Koh Samui: For sale and gathering dust - island that catered to foreigners is completely deserted

[ExpatOilWorker 4,124]

20 hours ago, tifino said:

I just go to Koh Samui webcams on WWITV

 - and tomorrow night will be the same as last night... 

 - the rare subbakers on the beach, sometimes makes it worth the trouble   

WOW, it really is like a ghost town.

[3NUMBAS 1,519]

yes afraid the bubble has burst like the dutch bubble of the 17th cent

 

Tulip mania was a period in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637. It is generally considered the first recorded speculative bubble. Wikipedia

Period: 1636 – 1637

[spidermike007 32,739]

My first time there was in the mid 1980's. Amazing. I moved there around 2005. It was still a paradise.

 

It has steadily gone downhill with totally unchecked development. This pause is likely good for the island in the long term, though it is going to be quite painful for many. Occupancy was already way down well before Covid. 

 

Lamai, Bhoput and Maenam are showing some signs of life. But, the island is very quiet. Alot of shuttered businesses and seems like more, the longer things progress without foreigners arriving. 

 

Word is, there are over 100 hotels and resorts for sale, for up to 50% off their "former values". Samui is in for a major reckoning. 

Edited July 15 by spidermike007

[Tropicalevo 4,681]

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

the fish must be happy as no disturbance ,,back to nature for the islands

Dolphins swimming around Samui.

More than 18 turtle nests on the quiet southern beaches.

Hornbills back on the Angthon Marine park islands

Stingray spotted off Chaweng beach.

Very good snorkelling.

 

[worldfun 158]

On 7/11/2020 at 10:44 PM, SoilSpoil said:

Prachuap Khiri Khan's boulevard was teeming with locals and foreigners yestetday. Beautiful beach promenade, local night markets and plenty of budget hotels. No need for extortionate taxi prices. Just value for money.

don't spread the word or prachuab will soon become the next chaweng! but the length of those beaches combined with chomphun is impossible to fill  there's always a nice place to chill in the LOS for those who venture out and beyond...

[thaibeachlovers 29,998]

On 7/14/2020 at 6:26 PM, Awinkl said:

Well, it's maybe not fair to just blame Thai's for the current situation - or the overdevelopment of the Place. I think Farangs were also quite happy to "play-along" in the GREED-GAME. Whenever I visited there, I always felt that the Locals & the Farangs living there felt like they were better than any-other-place ... and looked down on fellow visitors.....? And now ..... everybody is crying foul???

Perhaps, when all the Covid issue will finally be over ..... maybe the various Tourist places all around the world who suffer now - being empty ... will learn to be more appreciative ..... of Visiting Tourists???

Farangs don't own any land so the development isn't down to them. Of course it was done to attract farangs that wanted more than basic huts, but it didn't have to happen in the way it did. It could have been done in a way that preserved the good nature.

 

maybe the various Tourist places all around the world who suffer now - being empty ... will learn to be more appreciative ..... of Visiting Tourists???

Doubt it. That's not human nature.

They will probably just put the prices up, then wonder why they don't get enough customers.

 

[thaibeachlovers 29,998]

1 hour ago, worldfun said:

don't spread the word or prachuab will soon become the next chaweng! but the length of those beaches combined with chomphun is impossible to fill  there's always a nice place to chill in the LOS for those who venture out and beyond...

I once stayed on one of those beaches. Miles all to ourselves. Unfortunately the sandfleas bite was not pleasant.

[Youlike 2,172]

On 7/11/2020 at 4:48 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Chaweng is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen

Go see the mediterranean beaches which are much more beautifull than chaweng with it's seaweed and noisy nightclubs, oh did i mention the smelly drains?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mediterranean+beach&iax=images&ia=images

[rumak 6,530]

1 hour ago, worldfun said:

don't spread the word or prachuab will soon become the next chaweng! but the length of those beaches combined with chomphun is impossible to fill  there's always a nice place to chill in the LOS for those who venture out and beyond...

shhhhhhhhh !!    

[thaibeachlovers 29,998]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

My first time there was in the mid 1980's. Amazing. I moved there around 2005. It was still a paradise.

 

It has steadily gone downhill with totally unchecked development. This pause is likely good for the island in the long term, though it is going to be quite painful for many. Occupancy was already way down well before Covid. 

 

Lamai, Bhoput and Maenam are showing some signs of life. But, the island is very quiet. Alot of shuttered businesses and seems like more, the longer things progress without foreigners arriving. 

 

Word is, there are over 100 hotels and resorts for sale, for up to 50% off their "former values". Samui is in for a major reckoning. 

I reckon some serious players are going to buy up the hotels once they get cheap enough, to make a killing once tourism resumes.

[elliss 2,866]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Dolphins swimming around Samui.

More than 18 turtle nests on the quiet southern beaches.

Hornbills back on the Angthon Marine park islands

Stingray spotted off Chaweng beach.

Very good snorkelling.

 

 Just proves Corvid 19 , does have a purpose .

    Mother Nature , is the winner , naturally ..

[Tropicalevo 4,681]

3 hours ago, Youlike said:

Go see the mediterranean beaches which are much more beautifull than chaweng with it's seaweed and noisy nightclubs, oh did i mention the smelly drains?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mediterranean+beach&iax=images&ia=images

You are not keeping up to date.

Chaweng is dead. The beach is glorious. Lots of fish in the sea. There are no noisy nightclubs. No smelly drains when I was there last Thursday. Please try and keep up with everyone.

[evadgib 16,883]

18 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Dolphins swimming around Samui.

More than 18 turtle nests on the quiet southern beaches.

Hornbills back on the Angthon Marine park islands

Stingray spotted off Chaweng beach.

Very good snorkelling.

 

A substantial mermoration of Eurasian bee-eaters is currently passing through and stocking up on the vast number of airborne insects and can be seen/heard at last light while walking the dog in the hills. Other regular visitors doing same include Swallows, Martins and an assortment of waders including the ground-dwelling Red Wattled plover (resident all year) that tells us where the dog is! 

(You're never further than 10 mins from David Attenborough's backyard on this island unless you want to be) 

Edited July 16 by evadgib

[Tropicalevo 4,681]

My next door neighbour had this little beauty fly into her window and stunned itself last month. Never seen a kingfisher like this on the island before.

 

[evadgib 16,883]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

My next door neighbour had this little beauty fly into her window and stunned itself last month. Never seen a kingfisher like this on the island before.

 

That looks like a juvenile white throated Kingfisher. There are loads of them in the swampy area near Blai Laem temple not far from you.