Live in Chaweng or Lamai

[KingKongOfThailand]

Do most apartment blocks have a receptionist that you can immediately rent a room from?

 

How much would something like this be on the ground: https://www.flipkey.com/lamai-beach-condo-rentals/p2541389/

[notmyself]

It's an interesting concept that has sprung to mind with this thread. If I get another couple of old bikes and hand them out then I could live here for free.

[notmyself]

4 minutes ago, KingKongOfThailand said:

Do most apartment blocks have a receptionist that you can immediately rent a room from?

 

How much would something like this be on the ground: https://www.flipkey.com/lamai-beach-condo-rentals/p2541389/

 

700 a day

 

[edit]

 

1200

Edited May 6, 2017 by notmyself

[KingKongOfThailand]

5 minutes ago, notmyself said:

It's an interesting concept that has sprung to mind with this thread. If I get another couple of old bikes and hand them out then I could live here for free.

Quite easily especially if you rent them to foreigners that only need them for short time.

 

How much monthly for the apartment. 

[notmyself]

It's hard because life here is so different to that in the west.

[wump]

Illegal without a work permit which you won't get without a proper business.

[notmyself]

1 minute ago, wump said:

Illegal without a work permit which you won't get without a proper business.

 

Hence barter. She has my motorbike because she is my friend and I get free food because I am her friend. No work permit needed!

[wump]

Keep telling yourself that. Working for food or other benefits is just the same as working for money. Technically illegal, but I know nobody cares.

[KingKongOfThailand]

18 minutes ago, notmyself said:

 

700 a day

 

[edit]

 

1200

How much monthly mate?

[notmyself]

12 minutes ago, KingKongOfThailand said:

How much monthly mate?

 

No idea but that is not how I roll. I turn up at a place and tell them how much I am willing to pay and they generally just say OK.

[notmyself]

Let me tell you something about the mentality over here in Thailand by way of an analogy.

 

What always comes before war? Well ill tell all you <word in plural form> what comes before war and that is peace. Therefor [various words some people believe have magical properties] think that the cause of war is peace. That is the intellect you hit the moment you walk out of the plane.

[wump]

18 minutes ago, notmyself said:

Let me tell you something about the mentality over here in Thailand by way of an analogy.

 

What always comes before war? Well ill tell all you <word in plural form> what comes before war and that is peace. Therefor [various words some people believe have magical properties] think that the cause of war is peace. That is the intellect you hit the moment you walk out of the plane.

 

 

[KingKongOfThailand]

54 minutes ago, notmyself said:

 

No idea but that is not how I roll. I turn up at a place and tell them how much I am willing to pay and they generally just say OK.

So if you roll up at that place how much are you willing to pay?

[samuijimmy]

Well this has been one of the best threads I have seen in a long time  ...... well done everyone for keeping to useful and good responses!  

 

A few comments : 

Do not imagine a Thai style Kitchen will be anything close to anything you'll find in the UK!  Especially at a low budget place..! You might get a hot plate and very small counter space! 

 

Generally worst time for driving is 7 to 9 am and 4 to around 6pm (locals driving to or from work)  and late at night when bars close! Always drive with using due care and attention! (obviously!!!) And always wear a helmet, as often road blocks at different locations around the island most days ... money one does not need to spend on fines! 

 

Johnny is actually a very helpful person, and spends a lot of time making sure people get what they want... but I think prefers to cater to those with a little more of a budget...

 

Even local Thais would have a hard time finding rents in the 3000 baht range (per month)  .... I get asked all the time from locals if I know places ...  Even around me in sleepy Bang Por, rents can be in the 3500+ baht range, plus electric and water, which is usually charged out at another 1000 baht regardless of the actual electric bill... Basic house with bedroom, "kitchen" bathroom... probably no hot water heater ...  there are farangs who live in them too... (Some places it would be an idea to ask if electric is included and check if heater for shower! ) ...

 

As suggested just look around for a few days... and get the feel of different areas... don't be afraid to ask to look at rooms offered, first.

 

Just to add  I run into 20-30 somethings all the time in the less hectic places... some people just want to "chill" ....

 

There from another "Old Fart" but not quite as old as Khun Per! 

 

I was going suggest looking through the Images of Samui, but it seems to be in a bit of a mess for the moment, which we are trying to fix...

Some images still show! 

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/125263-images-of-samui-phangan-and-tao/?page=32

[KingKongOfThailand]

Cheers Jimmy for the pointers. I figured the kitchen would not be the same standard and that's fine with me. I'll be eating out mostly anyway but it's nice to have an option to cook something small from time to time. I am not planning on renting anything too basic, I just don't want to be paying tourist prices for a place. I'd rather pay a little more for something newer, more modern than some scruffy little shack with a thai squatter as a toilet.(no offense if you have one of those). 

