Long time farang in Samui

[wasas]

Hi all, as the title says, Is there any farangs in Samui, that's been here more than 15, or 20 years or more, that's willing to say here on thaivisa, and tell us what it was like then and now,

I know one or two, that's been here but it's not my place to talk about them.

[notmyself]

Moved here '99. Can you narrow the question down a bit....

[wayned]

I came to stay on 29 March 1998. I had previously purchased a bar which was being run by my girlfriend, now wife of 14 years. I transferred a large amount of money here in January 1998 when the dollar topped at over 56/baht. The road through Chaweng beach was dirt and a real bog hole in rainy season. There were no malls and the closest Big C was in Surrithanni. McDonalds, Pizza Hutr/Company, and Burger King did not exist, but I think that Swensons was already there. The Islander wasn't where it is today, but Angela's in Maenam was there and made the only fresh bagels on the Island and I visited tit regularly. The only banks were in Nothon. The Raja ferry went from Donsak to Samui but the ferry that now leaves from Nathon was not Seatran and it went to Khanom. The cheapest place to stay near the beach in Chaweng was Charlie's Huts with a communal bathroom and cost about 100 baht/night. I

I could go on and on but when I built a house up north in early 2000 I spent less and less time there since I started raising Golden Retreivers. I finally sold my place in 2004 and left. My wife has been back a few times since and has told me how things have changed but I haven't been back since 2004.

I do miss the life there, especially the long walks on the beach with my mutts early every morning but with all of the changes I don't know if that would even be possible anymore.

That's a start, I'm sure that someone else will chime in.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I came to stay on 29 March 1998. I had previously purchased a bar which was being run by my girlfriend, now wife of 14 years. I transferred a large amount of money here in January 1998 when the dollar topped at over 56/baht. The road through Chaweng beach was dirt and a real bog hole in rainy season. There were no malls and the closest Big C was in Surrithanni. McDonalds, Pizza Hutr/Company, and Burger King did not exist, but I think that Swensons was already there. The Islander wasn't where it is today, but Angela's in Maenam was there and made the only fresh bagels on the Island and I visited tit regularly. The only banks were in Nothon. The Raja ferry went from Donsak to Samui but the ferry that now leaves from Nathon was not Seatran and it went to Khanom. The cheapest place to stay near the beach in Chaweng was Charlie's Huts with a communal bathroom and cost about 100 baht/night. I

I could go on and on but when I built a house up north in early 2000 I spent less and less time there since I started raising Golden Retreivers. I finally sold my place in 2004 and left. My wife has been back a few times since and has told me how things have changed but I haven't been back since 2004.

I do miss the life there, especially the long walks on the beach with my mutts early every morning but with all of the changes I don't know if that would even be possible anymore.

That's a start, I'm sure that someone else will chime in.

I'm not sure that I agree with your synopsis...but I could be wrong. I remember the Islander being in much the same place, but constructed from natural materials. No malls, but a department store in Nathon. Muddy beach road is quite right. In fact no asphalt at all on any of the roads. The ride from Chaweng to Lamai was quite interesting. Ramshackle wooden across the lake to the Reggae Pub. I was there from around '92. Paid 150 baht to stay at Charlie's Hut. 10 baht for Khao Pad Gai.....

I'm not sure that Charlie's Hut was the cheapest. It was just one of the first that you came upon. In fact there were bigger and better bungalows for less. Dew Drop Hut charged 150 baht in '96 for relatively huge bungalows with private bathrooms. The bungalows were on stilts. One day I hope to dig out some of my photos. They are packed away somewhere.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Jiu-Jitsu

[wayned]

The islander was further down the street near where Burger King is. When Dennis's lease came up for renewal the price skyrocketed so he built the new place. They were both in operation at the same time for a while and the current Islander was named Bamboo. Kurt, Dennis's brother, owned the Mexican restaurant and miniature golf course behind the Islander. When the lease ran out on the old place Dennis renamed Bamboo to Islander where it currently is located.

Cat Can Co and Faulty Towers both used to be on Soi Green Mango where my bar was located. Faulty moved out when I was still there and went to Boput and I hear that Cat Can Do has relocated to Bang Rak. I lived in the three story building behind SCB on the beach road. It was originally only two story and they finished the third story when I was staying there.

Like I said I could go on and on. What's funny is that I can't remember where I put my eyeglasses 5 minutes ago.

[Mole]

If you want to know how Samui looked like way back, the Thai movie เกาะสวาทหาดสวรรค์ Paradise Island was shot here in 1969.

Unfortunately there are not so many scenes and nearly all are unrecognisable.

I'm not even quite sure that town center with the wooden houses are. There's even a brand new red song thiaw parked. Maybe the only one on the island at that time and the owner had to proudly show it off in the movie.

