Samui Tourism Operators Theaten To Block Samui Airport

[kangeroo]

except if the governments give subvention to air companies, the raise are unavoidable on the long run, due to gaz price rise...

The price for France <-> Thailand increased by almost 40% in 2 years...

yes but it is stiill a lot cheaper than most countrys .

[Rooo]

2006-08-15 20:16:18 Post #35

This was posted earlier on another discussion Re Thai & Bangkok Air.

News ReleasesPlease click on a news item below to see the full text.News Releases Year >> 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Bangkok Airways signs codeshare agreement with THAI Airways InternationalPosted: May 8, 2006 1:00 PM

Bangkok Airways signs codeshare agreement with THAI Airways International

On April 26th, 2006, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited and Bangkok Airways Company Limited jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in flight operations and commerce in order to develop and strengthen flight networks belonging to both THAI and Bangkok Airways. The cooperation will help facilitate air traffic particularly on flights to Samui and other destinations in China.

Mr.Somchainuk Engtrakul, THAI’s Acting CEO, explained that the MoU signing between THAI and Bangkok Airways explicitly takes the level of cooperation development between the two carriers into the next level. From THAI’s point of view, this memorandum will pave the way toward a stronger network development on both domestic and international routes for both parties. Particularly the domestic route to Samui, for instance, which THAI does not have any operation, is now ready to work together with Bangkok Airways. For other destinations in China namely, Jinghong (Xixuangbanna), Xi’An, Guilin, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen; that are reached regularly by Bangkok Airways; THAI, therefore, seeks collaboration with Bangkok Airways to expand its Chinese network into a greater extent which is anticipated to be well-received by passengers.

Dr.Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, Bangkok Airways’ President & CEO, said that Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways International would continue to consistently collaborate toward future collaboration. Nowadays, the airline business around the world faces tremendously high competition, so the formation of an alliance among the country’s two legacy carriers would gradually provide greater performance of Thailand’s airline industry. This will also prove that Thailand is set to become the aviation hub of the region. The shared route networks of the two airlines will be introduced worldwide; thus traveling to and around Thailand will be easier and would also result in boosting tourism—of which is the country’s major income.

Samui is among the top list of famous beach destinations in southern Thailand. According to statistics from the Department of Civil Aviation, tourist arrivals to Samui have progressively grown over the past years.

Also statistics from Tourism Authority of Thailand has shown that the Chinese market was potentially growing at a consistent rate. In 2005, tourist arrivals from China were recorded at 711,000 – a 12% hike in comparison to the previous year.

Apart from the cooperation in connecting route networks, THAI and Bangkok Airways have agreed in collaboration of commercial terms by coordinating in sales approaches to both ticket and package sales.

In late 2004, Bangkok Airways and THAI had, for the first time, a code-share agreement for which Bangkok Airways operated on THAI’s routes: Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai-Luang Prabang. This was due to THAI’s aircraft routine check-up requirement. On the other hand, THAI operated for its counterpart the routes: Bangkok-Krabi and Bangkok-Phuket. This was then the beginning of the collaboration between THAI and Bangkok Airways.

That was a press release I hope It's OK to reproduce whole.

[Rooo]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=12773

[Master of the court]

You only need to own a company to get a residents card. Bangkok Airways don't give a toss whether you own property or pay taxes. Not that I am defending them - they have been taking the piss for years.

[/quot

So where can I get this resident card an what do I have to bring???

I do have a "company" but I dont live on Samui.......is that good enough ?

[Samui Coconut]

You only need to own a company to get a residents card. Bangkok Airways don't give a toss whether you own property or pay taxes. Not that I am defending them - they have been taking the piss for years.

[/quot

So where can I get this resident card an what do I have to bring???

I do have a "company" but I dont live on Samui.......is that good enough ?

If you do not live on Samui, forget it. That's why it is called Samui RESIDENT Card.

Otherwise bring Baht 300,-, a nice pic of you, a letter that you are employed here/or own a company. Takes approx. 4 weeks to process. Can only apply in October or March.

[punisher]

Dear mister Backpacker; Prices are far too low! Airlines sshould be charged taxes on their fuel like government charge taxes on any other form of transport. Maybe you have not looked at Thai Airways prices, they make look Bangkok Air fares dirt cheap. It is high time that you use your backpack and use your militray boots to walk a bit further, take the train or take a boat. as long as you can take the airplane the prices are TOO low

Wrecker are you on some kond of medication? I'd be curious to know how Bangkok Airways prices look cheap compared to anybody when the have a monopoly on flights to Samui.

The only reasonable alternative is to fly to Suratthani which, with Thai Airways, is 5,280 Baht return. i.e half the Bangkok Airways price to Samui.