 

 

[wump]

Just a hot plate is fine for cooking. But given that you can eat in the restaurant for 50 Baht, it might not be feasible to cook yourself anyway. Thai food tastes great and buying ingredients from Tesco Lotus instead of the local Thai fresh market and cooking these yourself might actually be more expensive. Personally, I only re-heat prepared stuff so a mini oven (from 500 Baht), a hot plate (from 1000 Baht if not included in the room) might be enough. I think if you rent from Johnny he always prepares a little kitchen set including a hot plate that you return to him at checkout.

 

I know quite a few farangs staying in Maenam for the low rent... but the beach up there is not that nice and traffic can be a pain. So in my opinion, Lamai is the best base for exploring the island as it's got a good balance between all the congestion and tourist facilities available. The beach is also not too bad and there is quite a lot of nice and inexpensive restaurants right on the beach. 

 

Edit: Forgot one point that really annoyed me: When staying in Chaweng anywhere near the beach, be prepared to be woken up everyday around 9am by planes flying a couple of meters above your place. When I stayed across from Ark Bar/Green Mango each morning my bed was literally shaking in 20 minute intervals.

Edited May 7, 2017 by wump

[Bigdogfarang]

Just catching up on this thread funnily enough I was just reading the part about motorbikes being safe when there was a huge clashing of metal and sure enough two motorbikes had smashed into each other right on beach road in the middle of the day - no major injuries but not pretty - I have a bike but never go on the highways. Never drive drunk or in the rain - proceed with caution not only are the drivers terrible and largely drunk the state of the roads is also shocking - expect open potholes / drains in the middle of the road - overtaking on blind corners etc 

 

second thing if you are here for such a short time - 3 months my advice is put your hand in your pocket and get somewhere half decent - why come to live on a thai island and stay in prison cell conditions doesn't make sense to me - I pay 16000 a month after some hard negotiation (originally listed 35000 a month) and have a lovely quiet place off the main road but close to everything in chaweng - western standard accomodation - dont come here and live like a tramp if only three months 

[Bigdogfarang]

21 minutes ago, wump said:

Just a hot plate is fine for cooking. But given that you can eat in the restaurant for 50 Baht, it might not be feasible to cook yourself anyway. Thai food tastes great and buying ingredients from Tesco Lotus instead of the local Thai fresh market and cooking these yourself might actually be more expensive. Personally, I only re-heat prepared stuff so a mini oven (from 500 Baht), a hot plate (from 1000 Baht if not included in the room) might be enough. I think if you rent from Johnny he always prepares a little kitchen set including a hot plate that you return to him at checkout.

 

I know quite a few farangs staying in Maenam for the low rent... but the beach up there is not that nice and traffic can be a pain. So in my opinion, Lamai is the best base for exploring the island as it's got a good balance between all the congestion and tourist facilities available. The beach is also not too bad and there is quite a lot of nice and inexpensive restaurants right on the beach. 

 

Edit: Forgot one point that really annoyed me: When staying in Chaweng anywhere near the beach, be prepared to be woken up everyday around 9am by planes flying a couple of meters above your place. When I stayed across from Ark Bar/Green Mango each morning my bed was literally shaking in 20 minute intervals.

This really is only true if you are a tourist staying under the flight path I live in north chaweng 5 mins from all the action and it is the quietest place I've stayed on samui much much quieter than bang Rak where I was right on the main road 

[Bigdogfarang]

23 minutes ago, wump said:

Just a hot plate is fine for cooking. But given that you can eat in the restaurant for 50 Baht, it might not be feasible to cook yourself anyway. Thai food tastes great and buying ingredients from Tesco Lotus instead of the local Thai fresh market and cooking these yourself might actually be more expensive. Personally, I only re-heat prepared stuff so a mini oven (from 500 Baht), a hot plate (from 1000 Baht if not included in the room) might be enough. I think if you rent from Johnny he always prepares a little kitchen set including a hot plate that you return to him at checkout.

 

I know quite a few farangs staying in Maenam for the low rent... but the beach up there is not that nice and traffic can be a pain. So in my opinion, Lamai is the best base for exploring the island as it's got a good balance between all the congestion and tourist facilities available. The beach is also not too bad and there is quite a lot of nice and inexpensive restaurants right on the beach. 

 

Edit: Forgot one point that really annoyed me: When staying in Chaweng anywhere near the beach, be prepared to be woken up everyday around 9am by planes flying a couple of meters above your place. When I stayed across from Ark Bar/Green Mango each morning my bed was literally shaking in 20 minute intervals.