There's also a neat no-bra hula dance on the beach towards the end of the movie. It looks like the whole island has turned up to watch the dance performance, children and all watching the bouncing breasts.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Mole

[Birdman]

Samui first time 85 in my early 20s, afterwards 3 years BKK, afterwards a half year on HKT, afterwards Samui for the last ~25 years right next the beach until now, with yearly long travels all over Asia, Australia and Europe.

Samui in the 80s and early 90s was completely like another island compared to now. And so was Koh Phangan. It was paradise on earth, everything was very very smooth and relaxed, time not existent, nature at is best, beautiful people, Thais and foreigners, completely relaxed, no traffic on the ring road, so many palm trees everywhere till the beaches, that it was almost dark in the middle below of them.

Lamai was the center of happenings, hippies and globetrotters, guitars, bongos, bonfires. Had a small hut, 85, right on the best part directly on the beach for 30 Baht, could see from my mattress the beach and the sea, nothing else, door never closed, first thing in the morning rolling out and having a long swim, ehm, actually making that till now.

Animal House, first beach "disco", than the Flamingo. Reggae Pub was a tiny bar opp. the now Central Grand Chaweng. Around was palm tree forest, a tiny sandy dance floor, at night time not lights on the sandy road in front, except from the moon and the stars above.

During the 90s it was still magical, but the first farangs of these times moved away, because of increasingly commercialization. The real turning point was the Tesco Chaweng. You can say there are the pre and the post Tesco era.

[phetphet]

I came to stay on 29 March 1998. I had previously purchased a bar which was being run by my girlfriend, now wife of 14 years. I transferred a large amount of money here in January 1998 when the dollar topped at over 56/baht. The road through Chaweng beach was dirt and a real bog hole in rainy season. There were no malls and the closest Big C was in Surrithanni. McDonalds, Pizza Hutr/Company, and Burger King did not exist, but I think that Swensons was already there. The Islander wasn't where it is today, but Angela's in Maenam was there and made the only fresh bagels on the Island and I visited tit regularly. The only banks were in Nothon. The Raja ferry went from Donsak to Samui but the ferry that now leaves from Nathon was not Seatran and it went to Khanom. The cheapest place to stay near the beach in Chaweng was Charlie's Huts with a communal bathroom and cost about 100 baht/night. I

I could go on and on but when I built a house up north in early 2000 I spent less and less time there since I started raising Golden Retreivers. I finally sold my place in 2004 and left. My wife has been back a few times since and has told me how things have changed but I haven't been back since 2004.

I do miss the life there, especially the long walks on the beach with my mutts early every morning but with all of the changes I don't know if that would even be possible anymore.

That's a start, I'm sure that someone else will chime in.

And the beach road was two-way all along with no drainage whatsoever. There was a rickety bamboo bridge across the lake to reach Reggae Pub, I think Will Wait was where Khao San is now, but not 100%. There used to be another nightclub called Santa Fe further along Chaweng, and the Ark Bar was bamboo.

I also seem to remember a really nice open air bar called The Club just along from the Island Resort (which has just been demolished). I think it then moved to what is now Chaweng Stadium, and changed it's name to Solo Club. Long before Solo Bar.Can anyone confirm this?

The Island Resort was a really nice place to stay, with a cool little bar right on the beach. You could often even get an elephant ride on the beach at that time.

There was a restaurant called Do Drop Inn where one could sit outside on the grass with those Thai triangle cushions opposite SCB. There is a Haagen Daas there now.

Also (I don't know if you still can), you used to be able to buy a bottle of spirits in Green Mango Club, and leave it with your name on it for the next night.

Edited November 13, 2014 by phetphet

[PoorSucker]

Pig Bill moved here from Sweden 1974.

[South]

First set foot here in 1986/7. Totally unrecognizable now and today people call it a paradise island? Paradise lost maybe ..

[evadgib]

Evening rush hour used to last all of 15 mins.

The nearest ATM to Lamai was in Chaweng or Naton.

There were only a few (6?) petrol stations on the island.

Meat was purchased @ Laem Din market & was cut from a buffalo leg etc that still had it's fur, hoof & assortment of larvae on it.

You could still see the sea.

The preferred hospital was SIH (BSH & TIH only opened in '04).

If you stood at the front door of a 7/11 you couldn't see another, furthermore they were sparse enough to be included when giving directions to passing tourists.

