Location, location, location.. Phuket or Samui for work?

[BV70]

Say you've been offered 2 identical salaried non-teaching jobs, both catering mainly for tourists but also an expat crowd, however one is in Phuket and the other in Samui.  Which do you take and why?

 

I'm interested in observations on expat lifestyle, cost and standard of living, things to see/do, transport, accessibility, crime/scams, weather, clean/green environment, least hassle, least likely to get bored and other general quality of life issues for an unmarried laid back young, (late 30s), Farang/Thai couple with no kids (yet).  I think that covers everything.

 

Thanks in advance..

[williamgeorgeallen]

samui is a great place to live as long as you arent just scraping by on a government teachers salary.

[RBOP]

Phuket because there is more to offer in terms of after work life, e.g.. more and better hospitals, shopping, transportation, eating etc. Samui is an island only accessible by air or sea.

[swissbie]

Both places are ok, accessibility to Samui is no problem as you can easily bring your own car by ferry. So just find out what serves your interests best.

[Stevemercer]

Just ask yourself 'What would Vyvyan do'?

[samuijimmy]

3 hours ago, RBOP said:

Phuket because there is more to offer in terms of after work life, e.g.. more and better hospitals, shopping, transportation, eating etc. Samui is an island only accessible by air or sea.

 

Nonsense !!!  other than the part getting here!  Hospitals are fine here including the government hospital... Food varies depending on location, accomodation same. 

 

Anyone I know who has worked in Phuket and Samui all say Samui is better ..... both Thai and farangs!~

[Pinot]

The weather is better on Samui. A lot less rain this time of year. 

 

I live in Phuket. I like having the open ocean. There is also a lot more going on in Phuket, although I could live in Samui. Both are exotic fun places to live. 

[khunPer]

My best advice is to take a week or two each place and check for yourself. Both Phuket and Samui has benefits and obstacles, like high airfare or ferry ride, instead of budget tickets and a bridge.

 

With Shopping Malls and Supermarkets like BigC, Makro and Tesco-Lotus the prices for daily needs are about the same; and both islands got a variety of hospitals – and kindergarten and schools, when that day comes – and 24/7 convenient stores; and places to rent or buy in almost all kind of price levels. So not that much different.

 

After-work-life may be little different, depending on which island you chose, but both offers a good selection – including beautiful beaches and nature, if you so wish – so therefore it's really af question of our individual life-style. That's why you shall come and check it out...

 

And for your info, I live permanently at Samui, and the reason for that is that I checked Phuket (and other areas) carefully – several times, and been almost all over the island, even places tourist don't seek – however, what I may like, you may not...

Wish you good luck.

[Captor]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

My best advice is to take a week or two each place and check for yourself. Both Phuket and Samui has benefits and obstacles, like high airfare or ferry ride, instead of budget tickets and a bridge.

 

With Shopping Malls and Supermarkets like BigC, Makro and Tesco-Lotus the prices for daily needs are about the same; and both islands got a variety of hospitals – and kindergarten and schools, when that day comes – and 24/7 convenient stores; and places to rent or buy in almost all kind of price levels. So not that much different.

 

After-work-life may be little different, depending on which island you chose, but both offers a good selection – including beautiful beaches and nature, if you so wish – so therefore it's really af question of our individual life-style. That's why you shall come and check it out...

 

And for your info, I live permanently at Samui, and the reason for that is that I checked Phuket (and other areas) carefully – several times, and been almost all over the island, even places tourist don't seek – however, what I may like, you may not...

Wish you good luck.

Hi

I have been wondering the same, khunPer. At least regarding hospitals in different place in Thailand. Concidering that we are not getting younger! I like Samui very much but had my doubts about  the hospitals there. You don´t want to have a hearth failure and have to wait for the ferry to come or plane to take you to Bangkok.

For now I still live in Sweden but I plan to settle down in Thailand when i retire. You are sure about the hospitals? Are they quite the same as Bangkok or Hua Hin? Or close to that anyway?

Thanks in advance.

[khunPer]

44 minutes ago, Captor said:

Hi

I have been wondering the same, khunPer. At least regarding hospitals in different place in Thailand. Concidering that we are not getting younger! I like Samui very much but had my doubts about  the hospitals there. You don´t want to have a hearth failure and have to wait for the ferry to come or plane to take you to Bangkok.