Also many a bed shakes in chaweng at 20 minute intervals and not always because of the overhead planes ?

[khunPer]

Airplanes operates from 6 am till 10 pm planned, in case of delays they'll continue to operate later. Flight path is Bang Rak, just around Little Mermaid Resort (you'll have the landing gear in your holiday photo, if you wish to snap the top of the palms also when taking a picture of the pool); but look at the bright side of life, you don't need to bring an alarm clock, when staying there. The other end of the runway is out over the area with so-called "Soi Green Mango" (nightlife area), Ark Bar Beach Resort, Central Festival shopping mall and the beach resorts at that area; however quite safe, apart from little engine noise, and the beach is not at all as scaring as Saint Marteen. The guests at Ark Bar Beach Resort don't mind the aircraft noise at all, because they never hear the planes, which have less sound-pressure-level than the pool-DJ, and the all day ongoing beach party (where you one night are going to party with fire-show on the beach, a must try, if for nothing else, then just for a one time experience – you can afford it, fair drink prices)...

By the way, you asked about beach parties in Lamai? I don't think there are any (one beach bar tried, but seemed to give up due to lack of customers), perhaps some Lamai-locals will comment...

 

If you are on budget and rent a place with a Thai-kitchen, then don't expect anything but a hot water kettle, and if you are lucky, maybe also an electric cooker pot. Investing in kitchen equipment for a 3-month stop-over, you shall take into consideration the costs of eating out, compared to what you need to buy to prepare a meal for one – except instant morning coffee and some light breakfast, if you don't head out for real coffee – you can buy fine Thai-meals for 100 baht and even less (50-60 baht is possible); and knowing the area (ask some local long-stayers) you can find restaurants serving fine Western-meals for 150-250 baht; when you need a break from native.food. I'm talking from experience – you may end up with paying same, or even more, when investing in equipment and "raw materials" to prepare the meals yourself; however cooking can be fun, and having fun often costs money...

 

You can rent a motorbike on monthly term for 3,000 to 4,500 baht. Don't think of the hassle buying a vehicle yourself, and get it registered, and sell it again, when it's only for 3-month. Service, apart from any damage you may make, is on the renter. Rented motorbikes, and the one you (don't) buy, normally come with mandatory insurance only, which covers next-to-nothing, so remember your travel insurance – for many other reasons also. Samuimmy drives bike, so listen to his – and others – advise about traffic. When you are leaving after 3-month, you are eligible to but the t-shirt "I drove on Samui, and survived"...

I also drove motorbike, one day (in 2001, long before heavy traffic, but with 4,000 additional pot-holes, and more sleeping dogs in the streets), then I rented a small jeep; which is a safer alternative, but costs from 600-700 baht a day for an old wreckage, or around 15,000 baht a month, if you get a good deal (same hopeless insurance)...

Using local available public transportion is the so-called "song thaew", a pick-up car with two (song) rows (thaew) of seats in the bed. They drive on fixed prices in daytime from 6 am till 6 pm. The also drive fixed routes – a sign on top says for example "Nathon-Chaweng-Lamai" – and you just stop them in the road. In the bed-cabin is a push bottom for a bell in the drivers cabin, you can press when you wish to get off. Price-range is from 20 baht till about 100 baht, but check the price first (there is a price board in the bed-cabin, but just to be safe). After 6 pm the song thaews drive like taxis, but on agreed price, that normally will be in the range of 200 baht for a short distance (around the corner) till some 500-600 baht for a longer distance (for example Lamai to one of the Northern places). The song thaew may stop en-route and pick-up more passenger, who also pay for the same trip you already agreed to par for...

Taxis, so-called "Taxi-Meter" cars, are supposed to drive on the meter (by law) for a slightly higher island-starting-fee of 50-baht, plus a 50 baht surcharge; but often they will, day-and-night, quote a price in same level as a night-song thaew (200+ baht) – but again, look at the bright side, a taxi will not stop en-route and pick up more passengers...

 

You can have lots of joy and fun at Samui for little money (talk from experience), if you choose well...

[wump]

Interesting post, but may I remind you that advertising, even if cleverly concealed, is forbidden in the forum. Yes, Ark Bar is okay for a night out every now and then but its not that cheap, a small Chang being 100 Baht and all. The fire show is quite nice though and the music is pretty good.

 

For taxis, do they still have that NaviGo app? You can use it to get a taxi with the meter rate plus 100 Baht surcharge. Be careful that you might get an extra tour of the island though.