Bread, Milk & other essentials would run out for a full 10 days or so each Xmas/New Year before tesco's arrived as the existing shops lacked the capacity to allow for the increased demand. When Tesco finally arrived (Nov 03) they assured everyone there would be turkeys for Christmas. While technically true they were of little use as they arrived @1800hrs on Christmas day & were frozen solid:)

Despite the above I love it here & wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[Birdman]

First set foot here in 1986/7. Totally unrecognizable now and today people call it a paradise island? Paradise lost maybe ..

yeah, most of these people then are gone, because of that transformation. And others came because of that transformation. How many Farangs, who are here now long time, go to the beaches and into the forests? regularly, because they enjoy tropical nature on a tropical island. I would say less than 10%, maybe 1-5%. Maybe more than 60% never do that. Know a Farang for years, and she said once: boahh, have been at the beach 3 weeks ago and had to make pictures, what a fantastic sunset it was...... I said: that sunset is every day

[Mole]

On the other side of the spectrum are younger generation newcomers like me who has never ever known how it used to be, but would rather very much prefer that Tesco is here as well as stable electricity and broadband internet, paved road, airport, catamaran, I could go on and on...

I don't want to offend anyone, but another reason you old people who are bickering about the good old days will also not be around on this world anymore. While newer generation will continue on with progress and development of the island (and the rest of the planet for that matter).

For us, it's not "good old days" but good days every day right now and better days ahead tomorrow.

Paradise lost? For you perhaps, but don't you worry, you'll get there soon enough.

But for the farang who decided to move and settle down here yesterday, this place right now is their paradise and that includes all the modern amenities.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Mole

[Birdman]

for me it's not paradise lost. I could move easily to other places, but I still like it here. I am by far not old, but older and I have changed too. The OP asked how it was before and I told him that.

Regarding younger generation changing the island, in the 80s and early 90s almost no foreigner was over 40, however I have never noticed so many old Farangs on Samui like in the last years and I think that will increase for sure. Many baby boomers have enough of European coldness and over regulations and will move to sunny places like Samui/Phangan for sure.

What the future will bring, no one knows, but for the past I spent most of my years on a beautiful tropical island.

[Marksamui]

I think I was first in Samui in 98. I remember the Chaweng road as a sand road and the Islander in a different location. Chaweng beach road shops more of less ended at what was the Freehouse next to Silversands which were cheep bungalows and where we stayed. Back in the day you could drink in the Freehouse until sunrise! We had a package that first trip and had 3 or 4 nights in the Boathouse in Chong Mon. A songthaew to Chaweng probably cost 50b between 5 or 6 of us.

I was in my very early 20s and so I remember a bit around Soi Green Mango. Opposite Black Jack used to be a carpark and the Frog and Gecko that is in Bohput used to be a few doors up from Blackjack. Christy Cabaret used to be on the beach road probably opposite where Burger King is now (or thereabouts). Burger King, McDonalds, ATM’s were the stuff of dreams.

[Tropicalevo]

Some good opposing views here from both young and old.

If you were here at 40 in the 'good old days' you are now likely to be nearer 70 now. Our needs/likes change as we 'mature'. So does our environment.

I got married in the Seychelles in the late 80's. It was paradise. Went back in the late 90's. Very different. Lots of development (relatively). Still paradise though. Same with Samui.

I loved Samui when I arrived in 2000 and still loving it now. The only difference is that now I avoid Chaweng. (And glad that I do not have to drive to Nathon for the ATM. Mind you, it was a more pleasant drive back then!)

Evadgib is spot on with the shopping back then. It would take all weekend just to buy the basics. One shop for the bread (eventually - and hopefully not moldy) one shop for butter etc etc. Driving around all of the shops in Bophut, Choengmon and Chaweng! Life is easier now.

[carmine]

On the other side of the spectrum are younger generation newcomers like me who has never ever known how it used to be, but would rather very much prefer that Tesco is here as well as stable electricity and broadband internet, paved road, airport, catamaran, I could go on and on...

I don't want to offend anyone, but another reason you old people who are bickering about the good old days will also not be around on this world anymore. While newer generation will continue on with progress and development of the island (and the rest of the planet for that matter).

For us, it's not "good old days" but good days every day right now and better days ahead tomorrow.

Paradise lost? For you perhaps, but don't you worry, you'll get there soon enough.

But for the farang who decided to move and settle down here yesterday, this place right now is their paradise and that includes all the modern amenities.

Sorry, did you say "stable electricity!!"

Aside of that, yes there are loads of modern amenities but sadly, like almost everything made here, its really crap quality that never lasts very long.

It would be far more appealing seeing all this "progress" if was was done professionally and in good quality rather than in the cheap shoddy third world manner in which everything seems to be done. Basically, if you are going to take way the natural environment and replace it with buildings then atleast do it properly

Edited November 14, 2014 by carmine

[notmyself]

On the other side of the spectrum are younger generation newcomers like me who has never ever known how it used to be, but would rather very much prefer that Tesco is here as well as stable electricity and broadband internet, paved road, airport, catamaran, I could go on and on...