You have really no idea what you talking about,AirAsia is flying for around 3200Baht inc.tax to SuratThani,last months I was flying to HongKong with Emirates for 8500Baht,in September I was flying to KualaLumpur with Malaysian Airways for 7500Baht,the fuel is not taxed so people who are not that stuffed can fly,if u need any information about airline industry or travel industry ask me please,would be a pleasure for me to help u

[punisher]

When choosing a break away from BKK i have often opted for Pukhet over Koh Samui purely because the air fares are much better value.

Im sure many others have done the same.

Exactly!!!

[sbk]

If you do not live on Samui, forget it. That's why it is called Samui RESIDENT Card.

Otherwise bring Baht 300,-, a nice pic of you, a letter that you are employed here/or own a company. Takes approx. 4 weeks to process. Can only apply in October or March.

Is this available to residents of all the islands or just Samui?

[LaoPo]

If you do not live on Samui, forget it. That's why it is called Samui RESIDENT Card.

Otherwise bring Baht 300,-, a nice pic of you, a letter that you are employed here/or own a company. Takes approx. 4 weeks to process. Can only apply in October or March.

Typical TIT...the rest of the year they are probably too busy...

LaoPo

Edited November 5, 2006 by LaoPo

[misbah]

While it is true that current fare increases by Bangkok airways are going to be expensive, please bear in mind the fantastic service we recieve from bangkok airways, which is by far the best I have recieved so far, and believe me I have traveled with lot of airlines both in europe, us and asia. I asked for a glass of water on a continental airlines flight from birmingham to Newark (NJ) I was told by cabin crew to be quite!

Last month flying from UK to Bangkok by Thai Airways I travelled hungry all the way as they had no record of my vegetarian meal order.

regards to all

[womble]

While it is true that current fare increases by Bangkok airways are going to be expensive, please bear in mind the fantastic service we recieve from bangkok airways, which is by far the best I have recieved so far, and believe me I have traveled with lot of airlines both in europe, us and asia. I asked for a glass of water on a continental airlines flight from birmingham to Newark (NJ) I was told by cabin crew to be quite!

Last month flying from UK to Bangkok by Thai Airways I travelled hungry all the way as they had no record of my vegetarian meal order.

regards to all

I agree the service is good. But it isn't as good as traveling business class and the rate from bkk-samui is the same as I often pay for business from hk-bkk or sing-bkk and other destinations of similar distance in asia.

So it's still grossly overpriced all be it with good service.

Edited November 5, 2006 by womble

[LaoPo]

While it is true that current fare increases by Bangkok airways are going to be expensive, please bear in mind the fantastic service we recieve from bangkok airways, which is by far the best I have recieved so far, and believe me I have traveled with lot of airlines both in europe, us and asia. I asked for a glass of water on a continental airlines flight from birmingham to Newark (NJ) I was told by cabin crew to be quite!

Last month flying from UK to Bangkok by Thai Airways I travelled hungry all the way as they had no record of my vegetarian meal order.

regards to all

hmmmmm....I don't agree with you.

In september we took BKK Airways on a 4 hour flight to Hangzhou/China.

After 5 hours we landed in Bangkok again reason? not explained.

We had to wait for hours and hours and got a free softdrink and the most sh_tty meal you can imagine.

After 6 hours we were transferred onto a Thai flight to Shanghai not exactly the destination we booked for.

The organization of the transfer was absolutely terrible, unexperienced and a nightmare.

Instead of sleeping in our hotel on Saturday-evening we arrived Sunday-afternoon.

Thank you BKK Airways.....? NO !

LaoPo

[johnwills]

While it is true that current fare increases by Bangkok airways are going to be expensive, please bear in mind the fantastic service we recieve from bangkok airways, which is by far the best I have recieved so far, and believe me I have traveled with lot of airlines both in europe, us and asia. I asked for a glass of water on a continental airlines flight from birmingham to Newark (NJ) I was told by cabin crew to be quite!

Last month flying from UK to Bangkok by Thai Airways I travelled hungry all the way as they had no record of my vegetarian meal order.

regards to all

Thai Airways have also made me go hungry twice on this route as they couldn't find my vegi meal order.

[DennisJ]

Perhaps farangs should blockade Thailand everytime the government increases the prices already too high under official dual pricing?

EG National Parks, Chiangmai Night Safari, Museums etc

-----

What they fail to see on Samui is that, everytime tourism increases there, they take the credit saying they thought of something brilliant, but everytime there's a dip, they blame outside forces.

This is not a problem localised to Samui, but endemic to anywhere in Thailand (vis Tourism Minister blaming Japan/Korea world Cup for a drop in arrivals during FEBRUARY 2002 ?????

