'At a meeting on the progress of ferry ship transportation in the gulf of Thailand that Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co.,Ltd and other logistics and transport entrepreneurs have shown an interest in, the opening an eastern ferry route from Sattahip or Sriracha to Koh Samui Port or Donsak Port in Surat Thani was discussed. The Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co.,Ltd company is able to bring six big ferry ships in six months and is ready to open a ship transport route connecting the east with Samui by early 2016.'

'The ferry ships by the Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co.,Ltd can carry 400 passengers and 100 cars. The route from the east coast to Samui is 240 nautical miles which takes only 5 hour by boat, making it faster than travelling by car which takes 10 hours.'

​more at …. http://www.samuitimes.com/new-ferry-links-for-koh-samui/

5 Hours ! …. That is quicker than I would have expected ..

5 Hours ! …. That is quicker than I would have expected ..

A vessel that can carry 400 pax and 100 vehicles at cruising speed of 40 knots is yet to exist. More info with pics or this is just a scam and will never happen !

5 Hours ! . That is quicker than I would have expected ..

A vessel that can carry 400 pax and 100 vehicles at cruising speed of 40 knots is yet to exist. More info with pics or this is just a scam and will never happen !

Such vessel does exist, but highly unlikely to be seen in Thai waters anytime soon. Still, if the crossing would take 10+ hours it would still be a good alternative to traveling by road.

5 Hours ! . That is quicker than I would have expected ..

A vessel that can carry 400 pax and 100 vehicles at cruising speed of 40 knots is yet to exist. More info with pics or this is just a scam and will never happen !

Such vessel does exist, but highly unlikely to be seen in Thai waters anytime soon. Still, if the crossing would take 10+ hours it would still be a good alternative to traveling by road.

If they are thinking of the Australian Incat wave piercer, Samui hardly justifies the huge investment to make it economical.

New ferry links for Koh Samui



KOH SAMUI: -- On July 3, Mr. Chula Sukmanop, the director general of the Marine Department revealed possible plans for a new ferry link to Koh Samui.

At a meeting on the progress of ferry ship transportation in the gulf of Thailand that Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co.,Ltd and other logistics and transport entrepreneurs have shown an interest in, the opening an eastern ferry route from Sattahip or Sriracha to Koh Samui Port or Donsak Port in Surat Thani was discussed. The Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co.,Ltd company is able to bring six big ferry ships in six months and is ready to open a ship transport route connecting the east with Samui by early 2016.

First, the Marine Department will have to check the two harbors in the east to ensure they can support big boats these are Khuk Samet Pier and Sriracha Harbor. A Survey will be done to see if there are any facilities that can be used or if there is anything that needs to be improved. For example, Khuk Samet Pier might need more passenger terminals.

The ferry ships by the Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co.,Ltd can carry 400 passengers and 100 cars. The route from the east coast to Samui is 240 nautical miles which takes only 5 hour by boat, making it faster than travelling by car which takes 10 hours.


-- Samui Times 2015-07-06

I would have thought a fast ferry link to Bangkok more profitable, a fast seacat that can take containers (without tractors), bikes, cars,vans & trucks, with 2 40Kt/75Kph High Speed cats that could be 3 sailings a day each way, (450Km Samui to BKK). if good were palletised they could be unloaded at the Samui port and shipped in smaller vans or lorries to final destination.

"The route from the east coast to Samui is 240 nautical miles which takes only 5 hour by boat, making it faster than travelling by car which takes 10 hours."

240 / 5 = 48 knots, about the only thing that can do that speed is an Incat (the passenger/car counts matches up with some of the mid-sized Incats). The cost of running one of those things isn't cheap however.

As someone that lives on Koh Phangan either a extra stop on the way to/from Samui or the ferry running from Donsak would appreciated, it would save an extra few hours each way if I wanted to take the car up north.

Agreed, 48 Knots is nearly 90km/h - I don't think I would like to be on a boat going that fast without serious safety equipment for the passengers.

can carry 400 passengers and 100 cars. That is what they say, but they will try for more just as always. Greedy greedy greedy.

There are trimaran and catamaran car ferries which can go at such speeds at 40 knots.

But even at this speed, it'll not take 5 hours, but closer to 10.

http://www.austal.com/en/products-and-services/commercial-products/ferries-vehicle-passenger.aspx

I'd like them to run between Donsak - Samui pretty please! I'm sick and tired of the slow ass Seatran & Raja car ferries.

Edited July 6, 201511 yr by Mole

Just out of interest, how do you find out who owns a company ? For example, Siam Eastern Logistics Terminal Co.Ltd

"....from Sattahip or Sriracha...."

How far from BKK and Pattaya are these 2 places?

"....from Sattahip or Sriracha...."

How far from BKK and Pattaya are these 2 places?

see ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sattahip_District

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si_Racha

There are trimaran and catamaran car ferries which can go at such speeds at 40 knots.

But even at this speed, it'll not take 5 hours, but closer to 10.

http://www.austal.com/en/products-and-services/commercial-products/ferries-vehicle-passenger.aspx

I'd like them to run between Donsak - Samui pretty please! I'm sick and tired of the slow ass Seatran & Raja car ferries.

slow down Mole, it's Thailand !

htere have been loads of attempts similar to this....they all ended in ignominious circumstances....

what is needed is a good revamping of the Don Sak ferries they are just tiny old rust buckets......

I would like a bridge between Samui and DonSak. Just like the bridge that connects Penang to the mainland.

Open 24/7. I would really love it.

So far this has only been talk which is cheap. The viability is also questionable.

As for the journey time to Samui of only 5 hours, this could only be achieved using a JetFoil like the ones they use between Satun to Langkawi. These big lumbering car ferries would take much longer. Don Sak to Samui normally takes 2 hours and that's just around the corner.