I don't want to offend anyone, but another reason you old people who are bickering about the good old days will also not be around on this world anymore. While newer generation will continue on with progress and development of the island (and the rest of the planet for that matter).

For us, it's not "good old days" but good days every day right now and better days ahead tomorrow.

Paradise lost? For you perhaps, but don't you worry, you'll get there soon enough.

But for the farang who decided to move and settle down here yesterday, this place right now is their paradise and that includes all the modern amenities.

Sorry, did you say "stable electricity!!"

Aside of that, yes there are loads of modern amenities but sadly, like almost everything made here, its really crap quality that never lasts very long.

It would be far more appealing seeing all this "progress" if was was done professionally and in good quality rather than in the cheap shoddy third world manner in which everything seems to be done. Basically, if you are going to take way the natural environment and replace it with buildings then atleast do it properly

I thought this thread was for 15 years plus?

Edited November 14, 2014 by notmyself

[Tropicalevo]

I thought this thread was for 15 years plus?

Sorry notmyself

I was a tad early. My 15 years isn't for another 3 months.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Tropicalevo

[khunPer]

Came too late (2001) to Samui to be allowed to post memories here, but enjoy reading about the past, and agree in that even Samui has changed, living here has become more comfortable...

[notmyself]

Aye, it's not a question of better or worse but rather that things have changed and it is different.

[edit]

It should be ON Samui in the title and not IN Samui.

Edited November 14, 2014 by notmyself

[Jiu-Jitsu]

The islander was further down the street near where Burger King is. When Dennis's lease came up for renewal the price skyrocketed so he built the new place. They were both in operation at the same time for a while and the current Islander was named Bamboo. Kurt, Dennis's brother, owned the Mexican restaurant and miniature golf course behind the Islander. When the lease ran out on the old place Dennis renamed Bamboo to Islander where it currently is located.

Cat Can Co and Faulty Towers both used to be on Soi Green Mango where my bar was located. Faulty moved out when I was still there and went to Boput and I hear that Cat Can Do has relocated to Bang Rak. I lived in the three story building behind SCB on the beach road. It was originally only two story and they finished the third story when I was staying there.

Like I said I could go on and on. What's funny is that I can't remember where I put my eyeglasses 5 minutes ago.

Rings a bell.

One thing that I miss, is hitching a lift. People would stop to pick you up...wherever, whenever. It was a much friendlier place. But with the new kind of tourist, came the new kind of 'service'. I even remember trying to walk around the island via the beaches...without even a bottle of water. Clambering over rocks. Gave up on that idea, emerged from the beach and on to the dirt road, sweating and shirtless. Put my hand out, someone stopped and gave me a lift back to Chaweng. Again, when I was stuck in Nathon at night. Saw a woman getting into her pickup at the police station. Asked her for a lift and she took me back to Chaweng. There are still some lovely people on Samui....even now.

The owner of Will Wait, which at the time was where Chaweng Khaosan sits now, literally ran after my Taxi when I was leaving, to present me with some pastries. The current owners of Chaweng Khaosan. Also lovely, gentle people.

I've forgotten more than I remember. There was a bar around where the Pizza Hut stands now(I think at the head of Coconut), but I cannot remember the name of it. The woman that lived in the house close to the beach had chickens running around. They would wake you up early in the morning.

I was even offered an opportunity to buy in to the new Ark Bar.... for not a lot.

I really didn't mind the lack of facilities. It kept the island and the people down to earth. They lived their lives and we lived amongst them.

Now it just seems all about commerce. It's still an amazing place.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Jiu-Jitsu

[Birdman]

I hitched hiked during my teeny years all over Europe, I slept everywhere unthinkable during that time in an old sleeping bag, and I would be the first one to give others a lift. But in Thailand especially on Samui, where many people know you, it can be very dangerous, if a taxi driver sees you or knows about that.

.

[ocejanic]

I hitched hiked during my teeny years all over Europe, I slept everywhere unthinkable during that time in an old sleeping bag, and I would be the first one to give others a lift. But in Thailand especially on Samui, where many people know you, it can be very dangerous, if a taxi driver sees you or knows about that.

.

Please explain.

[steelerian]

I assume he means that taxi drivers will see it as you taking away their potential business, by offering lifts to hitch-hikers.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I hitched hiked during my teeny years all over Europe, I slept everywhere unthinkable during that time in an old sleeping bag, and I would be the first one to give others a lift. But in Thailand especially on Samui, where many people know you, it can be very dangerous, if a taxi driver sees you or knows about that.

.

As I wrote...it was completely different then.

It would be both locals and visitors who would pick you up without question.

For me the island really started to go downhill around '98, when a couple of young lads approached me and announced how wonderful the place was as you could get 'birds' and keep them all night for a Tenner. That was the beginning of the change from the backpacker culture to the yob and snob culture.