For now I still live in Sweden but I plan to settle down in Thailand when i retire. You are sure about the hospitals? Are they quite the same as Bangkok or Hua Hin? Or close to that anyway?

Thanks in advance.

To my knowledge the hospitals are All Right – I've personally been to most of them, but luckily mainly as visitor – the island has 4 private hospitals, plus a number of clinics, and a fine public hospital (with tennis court in the "take an exercise park").

 

Samui Hospital in Nathon (Government)

Samui Bangkok Hospital in Chaweng Noi (Private)

Thai International Hospital in Bo Phut, opposite Tesco-Lotus  (Private)

Bandon Hospital in Bo Phut, next to BigC (Private)

Samui International Hospital in Chaweng Beach  (Private)

 

There might be cases the local hospitals cannot manage, but I'm not well enough experienced into health and sickness to say anything about that – probably other Samui expats have some experience and/or knowledge.

[BV70]

20 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

Just ask yourself 'What would Vyvyan do'?

 

Smash the living room door in..

[upside]

How about Jomtien? 

[Captor]

On 2016-10-04 at 5:31 PM, khunPer said:

To my knowledge the hospitals are All Right – I've personally been to most of them, but luckily mainly as visitor – the island has 4 private hospitals, plus a number of clinics, and a fine public hospital (with tennis court in the "take an exercise park").

 

Samui Hospital in Nathon (Government)

Samui Bangkok Hospital in Chaweng Noi (Private)

Thai International Hospital in Bo Phut, opposite Tesco-Lotus  (Private)

Bandon Hospital in Bo Phut, next to BigC (Private)

Samui International Hospital in Chaweng Beach  (Private)

 

There might be cases the local hospitals cannot manage, but I'm not well enough experienced into health and sickness to say anything about that – probably other Samui expats have some experience and/or knowledge.

Dear KhunPer

Thank you very much for your answer! It is really helping me in my thoughts what place to move when retire. It means Samui is back on the list again :-) Very appreciated! Samui is in fact my favourite. I have always liked it there. The only negative to say about the place are the lack of competition of airlines there. The tickets are more expensive. But that is all in my humble opinion.

 

It look like there are quite some hospitals with resources after all. OK, of course not the same as in Bangkok but still in order to take care of the most life threaten deceases in acute situations. That is what I want. Don´t want to get a stroke or something and then it is 7-8 hours to a decent hospital :-)

Maybe other expats also have some comments on this issue?

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, Captor said:

...Samui is in fact my favourite. I have always liked it there. The only negative to say about the place are the lack of competition of airlines there. The tickets are more expensive. But that is all in my humble opinion...

I look at life from the bright side, so I also see expensive air-tickets as a benefit – try to think what Samui would be like, if some 5 airlines were competing with 999 baht or less flights from Bangok...?

When settling on Samui you may be eligible for a Bangkok Air "Resident Card", that will give you a fine discount on normal air-ticket price; however, often you can use the Internet bargains instead and pay less, I gave up my 300 baht a year Resident Card, as I never used it.
You has alternatives by take ferry'n'bus ride to Surat Thani and fly Air Asia, they have combined tickets that is said to work very well – there is a recent thread in the Samui-forum about it.

[Captor]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

I look at life from the bright side, so I also see expensive air-tickets as a benefit – try to think what Samui would be like, if some 5 airlines were competing with 999 baht or less flights from Bangok...?

When settling on Samui you may be eligible for a Bangkok Air "Resident Card", that will give you a fine discount on normal air-ticket price; however, often you can use the Internet bargains instead and pay less, I gave up my 300 baht a year Resident Card, as I never used it.
You has alternatives by take ferry'n'bus ride to Surat Thani and fly Air Asia, they have combined tickets that is said to work very well – there is a recent thread in the Samui-forum about it.

Thank you very much, actually I have never read in the Samui-forum. Don´t know why actually. But I will take look now.

Thanks for the tip about Surat Thani, will check that up as well.

You are right about the airlines. If there were a bunch of it Samui would be like Phuke or Pattaya and that would be sad.

Then it would not be a favourite. I guess when living on Samui there are not so many reasons going to the mainland. And those few occasions have to go the higher ticket price is acceptable.