Local Reaction To The Influx Of Outsiders In The Bangkok Post

[Khun Jean]

Sure, people have the option not to sell. But, let me tell you about my neighbor. 20 years ago her older sister built little bungalows. They did well with the backpackers but frankly, the rooms dont last too long. Now they are falling apart sheds and since they were always cheap, they never did make much off of them. Got by, did pretty well, but certainly didn't save enough to build a new place. Their bad management, sure but you have to have compassion at some level, don't you? Now, when they need to build a new place they can't get a loan from the bank. They own the land outright, so why not? Who knows why, they certainly don't. But, the bungalows are wrecks and won't be holding people much longer. What suggestion do you have for them?

I have heared about this before. On Samui. People siting on land worth 40.000.000 baht unable to borrow 1.000.000 from the bank. Still the bank just looks at numbers that you are earning. Reposessing is not their wish, at least the respectable banks, not the local rich guy.

What your neighbour should do, and actually every Thai with land should do that is rent out the land for 10+ years. Let someone else do the work and have a hard time making and maintaining profit.

Once you sell the land, well, you have nothing only money which has to be managed. And managing money is the most difficult job there is. Even well educated men on wallstreet fail at that, just imagine how a Thai farmer would do.

Managing land on the other hand is the most simple. Don't need to maintain it, it just sits there and gets more expensive. Cash in on it by renting it out, year by year, for as long as the land is above water. It will provide an income for the family for generations to come. Selling is only for very short term gain, to buy that flashy car. But when the car is old and breaks down probably the money is also gone.

[Malice in Wonderland]

Actually, this article was based in Samui,

So what on earth have the last 5 pages about KP been for then...

[Mark Wolfe]

SBK wrote:

May I suggest you stop telling me what I think?

You cannot tease out the elements of a logical argument. Guess you have assimilated well.

The fact is that I live in Lamai (have you mentioned where on Phangan you live?). I am not telling you or anyone what to think. You are a hypocrite, sorry to say. You lament the very thing that you have been a part of yourself, but you can't see that you are just as culpable as any other "outsider."

Your argument distills down to this syllogism: Locals resent the influx of outsiders/I agree with the locals/I resent the influx of outsiders. Yet, YOU ARE AN OUTSIDER!

Who isn't a bigot? you ask. Yikes! I'll let you shoot yourself in the foot all you want.

There are some home truths going on here: Development will continue; nothing anyone does will arrest this; and the best one can do is make a difference -- no matter how small -- where he can.

Also, if you have the money, buy what property you can; it will ultimately be a good investment.

[sbk]

Blah blah blah. I notice you didn't answer my previous questions, so I am assuming that 1) you probably don't live here permanently and 2) you do nothing positive in anyway to help the island or anyone living on it.

[Rooo]

Mark,Live in Lamai? What a broadening experience you have.

[fourbaht]

Having spent the last 2 hours reading all of these posts I have to say yes it is a shame, but its human nature.

however if you look at the big picture, its called progress, I am not saying its necessarily good or bad for that matter, however it is here, it has been here since the species known as man first inhabited this planet and it sure wont go away until we decide to leave.

This is not a Thailand phenomenon or ever a new situation, Good? Bad? who knows the fact is it is human nature, mass communication and mass transport have made the spread of greed much faster in the last decade and its only going to get faster.

Through out mans history there are always people who are left by the wayside.. Casualties of progress, how do you stop it and if you do will someone else suffer because you did, everything has a knock on effect. (developer can’t buy land, doesn’t invest in a local hospital children die as a result, hypothetical yes but it shows that you have to think very carefully before starting or stopping forward movement)

SBK your principals are honorable however will have very little impact on the future of Samui, that said don't stop what you are doing, if it makes even one persons life better then it is worthwhile.

You can't halt time, I wish you could as I would still have hair, but you know people are very resilient as is the environment, we will never kill this planet, we may however just make it uninhabitable for us to live on, maybe that’s a good thing. Defeatist attitude? I prefer realist thanks.

[sbk]

fourbaht, well, I guess we think alike then. I, too, feel that we can't destroy the planet itself, it will always bounce back. But I suspect that we will make it darn near impossible for us to live on sometime in the future.

I never thought of it as being defeatist, just pessimistic. Human nature never fails to disappoint

[Mark Wolfe]

Mark,Live in Lamai? What a broadening experience you have.

A "broadening experience"?

I am not sure what this is supposed to mean. Rooo, you live in (insert name of place)? What a broadening experience you have. Huh?

SBK wrote:

1) You probably don't live here permanently and 2) you do nothing positive in anyway to help the island or anyone living on it.

1) I do.

2) I contribute to the economy here by living in a nice place and by not taking any jobs from locals (I have independent means). I have adopted two stray dogs. I pick up trash along my section of beach and encourage others to do likewise. I am helping a local develop material for teaching Thai to non-Thai speakers (for free). I have designed and had made ad material, including shop displays, for a new tattoo parlor run by a Thai man (for free). I have made a parking area for the motorcycles in my area from bricks and cement (for free). I could think of others, but you don't care anyway.

I answered your questions. So where are you, SBK?

One thing people have to understand is that there is always going to be pieces of the puzzle that you never see or are presented with at a later date. The problems with development here on Samui are intertwined with other issues that are not always clear. I am not qualified to make in-depth assessments, but obviously things are not the way they are because the Thais want chaos and ramshackle infrastructure.

And SBK, I have to say that your ad hominem arguments are lamentable. It seems that you have been here too long. You have lost the ability to make rational comments based on facts and inference (if you had this in the first place). By the way, what a tourist (who doesn't live here permanently) says about the nature of things on the island is just as valid as a long-termer such as yourself. This fresh perspective is very important in the process of understanding. We can't have you trotting around on your high horse when the rest of the world is driving cars.

[sbk]

Funny, I seem to recall you saying that you were thinking of living here previously, made the move permanent did you?

And if you haven't figured out where I am by now, then clearly your powers of observation are lacking

As for my arguments, well, stop bringing up your points as if they were my own, ad nauseum. I really dislike people who put words in my mouth based on their own perceptions.

Well,enough of that, Mr Wolfe, shall we move on?

[Mark Wolfe]

And if you haven't figured out where I am by now, then clearly your powers of observation are lacking

Sorry, I don't spend the time it takes to waste being a moderator. Tried that, got the picture (better to spend the time in the real world) and left cyber-life to others. So, no, I don't know where you are. I could speculate here; would you rather me do that or are you just going to answer?

[sbk]

Look under my name to the left of the post. Didn't realize it was so hard to find.

and Mark, the personal attacks on me or anyone else who does not agree with you will not continue in this thread or any other, is that clear?

If you don't have anything to offer other than that then please refrain from posting.

[taxexile]

Sorry, I don't spend the time it takes to waste being a moderator. Tried that, got the picture (better to spend the time in the real world) and left cyber-life to others. So, no, I don't know where you are

thats the first time ive seen a full blown david brent-ism (the boss from "the office") used on thai visa.

got any more ?

[sbk]

NO, he does NOT have anymore.

Don't encourage him tax.