 

Anyone heard of any plans of Uber coming to the island? That would be a worthwhile addition because now most people just take their chances driving pissed because they refuse to be extorted by the taxi mafia. I think having Uber (or a regulated taxi system) would prevent a lot of unnecessary road deaths.

[Samui Bodoh]

Hi All

 

Great thread, so I thought that I would add my two cents.

 

Given a choice between Cheweng and Lamai, I would choose Mae Nam! But, as the OP has stated he likes those two locations, I'll slide over it.

 

The main comment that I would add is in regards to motorcycles. Yes, they are a bit dangerous and yes, there are a lot of accidents. Yes, it is true that you should always wear a helmet, and yes it is very true that you should NEVER(!) drive while drunk.

 

The reasons that I would recommend a motorbike are cost and the freedom to explore. The OP stated that he is on a tight budget; if you are taking taxis and/or Songtheows (spelling) on a regular basis, that is going to add up. In this thread I have seen prices at about 3,000-4,500 Baht/month, but that seems a bit high to me. In my neighbourhood, you can find something for 2,000-3,000/month which is reasonable, but its not a big and shiny bike. Having a bike allows you to explore the island in a way that is simply impossible by taxi/Songtheow. Many a time I have simply turned on to a road/soi/lane and discovered new and wonderful things here. Further, if you plan on visiting the 'sights', well they are spread out and would be both expensive and time-consuming to get there. To sum up, if you don't have a bike, you'll miss half the island (at least).

 

There was also an earlier suggestion about buying a bike and selling it when you leave; I would recommend against that. I bought my current bike from a Russian guy who was leaving and needed to sell quickly; I got it for about 20,000 less that it was worth. Rent!

 

Good luck to the OP

Edited May 7, 2017 by Samui Bodoh

[evadgib]

The OP should think very carefully before renting anything that has less than 4 wheels and a roof...

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/599017576877886/

 

 

[Samui Bodoh]

26 minutes ago, evadgib said:

The OP should think very carefully before renting anything that has less than 4 wheels and a roof...

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/599017576877886/

 

 

I can't argue with the above post, so I won't try. That said...

• I have been riding a bike on Samui (off and on) for 20 years. I drive slowly, safely and defensively and never had an accident. I think that is true for many/most people.
• I have seen plenty of car accidents, some horrific.
• Not everyone can afford to rent a car.

Life's a series of choices...

Cheers

[evadgib]

...the cost of a car is significantly cheaper than 24hrs in ICU or (dead or alive) repatriation.

[notmyself]

16 hours ago, KingKongOfThailand said:

So if you roll up at that place how much are you willing to pay?

 

700 but then people know I live here so they can't try the 'what other options do you have' trick on me and I can play the 'an empty rooms earns nothing' on them. It's the same in bars if I'm going out for a couple in that I will negotiate a price for three. How much are the singas sweetheart? 80 Baht. I'll give you 200 Baht for three. Generally they agree but if not then I just walk away. Often when I do actually walk away they call me and say yes because they know I will actually go elsewhere. Thai eateries I never negotiate but then nor do I look at the menu because I know what is in their kitchen already. It would be like going into a greasy spoon and asking if they sell bacon sandwiches.  This reminds me of a story....

 

Few years back I was out with a couple of friends (one Dutch, one English but lived in Switzerland for 30 odd years and a German fella we picked up along the way) and we went into a place for an Indian, a place I'd never been to before. The guy taking the order, who turned out to be the owner, asked if I was English so I asked why. He said it was because I didn't look at the menu and that that behaviour was quite common for English customers as they already know what they want and also know they can make it.

 

9 hours ago, Bigdogfarang said:

second thing if you are here for such a short time - 3 months my advice is put your hand in your pocket and get somewhere half decent - why come to live on a thai island and stay in prison cell conditions doesn't make sense to me - I pay 16000 a month after some hard negotiation (originally listed 35000 a month) and have a lovely quiet place off the main road but close to everything in chaweng - western standard accomodation - dont come here and live like a tramp if only three months 

 

I fully agree with this and don't why you would like to allocate 7k on a 35k budget if you plan not to be so much of a party animal out every night. Better to spend a little more on somewhere you actually like being in though that is perhaps just me, the way I am. I remember when I negotiated the price on this place some 7 years back and it was all done in broken Thai along with a couple of sheets of paper. Her (landlady) maths is somewhat wanting shall we say so I kept flipping from monthly rate to half yearly rate and we ended up at 36k. I said it was an unlucky number and 35 would be more fortunate to which she agreed.