What they all fail to see is that their own actions (i.e. the Thai people as a nation) cause more damage than individual events such as this. If they quict penalising and robbing tourists, then they'd get more returnees and first timers - too many true but bad stories circulating outside LOS, all of them circulating because of the actions of Thai persons, rather than linked to companies or other organisations.

[DennisJ]

Perhaps farangs should blockade Thailand everytime the government increases the prices already too high under official dual pricing?

EG National Parks, Chiangmai Night Safari, Museums etc

-----

What they fail to see on Samui is that, everytime tourism increases there, they take the credit saying they thought of something brilliant, but everytime there's a dip, they blame outside forces.

This is not a problem localised to Samui, but endemic to anywhere in Thailand (vis Tourism Minister blaming Japan/Korea world Cup for a drop in arrivals during FEBRUARY 2002 ?????

What they all fail to see is that their own actions (i.e. the Thai people as a nation) cause more damage than individual events such as this. If they quict penalising and robbing tourists, then they'd get more returnees and first timers - too many true but bad stories circulating outside LOS, all of them circulating because of the actions of Thai persons, rather than linked to companies or other organisations.

You are so right in what you said! Shortly after my arrival in Thailand for the first time in 1984, I took a lady friend and her two children for an outing to the Crocodile Farm in Samutprakharn. In those days I did not, of course, read or write Thai. I was told that the admittance for the 4 of us was 100 baht, which I paid. The sign over the cashier's window read (in English),

"ADMITTANCE 80 BAHT".

Written under that were two lines in Thai. Only after a few years did I then realize that those lines read,

"Adults 10 baht, students 5 baht".

The numbers were, of course, also carefully written in their Thai form, so that the unsuspecting farang wouldn't have a clue what was being said there.

It is exactly this two level pricing which alienates visitors to this country, but the Thais seem to be incapable of seeing this.

[sriracha john]

BANGKOK AIRWAYS

Airline says fare hike to Samui was unavoidable

Bangkok Airways has defended the airline's recent fare hike to Samui which local tour operators and tourism organisations have slammed as counter-productive to the resort island's tourism growth. In a Nov 3 press release picked up in Samui, the airline explained that the Oct 29 hike, its first in four years *disputed by several posters*, was unavoidable. The company has incurred higher labour and fuel costs every year for the last five years. The relocation this year of its operations from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi airport also added to expenses, it said. The fare increase, however, was fiercely opposed by Samui tourism-related associations and businesses. They insisted the new ticket price is a turn-off for tourists, which saw Samui lose out to rival destinations such as Phuket and Krabi during the current lucrative high-season tourism period. The associations aired their complaint about the hike in a letter they earlier sent to Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen. The groups demanded that the fare hike be delayed, claiming that it would erode Samui's competitive edge. It was reported the tourism associations and businesses may rally at the Bangkok Airways-owned Samui airport if the government refuses to step in to solve the problem. The airline hiked its Samui fare by 20% on Oct 29.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/06Nov2006_news03.php

[SiriusBlack1]

The new fares will only add to a laundry list of existing problems. The airport is corrupt -- my 'free' airport pickup arrived with a driver trying to negotiate a bribe to take us to our hotel -- and the taxis lined up and down the road waiting to gouge customers 200 baht for a four-block ride need to be swept out and replaced with metered taxis. Oh and souvenir sellers who don't viscerally hate foreigners would be a nice touch too.

Koh Samui desperately needs to get its act together.

[Samui Coconut]

They insisted the new ticket price is a turn-off for tourists, which saw Samui lose out to rival destinations such as Phuket and Krabi during the current lucrative high-season tourism period.

Samui is in low season now and until x-mas due to the onset of the rainy season.

Phuket and Krabi get more business every year during this time.

[loveandlaughter]

Funny thing is if you read the UK papers, making very cheap cheap flights is considered enviromentally terrible.....

By the by Hagler.....what the Bhutanese are doing is trying to protect their culture and enviroment by limiting mass tourism. Sir Edmund Hillary and the WWF have said recently that Everest needs a rest as the pollution there is becoming terrible and that's despite over a decade of civil war in Nepal.

The trains in Thailand are very good and you will get there. If you are so pushed for time, maybe even the long haul flight is too much, why not go nearer to home to the seaside?

Samui changed for good with the airport in the first place......

[Roberto Naranja]

Flights to Samui are already ridiculously over priced, due to Bangkok Air owning the airport and having a monopoly on this route.

The Thai government was ousted due to this type of "behaviour" but apparantly it's OK when foreigners are making these people richer.