Good for a laugh though!

I don't think at Don Sak it is a question of increasing the speed very much, but the size of th ferries could be much larger and with a bigger more modern ferry they can start selling stuff to the passengers to bring in some extra cash....and get rid of those ridiculous hi-season queues.......... and cancellations due to rough weather....might even bring down the price of some of the foodstuffs etc in the shops.....

5 Hours ! . That is quicker than I would have expected ..

A vessel that can carry 400 pax and 100 vehicles at cruising speed of 40 knots is yet to exist. More info with pics or this is just a scam and will never happen !

Such vessel does exist, but highly unlikely to be seen in Thai waters anytime soon. Still, if the crossing would take 10+ hours it would still be a good alternative to traveling by road.

Forgive my ignorance, but why is it relevant to compare this ferry crossing to traveling by road?

That's the second reference to a trip by car on the thread, what has traveling by car got to do with how you get across the gulf to Samui?

Its like saying 10 hours across Annapurna South by foot is slower than travelling the same journey by car, but unless the car has wings the comparison is irrelevant!

Is it some rule of thumb for land speed vs nautical speed?

Perhaps they're buying some of these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Nu94khHoo

Hi Tech stories all standard stuff here................ What about just placing rubbish bins in the city to start with. I never seen a city with no bins

5 Hours ! . That is quicker than I would have expected ..

A vessel that can carry 400 pax and 100 vehicles at cruising speed of 40 knots is yet to exist. More info with pics or this is just a scam and will never happen !

Such vessel does exist, but highly unlikely to be seen in Thai waters anytime soon. Still, if the crossing would take 10+ hours it would still be a good alternative to traveling by road.

Forgive my ignorance, but why is it relevant to compare this ferry crossing to traveling by road?

That's the second reference to a trip by car on the thread, what has traveling by car got to do with how you get across the gulf to Samui?

Its like saying 10 hours across Annapurna South by foot is slower than travelling the same journey by car, but unless the car has wings the comparison is irrelevant!

Is it some rule of thumb for land speed vs nautical speed?

The relevance for me is that I drive to Samui......there would be several reasons for taking a ferry; firstly if it is a quicker way to get the car there then I'd be interested, then if it is more comfortable, I'd like it or if the cost is reasonable when put against the price of fuel........and there is the safety aspect too........would there be facilities on the boat cafe restaurant etc....all of this for me would be a direct comparison as whether or not I should take the ferry or drive down........

In the end it's never actually got off the ground before and I doubt if anyone has ever done a serious cost analysis or marketing research on the this project so just like all the others it'll runout of money or catch fire....

If they want to make a real difference, sort out the existing ferry service - it's a disgrace - and a cursory glance suggests it's a bit dangerous too...

PS - I seem to remember to giant cross-channel ferries in the UK got the crossing times down to about 1.5 to 2 hours...that's a distance of 35 km....so i guess a similar boat on a longer trip could expect a journey time of......10 hours....they had a lot of entertainment on those boats just for the short trips....I guess en route to Samui, you could have rooms, shops restaurants AND...a CASINO???????

Edited July 6, 201511 yr by cumgranosalum

There you can see how social media can f up your mind... I read "new ferry sinks off Koh Samui" and wondered why this was not marked as "latest" or "must read"...

5 Hours ! . That is quicker than I would have expected ..

A vessel that can carry 400 pax and 100 vehicles at cruising speed of 40 knots is yet to exist. More info with pics or this is just a scam and will never happen !

Such vessel does exist, but highly unlikely to be seen in Thai waters anytime soon. Still, if the crossing would take 10+ hours it would still be a good alternative to traveling by road.

Forgive my ignorance, but why is it relevant to compare this ferry crossing to traveling by road?

That's the second reference to a trip by car on the thread, what has traveling by car got to do with how you get across the gulf to Samui?

Its like saying 10 hours across Annapurna South by foot is slower than travelling the same journey by car, but unless the car has wings the comparison is irrelevant!

Is it some rule of thumb for land speed vs nautical speed?

The relevance for me is that I drive to Samui......there would be several reasons for taking a ferry;

Sorry.....I'm still none the wiser as to why taking a ferry to samui is being compared to traveling by road.

How do you drive to Samui?

How do you drive to Samui? On the longest street in Thailand from there on another street to a place called Don Sak and from there by car ferry to Samui or KPG.

I drove many times from/to BKK and sometimes from Samui to Trat for 12-14 hrs, so a car ferry to Sattahip would be an advantage.

Sattahip or Sri Ratcha to Koh Samui makes little to no sense!! Bangkok or Pattaya are big enough but these quaint villages are too small to make this a viable proposition.

Maybe for you. But Sattahip makes sense. It's the nearest point on the Eastern coast from/to Samui and Bangkok/Pattaya/Koh Chang archipelago etc are not so far away and so is Southern Isaan. Also if you travel by car to Central Thailand or Eastern Isaan, it's an advantage. Most people on Samui are from Isaan.

I have driven Samui/BKK/ BKK/Samui many times daytime/nighttime by car and motorbike. It's a very, very long strenuous, dangerous stretch to better be avoided.

Sattahip or Sri Ratcha to Koh Samui makes little to no sense!! Bangkok or Pattaya are big enough but these quaint villages are too small to make this a viable proposition.

I live in Korat in Isaan and if I could drive five hours to Sattahip and then relax for another five hours then I would definitely travel to Samui more often but not a sixteen hour drive and then an old ferry trip on top....no way. Sooner the better I say.!!

HL

What a load of BS ! Will never happen and a waste of space on TV.