 

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

The reasons that I would recommend a motorbike are cost and the freedom to explore. The OP stated that he is on a tight budget; if you are taking taxis and/or Songtheows (spelling) on a regular basis, that is going to add up. In this thread I have seen prices at about 3,000-4,500 Baht/month, but that seems a bit high to me. In my neighbourhood, you can find something for 2,000-3,000/month which is reasonable, but its not a big and shiny bike. Having a bike allows you to explore the island in a way that is simply impossible by taxi/Songtheow. Many a time I have simply turned on to a road/soi/lane and discovered new and wonderful things here. Further, if you plan on visiting the 'sights', well they are spread out and would be both expensive and time-consuming to get there. To sum up, if you don't have a bike, you'll miss half the island (at least).

 

There was also an earlier suggestion about buying a bike and selling it when you leave; I would recommend against that. I bought my current bike from a Russian guy who was leaving and needed to sell quickly; I got it for about 20,000 less that it was worth. Rent!

 

 

No question it will save you quite a few bob on even just getting around in a general sense  I disagree on buying but then I'm talking about something with a few years on its back so around the 15k mark. True that the depreciation on new/ newer bikes such as a PCX is staggering but older & lower cost bikes hold their price pretty well in the market. 9k on rental or 15k to buy and easy as pie to sell it for 10k 3 months later. True enough it means you are responsible but unless the engine spits the dummy it costs very little to fix anything that is wrong. As for registering the bike which was mentioned.... do people actually do that?

10 hours ago, wump said:

Just a hot plate is fine for cooking. But given that you can eat in the restaurant for 50 Baht, it might not be feasible to cook yourself anyway. Thai food tastes great and buying ingredients from Tesco Lotus instead of the local Thai fresh market and cooking these yourself might actually be more expensive. Personally, I only re-heat prepared stuff so a mini oven (from 500 Baht), a hot plate (from 1000 Baht if not included in the room) might be enough. I think if you rent from Johnny he always prepares a little kitchen set including a hot plate that you return to him at checkout.

 

 

Chances are (on a 7k place) you will get a kitchen of some sort with a burner and a sink at the very minimum. Wok will cost you maybe 150 baht and everything else get be gotten from a 20 Baht shop for just that, 20 Baht. A little 'otto' brand rice steamer with an overhead steamer tray for fish, veg. etc. will cost maybe 500 Baht or less. Maybe I'm just a foodie which makes me blind but I could cook up pretty much anything with that set-up and to a large extent that is the set-up I have. Few years ago I got an electric over from a fellow member which still works and is used a lot but then I live here and sometime you just fancy a bit of roast chicken or pork or duck.

 

Someone mentioned cost (outside of pans etc) and it does cost a little to start it up and by that I mean having the seasonings and such  I mentioned in an earlier post that I could and do make close to anything available in town for less money and that easily pays for the odd bottle of Nam Pla or bag of fresh coconut cream. Red curry chicken and rice to use an example because I can, my post. I can get this for 40 Baht in the food market by the petrol station, it's <word> good and certainly better than the chick who is using my spare motorbike that charges 80 Baht. I can make it myself with less oil and salt for under 25 Baht.

 

14 hours ago, samuijimmy said:

Well this has been one of the best threads I have seen in a long time  ...... well done everyone for keeping to useful and good responses!  

 

 

Us 'old farts' keep the home fires burning despite the direction of the new owners and the software downgrade. I noticed I have a PM but hesitated on opening it because it is usually informing me of a penalty for infringing something. That I can even write this post suggests otherwise so it could be from the OP. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KingKongOfThailand]

2 hours ago, notmyself said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How much can be negotiated on average for a monthly apartment? Lets say a see a place and it's 700 a day or 7500 a month. How much can I haggle of the monthly cost, what's reasonable?

[wump]

If it's 700 a day and 7500 a month you got quite a good deal and I wouldn't haggle. You might be able to pay the 3 months in advance for 20,000. But this way you might be viewed as a cheap charlie and I wouldn't commit that long to a place. There is always things that can happen when you need to move your apartment. 

Edited May 8, 2017 by wump

[samuijimmy]

9 hours ago, KingKongOfThailand said:

How much can be negotiated on average for a monthly apartment? Lets say a see a place and it's 700 a day or 7500 a month. How much can I haggle of the monthly cost, what's reasonable?

 

Probably not much, since you'll be here in the summer high season ... but everywhere is different, you can try asking but don't expect to see a discount on three months!

[Bigdogfarang]

1 hour ago, samuijimmy said:

 

Probably not much, since you'll be here in the summer high season ... but everywhere is different, you can try asking but don't expect to see a discount on three months!

I gotta see a photo of this 7500 baht a month place and how the rooms compare to those provided free at bang Kwan