Stop the monopoly and make this a fair trade!

An absolute abuse of that Monopoly too...

[Lite Beer]

They probably rely on holiday makers who are

A: Unaware of the alternatives and B: Just want to get here and start their holiday.

I cant see many residents allowing themselves to be ripped off like that. Unless they are on business and in a hurry.

[LaoPo]

They probably rely on holiday makers who are

A: Unaware of the alternatives and B: Just want to get here and start their holiday.

I cant see many residents allowing themselves to be ripped off like that. Unless they are on business and in a hurry.

You're right here.

The vast majority of Samui holiday-goers are not aware of these rip-off prices and book+pay their 'all-in' trips at a local agent anyway.

BKK Airways knows that....but time will tell if the number of tourists will decline or not because of these high prices.

LaoPo

[womble]

They probably rely on holiday makers who are

A: Unaware of the alternatives and B: Just want to get here and start their holiday.

I cant see many residents allowing themselves to be ripped off like that. Unless they are on business and in a hurry.

You ###### right! I'm seriously considering moving to Bangkok, Phuket or somewhere else because of this. Samui is becoming more and more expensive to live in and I need to get off the island at least once a month to stop myself going mad.

Speaking to a few other expats last couple of days and it cetainly seems i'm not the only one having these thoughts.

My prediction.....

This will result in a small but significant exodus of expats, and I don't mean 1 month border runners, I mean decent $'rd up folks who think this is the final straw.

The island is not what it used to be, it is becoming more and more expensive, all the while the infrastructure becomes worse and worse.

Sometimes I ask myself why am I living here?

Nope...... For me this may well be the nail in the coffin as far as living in Samui is concerned.

[womble]

Thai AirAsia offers new lower airfares

Thai AirAsia has introduced its "KnockOut Sale 2007", offering extremely low airfares starting at Bt55 for domestic routes and Bt255 for international routes.

Interested persons may reserve seats online at www.airasia.com. The booking date for tickets is today to November 18 for travel from next January 8 to March 31.

The Nation

Must be the increased fuel costs and the costs of moving to the new airport that have led to the change in prices.

[Lite Beer]

Thai AirAsia offers new lower airfares

Must be the increased fuel costs and the costs of moving to the new airport that have led to the change in prices.

Low fares, more customers. Bad business sense.

[highdiver]

I have been reading this post for the past 2 days with great amazement.

the nerve of some people....

The Samui tourism operators??? who the f... are they. I never heard of them before.

Where were they when all the hotels have nearly doubled the rates in 2 years time??

over the past 3 years the baht got stronger and hotel prices seem to get higer making a holiday more expansive to incoming tourists. where are those concerned people and why do they not rally infront of hotels???

What have they done to stop the taxi meter rip off??? what have they done to enforce the over development of the real estate projects?

The price of the ferry to samui has changes nearly 5 tim,es over the past 4 years. have those same people made any protest??? the price of the train to Surathani has allso been upgraded but i did not see them protesting.

it seems some one is trying to make a political gain riding on bangkok airways.

Bangkok airways is a profiatble company unlike most airlines in the world. it is a business aimed at making money and not a charitble foundation. most airlines can take a few lessons from bangkok airways on how to manage an airline company.

The prices of jet gasoline have nearly doubled in 4 years but we ejoyed the same prices.

Samui Airport is a private airport built by bangkok airways to make a profit. and it seems they are doing a good job as every tourist coming to samui by air is greeted by what is considered by many a most beautifull airport.

I too will suffer from the price change but i respect that.

for those of you who dont like bangkok airways.... take the ferry and train its much more comfortable...

It seems that some people in Samui are just to envious.

[limbos]

Highdiver,

You make some very good points here, especially with respect to the Samui tour operators and their protest against the taxi meters and hotel prices raising, very well spotted.

One thing though, when the ferry prices were raised, there were big protests at the pier and as far as my memory serves me, the pier was blocked for a day or two. I even remember coming off a ferry and the whole area in Donsak was about to be blocked by protesters.

However, still very valid points you make here and I do agree.

[womble]

Thai AirAsia offers new lower airfares

Must be the increased fuel costs and the costs of moving to the new airport that have led to the change in prices.

Low fares, more customers. Bad business sense.

Yeah terrible business sense, that's why RyanAir's profit has just increased by 24%!!!

Kerching..........

[Roberto Naranja]

There is sign been put up this morning near the Chaweng / Lamai scenic lookout which reads Bangkok Airways = Selfish !!

[Lite Beer]

AIR ASIA KNOCKOUT SALE

Now taking bookings for next year.

Surattani - Bangkok. 800 Baht incl. taxes.

A shame they can`t fly from here.