a sense of relief that the management were concerned that the original horror become greened over as fast as possible, and that it's starting to happen now.

Nor an "attack". But I've only ever lived among ordinary working Thai people who rent their houses. In my present little soi there are 7 houses, 2 of them with Thai people in them, and once in a while one of us foreigners can't stand it anymore and bag up their garbage and take it to the bins on the main road. And it's been similar everywhere I've been in Thailand, not just Samui. I've come to accept it. I'm a bit taken aback that others here think I'm being hostile - it wasn't written in a spirit of anger at all, it's just the way things are here, and I'm sure I'm not alone in my experiences.

R